April 24th

Llandaff Fields was indeed mostly empty this morning when we got there, having left at 6.35 a.m. It was still cold enough for frost on the grass, and the sun was hazy. 

The sky was pale blue-grey: the difference between the bright, clear blue skies during the no-fly time and now that airplanes are back, their contrails criss-crossing and spreading over the sky is quite astounding.

We heard a lot of raven calls in the distance, but didn't see any. Now that the fresh leaves on all trees are unfolding more every day, seeing ravens in the trees is getting difficult.

First though, we met Bas, who had finally come home from the place he stayed while his Mum Karen and Dad Dave were stuck in Northern Italy for a week because of the volcanic ash. 

It took them 19 different buses/cars/trains/ferries to get back. Sadly, Sophie, having 'forgotten' Bas, tried to snap at him, even though she'd greeten both him and akren with a happy, wagging tail.

Then we saw poor little Jack, the Westie who had been attacked. He was out walking a bit, but his owner did not come near to us, for obvious reasons. So we couldn't hear the full story - but Jack's injuries on his left side look absolutely horrific. Brave, tough little Jack ...

We went to the ravens field the usual way, and one raven sat in the big lime tree next to the spinney. He was watching, but did not come into the enclosure (still fenced in) until we were well away. So - one of my young pair. 

After he'd eaten some and hidden some other scraps, he sat on a fence post and quorked at us. 

We went back and I threw more scraps, but he again waited for us to go away before picking them up. He flew off towards the toddlers' playground, but did come back after a bit. 

First, he sat on a fence post, croaking and sounding angry - then he flew to sit on top of the rugby goal post. We'd been at the wall to the allotments, so while we walked back to the enclosure, we heard some calls coming from the direction of the allotments across the fence, to our right (left on the plan on top). These calls sounded really angry, with a screeching sound to them. 

The raven sitting on the rugby post answered these calls, also with a slight screech in his voice, and then flew to where the calls from the other raven had come from.

I wonder if they were defending a nest with hatchlings - there was no fox visible in the ravens field like the other time.

Looking forward to what the ravens get up to tomorrow morning ... early ....