Wasps Attack

Well the wasps are starting to be a real problem now. We had some friends around today and one accidentally stood on their nest whilst playing football, as you can imagine the wasps weren't happy and went on the attack. Poor Will got stung, thankfully Andrea had a thick coat on as there where six or seven stuck to her back desperately trying to sting her. My cousin Paula and her son had to run around the garden and down the track behind the house and sneak in through the front door in order to escape them. Quite scary.
On a nicer note, the Tits are very interested in the new bird houses. Several Great and Blue Tits have been popping in and out over the last few days.
The Robin is looking very striking at the moment. Think she's finally recovered from feeding all her chicks at last.

Wasps settle down

I wonder what he's found down there?

I went out late last night and moved the solar light from near the wasps nest. It seems to have done the trick as they where behaving as normal again today. Their nest hole has doubled in size though over the last couple of days.

ALAN 0 - WASPS 5

The wasps were acting very strange tonight. It has been rainy and windy all day so I hadn't been out in the garden at all. Until this evening when Carlton a friend, came round to see the new Summer House. As we reached the top of the garden the Wasps were very active, which is strange for that time of evening. They then started to swarm. One followed Alan inside the summer house and stung him on the chest. Looking out through the window of the summer house we saw them swarming and attacking a small solar light which I'd moved last night near the entrance of their nest. They obviously were not happy.
Only managed one photo today of one of the Great Tits.

Moths and Pooh

Went outside this evening and spotted lots of these Antler Moths which had been attracted to the outdoor light. Thanks to Ian from http://ukmoths.org.uk/ for the ID. Saw this little blue tit again on the Hammock, I'm sure its the same one each time who just loves playing on it. Now this is a baffler: SHEEP POOH in the garden and no sheep? How has that happened? Gate is closed, no holes in the fence. Am totally baffled. Bird Bath was busy today. Oh I saw 6 Canada Geese fly low over the garden today too, they were very noisy. Walked past the wild bit of the garden and came eye to eye with this garden snail, high up on some hogweed.

Wasps V Alan: update

Its not the sharpest photo I've ever taken but just take a look at the look on that poor fly's faceWe've been busy painting the new summer house a nicer shade of dark oak so it blends in better and I'm really happy with the result.

Finished Result

The Wasps V Alan saga continues. Somehow they have managed to lay an invisable slippery patch just outside their hole which Alan keeps slipping on and falling hard on his bum. Quite funny as no one else has fallen there yet.

House Martins and Swallows

I noticed on Wednesday the Swallows and House Martins where starting to gather on the wire which leads from the house. They seem to choose this same stretch of wire every year to congragate on before they all head off for warmer climes. On Wednesday there were eight birds, Thursday there were thirty and Friday a few more. This evening there were well over a hundred if not more. Fantastic to watch when they all choose to fly off in one huge swarm before settling back onto the wire again.

Butterflies, Bats and Hedgehogs

My mum and her friend Margaret came over to see me this evening. As we were walking down the driveway for a stroll through the woods, Margaret spotted this little butterfly on the track. At first I thought it was a fritillary of some sort but on closer inspection I think its actually a 'Wall Brown'. It's disappeared from many areas now and these days your more likely to see them on grassy coasts not 700ft up in the mountains of Snowdonia. On our walk through the woods we came across several Rowan trees just bursting with berries.
And this is the reason for the evening visit from my mum and Margaret. They really wanted to come and watch the hedgehogs.
Oh news on the bat front. Its definitely a Horseshoe bat but the jury is still out on whether its a Greater or a Lesser. I've spoken to the guys at the London head office of the Bat Conservation Organisation and they were very excited at the discovery. They even asked if they could use the photographs I took. They are sending some people over from the Gwynedd Bat Group, who'll will be able to say for certain what it is using their nifty gadget box.

BREAKING NEWS

I just popped out to get Baby (the cat) in for the night and found this little fella hanging around in the lean-to. I couldn't believe it, I never thought I'd feature a bat on the garden blog. Thats has really made my day.

Autumn arrives early

Storm clouds brewing

I woke up this morning and discovered Autumn had arrived a little bit early with the lawn covered in leaves. The weather didn't help dispell the feeling either as storm clouds appeared above and gave us a great afternoon display of lightening and thunder. Then I noticed the ripe Black Berries, is it really still August?

Bargain Bird Boxes

The garden at night

Its typical, there's me complaining about having the most nervous and elusive Robins on the planet just the other day and now, well for the last two days, they have been around constantly. One was even sunbathing just a couple of feet away from me on top of the compost bin yesterday.

My mum found two of these bird boxes at a car boot for only 50p, what a bargain. I know its a bit late in the year for them this year but putting them up now will give the birds plenty of time to get used to them and clock them ready for next spring.

I believe this fella is a new visitor to the garden. He's a lot smaller and slenderer than my resident Nuthatches, maybe he's one of this years chicks?

Green Veined Butterfly

Today my identification capabilities have been put to the test again with this little fellow. At first I thought it must be a 'Small White' as it had the same markings as a Large White but a lot smaller. But on further research I found that Small White's don't have the same vein markings as this one does. Sooooooo I think I've decided its a Male Green Veined Butterfly, I think.

Flying Away

Woodpeckers are back

I've not had much time in the garden today but the odd moments I did get I saw so much. Most excitingly a 6.30am this morning I saw Mrs Woodpecker on the feeder. First time I've seen any of the woodpeckers on the feeder since June, I was so excited. Didn't get a photo so have used an old one.Later on I saw the Robin's. Three of this years chicks and an adult. Virtually everyone I know who enjoys their garden has a tame Robin except me! I have the most nervous Robins in the world and I don't know why. My Jays, which are notoriously shy are virtually hand tame compared to the Robins. Mr Redfoot stopped by for a while at lunch time, And this evening Whitear had a feast on some left over cat food.

Golden Ringed Dragonfly

The sun shone for all of 5 minutes today here in Capel Curig, luckily I had camera in hand and managed to snap this photo of a Golden Ringer Dragonfly as he rested for a few seconds in the sunshine.

Fat Ball Jays

This Jay spent ages this morning trying to land on the fat ball feeder. Eventually he managed it, took one mouth full and slipped off. It wasn't long before he was back trying again and this time he had it sussed.

Bugs again

A couple of bug photo's today but haven't had chance to look them up to say for sure what they are yet.

FELL FROM THE SKY

I was looking forward to watching the Shooting star display tonight but its all cloudy here. But talking of things shooting across the sky, this stone literally fell from the sky a couple of days ago. I was sitting in the garden having a cup of tea when I spotted a white thing drop from the sky, hit the lean to roof and fall onto the path. I went over to have a look to see what it was and found this. It looks very much like quarts but it is completely see-through inside. Its also very shiney. I'm guessing a bird must have picked it up thinking it was bread or something then dropped it as he flew over my garden.

The Summer House Arrives

It's here, it's here, my summer house has arrived and I love it. I have to thank Alan, mum and Harry who helped digging out the bank, clearing the brush and making a base for it. AND a big thank you to the guys at http://www.allshedsnorthwest.co.uk/ too. I can't believe the summer house, delivery and them coming all the way from Liverpool to put it up only cost £539. Truly amazing, can you tell I am sooooooo happy with it. I'm going to call it Lou's Shed.

Before

Oh and to make things even better, literally minutes after the Shed guy's left the Sparrow Hawk came into the garden and landed on a tree only 20 foot away from where we were sat on the veranda and was totally unaware we were there. The sun shone all day too, it's been great. During the evening the came rain came but it just made sitting in the summer house even cosier. I lit the oil torches and it looked magical.
Animal wise, there were lots of Small White butterflies around today they especially seemed to like the thistles in the wild patch in the garden. Oh and I saw the Willow Warbler again.

WASPS 4 - ALAN 0

(Hoverfly, I think, need to check)

Well today saw the latest in the battle of Alan verses the wasps. Since his stinging on three separate occasions last week , Alan has been out to get his revenge on the wasps. First he tried normal household wasp spray, squirted directly down the hole which worked for approximately 10 seconds! So he tried again and again but still they kept coming. His last attempt yesterday involved some specially created foam, fantastic stuff apparently. Anyway today, I was out in the garden and apart from a white foam covered nest the wasps where happily going in and out of their nest as usual. I think they may now recognise him though as one followed him tonight into the house and stung him again!
I bought a lovely new feeder yesterday. It has a spike through the middle where you can thread apples of fat balls. The tits love it and so far the squirrels haven't shown any interest, which is great.
I also saw one of the Blue Tit chicks playing on the hammock today.
My garden still looks like a builders yard.

Toads, toads wonderful toads

Toads, toads, wonderful toads.

I watched this Great Tit chase and catch this bee today, he then flew onto a fence post and ate it. I found some great little solar spot lights for the garden last week, Mrs Robin seems to like them too.

We've been so busy in the garden levelling out the ground. Finally finished it tonight. Roll on Tuesday .....

Reptiles Rule

Another day pottering in the garden. We're still trying to level out the what was the brush pile at the top of the garden, ready for the summer house which is due to be delivered on Tuesday. Found another toad today, this one was huge and quite ugly compared to the small cute looking one from yesterday. Found another slow worm too. Each one I've photographed has been so different to the last. I didn't realise they came in so many colours and patterns. I went out in the dark last night to watch the hedgehogs and there were so many snails, everywhere they were.