Stoats and Toads

We have recently had a very playful stoat visiting the garden.
 In Spring we had guests staying who came in one day to tell me about seeing a stoat rolling an egg accross the road as they drove home from Chipping. At the time I said they were lucky to have seen this happen as I had heard of this but never seen it myself. A few weeks ago as I drove through the other side of Chipping village on my way to Whalley I too saw a stoat rolling an egg accross the main road. I ask myself "is this a common event or are the stoats in Chipping EggHeads" ?

Yesterday after Robert cut the hedge he decided to trim some of the ivy on the garden wall as it was hanging over the path and it was giving us an extra shower each time we brushed passed it. As soon as the offending strands of ivy were removed there were three small nests in a row, all within a few feet of each other at between five and six feet from the ground. All were empty of birds but to his surprise the third one contained a rather disgruntled toad.

Pied Wagtails and Swallows

One afternoon last week I managed to spot where the wagtails had been taking all the insects that they were collecting on the garden. They were busy feeding their young in a nest site that has in other years been used by the Grey Wagtails in the wall of Brook House. Barrie Tyrer called and he took the pictures, thanks Barrie.
After my worries that the swallows were very late in arriving this year they seem to be doing very well rearing lots of young with nests in four buildings. It's the first time they have used the verandah on the summer house.  

Flowers in The Meadow

On Sunday Jacob ( our grandson ) suggested a picnic for tea and as the weather was perfect at that moment  we got it packed and set out accross the fields towards The Parish Hall Wood. The picnic table and bench came in handy and we had a lovely time sitting eating while listening to the birds in the wood and the curlews calling over the fields. Crossing The Middle Field was very pretty with the patches of Common Orchid amongst the buttercups.

It's a miracle

At last the determined Oyster Catcher that made her nest in the hollow in the top of the gate post has hatched two of her original three eggs. We believe the third was taken by the pestering crows.
She did need a little help in the end as the chicks could not manage to vacate the nest as it was to deep for them. This wonderful weather will give them a good start and we did see them later on in the day safely with Mum and Dad on the ground.

Springtime

On Friday I went to the orchard to pick a bunch of pheasant eye flowers before the cottage guests were due to arrive. I was surprised to find I had company, this Roe Deer.
At last the swallows have settled in the barn, there have been swallows passing through on the farm but our own group are a whole month later than last year.
The woods are looking lovely with the bluebells at their best. The cow parsley and red campion are now out in the hedge rows, everything looks so green, each day more trees come into leaf.

Nest with a view.

picture taken by Helen Turner

picture taken by Barrie Tyrer

This Oyster Catcher decided to go for a nest with a view. She is sitting on three eggs, at first she flew off the nest everytime a car passed by. After a few days she was ok with the passing traffic even with the rattle of the cattle grid. We have some concerns about the number of times she flies from the nest when people pass by using the footpath but we hope she is successful.

Green Cone

This week we sited our new Green Cone food waste digester system. It will take all the food scraps that cannot go into the compost bins. It should be a good time to get it up and running as it works best in the sunshine.
Our wildflower strip is getting better each year, the cowslips have been done very well this Spring and we hope to have a good mixture of flowers through the Summer.

All Fall Down -- Well Half

We may have missed the snow but we did get a night of very gusty winds, the tall twin trunked eucalyptus is only half its former self.
The bees and butterflies have been making the most of the warm Spring days and the blackbirds are very busy feeding their young. I am keeping my fingers crossed hoping the prowling magpie will not find them.
Two of last weeks guests, driving back from Chipping, watched a stoat roll an egg all the way accross the road. A whole new take on rolling Easter Eggs !!

Our Forest of Bowland Holiday Cottages

Mad as a March Hare.

It was a glorious morning to set out on the walk to watch the Brown Hare. The group were well rewarded, for rising early with good sightings of their antics and the thrill of catching them boxing.
The calls of the curlew, lapwing and oystercatchers added to the enjoyment. A slight detour from the path was needed when we came upon a pair of mating toads.
A Brown Hare Workshop with Wyre Rangers and
Sam Bolton from The Wildlife Trust followed at Bleasdale Parish Hall.

Our Forest of Bowland Holiday Cottages

Black and Blue

Today was one of those wonderful clear blue sky days here in Bowland and it was the first time this year we have had flocks of lapwing flying over on their pre breeding season " away days "

It's a real treat to have them back even if it's just for short visits, it gives you hope that it won't be too long before they come to stay to breed.

Now just hours later we have the clear black sky that is perfect to see the spectacle of the sky at night, no light polution, it's a wonderful sight!