April 28th

it was grey upon grey this morning - thicker clouds drifting across the overcast sky, but there were the occasional glimpses of the sun breaking through. It was mild, feeling slightly damp.

We left the house at 6.35 a.m. - nothing to boast about in regard to being early, I know, but we're working on it! 

There were a few raven calls in the distance, but we saw none until we got to the ravens field. Walking towards the boundary to the allotments on the far side, we noticed one raven flying from the quarry side across to Pontcanna Fields: it was actually being harassed by a couple of jackdaws.

I did not expect to see any ravens, due to the changed environment (no fenced-in enclosure, no fence posts), but when I looked over my shoulder while training Miss Sophie, there was one sitting on the ground, right where the enclosure had been. 

As we walked towards him, he got disturbed by a seagull flying above, and swooped up to sit on one of the rugby goal posts. These  posts, alas, will also be gone by next week. 

He clearly observed us, and when I made Miss Sophie sit this side of where the fence was, he came swooping down.

Yes - my bold raven!

In spite of there not being anything between him and us, he came hopping up to us to within three feet. 

He scoffed the first lot of scraps - hid the next, flew off with the third lot, and came back for more.

Meanwhile, Miss Sophie and I had walked round the 'enclosure', keeping to what was this side of the fence, and I used this raven encounter as a good opportunity to train 'sit - stay' with Miss Sophie.

She was very good - only once did she disregard my command and lounged at the bold raven, who by now seems to have got her measure: he only hopped away a couple of feet, and came back to the scrap as soon as Miss Sophie did what she was told to do!

Then Otis, the labradoodle, turned up - he is young and inquisitive, but he and Miss Sophie got on well enough, no drama. In fact, he actually acknowledged her as the higher-ranking dog by rolling onto his back and letting her sniff his tummy!

After all these various exercises with dog and raven we went home while the sun started to shine through the clouds.

Perhaps more ravens will turn up tomorrow ...