Monthly Archives: February 2024

Today ,I have resisted the urge to get down on bended knee…. and clean the floor. (…or ask someone to marry me ).

I have one addition to my bird listening for February.

The Mistle Thrush

All in all, I have been surprised by the number of different birds I have heard in February and am excited to find out what I hear in March.

I have a big favour to ask of my growing WordPress Community, who I appreciate more and more each day for their work and artistry.

I have written a novel called Cuckoo In the Nest,the complete work is on my  WordPress site ,it’s a thriller and I suppose the theme is related to Cuckoo behaviour.Anyway I would appreciate some help with it.Advice on editing it and if anyone wants to collaborate with me to find a way to get it published, I would be glad to listen.I’ve been particularly impressed by some of the graphics I’ve seen.

Anyway,let me know your thoughts if you can spare the time.

Here’s to March,

Respect and Consideration to all.

Yours Truly.

My partner and I visited Batsford Aboretum in Moreton-in-the-Marsh.

My app recorded three new birds.

The Blackbird

The Ring Necked Pheasant

Both the above birds were a pleasure to hear.I’ve been surprised that I haven’t heard blackbirds where I live, so very happy to hear one at Batsford.

There  seems to be quite an active population of pheasants at the Aboretum,probably as they are safe from the shooters.

However,the next bird caused a bit of a controversy,with my partner saying it was a car engine starting.

“What are the odds of the software thinking that a car starting was a Great Bittern ?”. I said. (Or possibly wish I had said as really what I actually did,to my shame was  call him a cynic)

We had to agree to disagree, and on the way home ,I did my best to find out if the Great Bittern was a visitor to Moreton-in -the Marsh.It was not definitive.

They have been spotted and heard at Slimbridge and at Cotswold Water Park,and we have had a lot of flooding over the last few days and weeks.It’s possible that either a young juvenile was in the area “grunting” as it hadn’t quite developed it’s throat muscles to “boom” as mature birds do.

So,I am going to include The Great Bittern on my list for February.Not a car engine starting!

The great spotted woodpecker,which I heard when visiting Cotswold Wildlife Park, while I was watching the wolverines.

Let’s hope the Wolverine does not get the Woodpecker!

On this morning’s dog walk heard the Greenfinch and the Skylark

Just totalled up the different species and I’ve heard 28 different species of bird,all of whom are unendangered and are regularly found in the South of the United Kingdom.

This explains the rich bird song I’m hearing…..

There was a Mallard Duck,quacking at 4.00pm in the afternoon,when we visited Blenheim Palace for a Dog Walk. It was a fair distance away in the man made lake.

Otherwise ,there really wasn’t much, bird song, it was I suppose quite late and it was getting cold.

The birds were getting ready for bed….

In the quaint town of Pennywise, nestled between rolling hills and sparkling streams, there lived a wise old owl named Oliver. Oliver was no ordinary owl; he was renowned throughout the area for his amazing ability to manage resources, which made him the most sought-after budget planner in Pennywise. Oliver’s approach to budget planning was […]

A Approach to Budget Planning: A Story

I’m on my allotment

This little fellow is singing along watching me dig for he knows there is a feast of worms.

This morning ,I walked up the stairs to our main bedroom where my partner was lying and out of the kindness of my heart asked him.

“Do you want me to bring you up a cup of tea?”

He replied sleepily.

“That would be nice.”

Unwittingly,I turned around and placed my hand on the top of the bannister at the top of the stairs.My hands were slightly damp as I hadn’t properly dried them after going to the bathroom. So my hand slipped as I pirouetted to go downstairs.

I often wonder what it would be like to fall down our steep stairway.My feet missed the stop step, and my shoulder hit the wall.Fortunately with my free hand, I caught myself.However,in those fleeting moments,I caught sight of the stairs and the drop and thought, am I going to die?

I didn’t, and my partner got his tea.

THE END.

Another February bird I heard ….collared dove.

I heard a siskin this morning ,very exciting,part of the finch family,it was accompanied   by  Great Tits,Robins and Crows.