Sunday, Feb 28th

The predicted storm and rain had moved across Northern France and then up the English channel - so it was dry, rather cold and windy, but not bad at all. The sun was again invisible behind the clouds, but the songbirds were singing to each other well before sunrise. There were even a few raven calls, soft and far away.

I left the house at 7.20 a.m.. The ground was muddy and Llandaff Fields was empty of dog walkers, except for Alison and Jack-the-Westie. We walked to the top of the big field - no raven calls, not any ravens to be seen. 

Then, I saw one sitting int he top branches of one of the trees in the spinney. He only came down to the ground after Alison and Jack had moved on towards the little arboretum - it was one of my young pair. His companion followed after he'd called.

More raven calls came from Pontcanna Fields, and the bold pair came flying in. While I was throwing scraps to these two pairs, the quarry pair arrived as well.

All ravens cawed to me as soon as they'd landed. That has not happened before.

Feb 27th

The high winds stormed over us yesterday afternoon, so it was dry and not windy early this morning, with a watery sun being obscured by clouds. Earlier, robins and blackbirds had been singing, and now the great tits have also started to join in. No raven calls, however.

I left the house at 7.25 a.m. and in Llandaff Fields not one raven was to be seen or heard. I assumed that they'd all flown into town, as last night there was a huge rugby match, so there must have been lots of left-over food for them.

I walked to the top of the big field, which had been colonised this morning by about forty black-headed seagulls. They flew up, and kept circling over my head as I was standing there. I walked on to the ravens field, thinking that none of my six ravens would turn up with that lot of seagulls overhead.

There were no ravens in the ravens field either - so I just went to the enclosure and threw some scraps into it. But then - my young pair arrived. They were very circumspect, keeping their distance, as usual, even in the enclosure. As I was turning away, one of them flew onto one of the fence posts and cawed repeatedly and very loudly.

I went back to the big field,, now without seagulls, and while the young pair had not followed me, the quarry pair turned up. As I threw them some scraps, the bold pair turned up - and then the young pair came as well. 

At one point they all froze, didn't move at all - I looked up and saw a bird of prey fly high above us. I know there is a sparrow hawk about - it might have been him. He flew towards Pontcanna Fields, and as soon as he was out of sight, the ravens started moving again. 

Feb 26th

There was some light rain in the night and in the early morning, which did not prevent the robins from singing.

I left the house at 7.25 a.m., not having heard any raven calls. It was cold, damp, and cloudy - so no cheerful sunrise.

There were a few soft calls coming from my left as I walked to the big field, and I saw a pair of ravens on the ground, close to the Horse Chestnut Avenue, quite a distance away from the path I was on. I kept to the path to see if they'd follow anyway, but they did not.

When I got to the top of the big field, they appeared: my quarry pair. Next to come were the bold pair, then the young pair turned up. The flock of blackheaded seagulls had been chased up by a couple of dogs (dunno who they were, too far away), so the ravens waited for their scraps, which I duly gave them. They did not mind the seagulls circling low overhead. Those gulls were obviously looking to grab some of the scraps, but the ravens stood their ground, not making a move until they gulls went away.

But then, something happened which was unexpected, interesting, and totally new: crows appeared from Pontcanna Fields, and landed amongst the ravens. 

Every time they tried to get a scrap, one or the other of the ravens flew at them, chasing them off. The ravens did not attack them, they just kept them off the food.

Feb 25th

It was mild again this morning, the robins and blackbirds were singing, but the sun was still hidden behind some dark clouds.

There had been no raven calls before I left the house at 7.30 a.m., but I did hear some when I got into the first field.

I walked up the big field, accompanied by more calls coming from the boundaries. In the middle of the field, I found the remnants of a food-waste bag which had been dragged there. I can tell you that neither ravens, nor seagulls and apparently urban foxes neither, like eating spring onions!

Feb 24th

Today, for a change, it was mild - so mild, in fact, that I didn't need my gloves. There was a watery sun, the ground was muddy, and before dawn the robins and blackbirds were singing their hearts out.

There were only very faint raven calls, however.

I left the house at 7.35 a.m., but once I was in Llandaff Fields, not one raven called, not one raven appeared.

I went to the top of the big field, stopping several times on the way, standing around for a few minutes at the top of the big field: no, nothing doing!

Then I remembered: today is the day the rubbish gets collected! So the ravens have lots to eat, seeing that cats and foxes keep opening the bags with food waste for them.

How could I have forgotten ... this is not the first Wednesday my ravens went AWOL, and my scraps-offerings were spurned ...