Sunday, April 25th

Today was grey, damp - and mild! 

No sunshine - but no need, finally, for gloves!

We left the house at 6.45 a.m. There had been some distant raven calls when we left, but there were none as we got into Llandaff Fields. We did not see a single raven - but one raven saw us very well indeed!

When we were halfway to the top enclosure in the ravens field, which is still fenced in, one came swooping down from one of the trees at the tennis court boundary, and sat on a fence post.

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. 

April 23rd

The weather hasn't changed a bit: a cold, sunny morning, the sky blue, but a bit hazy - and while it still is gloves-time, it felt milder than before because the wind has died down.

We left the house at 6.35 a.m. There had been some distant raven calls earlier, but none in Llandaff Fields, which was however beginning to become populated by dogs and their walkers.

Walking to the top of the big field, we noticed that the fence posts have now been removed from the enclosure there, as well as from the bottom enclosure in the ravens field. 

The top enclosure in the ravens field however, where I feed the ravens, was still fenced in, just the gate missing.

April 22nd:

Bad day: the lock of the front door had to be replaced, first thing in the morning. Could not lock/unlock that door.
Therefore: waiting for the locksmith, waiting for him to repalce the lock: morning gone.


Then: bad news about Jack-the-Westie. He got attacked yesterday afternoon by a bullterrier type of dog, and has been at the vet ever since. Even more worrying is that his owner has a little boy, about 2 years old, which she had in a push-chair.These three are always out together.


We only went out in the early afternoon. Saw one raven on the big lime tree in the ravens field, and fed him in the usual place.
Too many people out with their kids and small dogs, enjoying the beautiful sunshine - Miss Sophie still hugely distracted by all that, so we went home.


Sorry ravens - better luck tomorrow!

April 21st

Well! Today was another day for a raven surprise!

We left the house at 6.35 a.m., to bright sunshine, an icy breeze from the NW, blue sky - and the first contrails criss-crossing the sky because the first planes were arrivening from the USA, the flight bann having been sort of lifted.

Llandaff Fields was empty except for some joggers. There were no raven calls, and no ravens to be seen until we got to the ravens field.

We noted on the way that the wire fencings had been removed from the enclosure in the big field, and from the lower enclosure in the ravens field. The top enclosure there, where I feed the ravens, still had the fencing in place.