Notices by Helen Clayton (helenclayton@mas.to), page 2

I was headed out early this morning and as I approached our village I saw what I thought was a flock of sheep loose in the road. Turned out to be a herd of goats. After much messing about they jumped over a hedge bank into a sheep field. I saw a lady walking her dog further on so let her know.

‘Oh they’re so-and-so’s. It’s the fourth time this week they’ve got out. They’re having the time of their lives!’.

🐐

*whispers* we might be nearing the end of the courgette glut, but the tomatoes are at their peak. Cherry tomato focaccia for lunch 😋
#food

#SilentSunday

A shortish bimble was about 8 miles in all. From Llanrhystud along the coast, past some old lime kilns to Llansantffraed church. Lunch on the pebble beach, where I watched a grizzled yellow lab enjoy a little paddle boarding with her mum. I then turned inland along a lovely and cool wooded valley then back past two Iron Age hillforts separated by a hollow where apparently a battle was fought in ancient times.

#Walking #Cymru

A shortish bimble today, along a section of the Ceredigion coast path then back inland. Tis a bit hot but there’s a nice breeze off the sea.

#FootpathFriday #Cymru

A big pop of colour in the veg patch random flower bed.

#BloomScrolling

Earlier in the year I scattered a load of flower seeds in a bare patch of ground…then ignored them. These are the mixed cornflowers now. No thinning out. Just a riot of colour.

#BloomScrolling

I just refilled the bird feeders. This wasn’t quite the visitor I was expecting 😳. Looks like they were out of luck on the supper front though.

Sparrowhawk. Not sure if female or juvenile but perhaps someone can tell me.

#birds

The fatball feeder hangs from this tree stump. It is currently empty. This young greater spotted woodpecker is hoping to manifest snacks with the power of their mind.

#birds

I phoned cats protection earlier about the pitiful looking stray. While on hold I didn’t get cheesy music but a recording of cats purring and chirruping 🥹. I could have stayed on hold all day.

Anyway, they were very helpful, though trapping will be easier said than done.

While I’m on a good news roll, this too.

https://www.oss.org.uk/more-dartmoor-land-restored-as-common/

I bloody hate conifer plantations! I thought maybe I could clamber under and over to continue on the bridleway but there were more and more fallen trees. I’m not easily beaten but this got me. I was so close to the edge of the plantation though so opted for a direct route up between the trees. 30 minutes of cursing, scrambling, getting scratched, falling & trying to avoid getting impaled, to freedom…on the other side of a tangle of roots and a barbed wire fence. Don’t say I’m not determined 😅.

Battle with a conifer plantation aside, I had a lovely bimble in the Cothi valley, around the Dolaucothi estate with its Roman gold mine. It’s now a National Trust property. I didn’t go down the mine as it’s closed on a Friday (hence my visit…nice and quiet!) but maybe another time. Lots of peaceful woodland, farm and parkland to explore and I had it all to myself.

#FootpathFriday #walking

Butterflies loving the knapweed today.

#butterflies

Full borb status unlocked.

#birds

There’s a little family of wrens in the garden so I took my camera out, hoping to get a pic. They’d busied off by the time I got back. But then I heard a low hum…

A hummingbird hawk moth feeding on the soapwort flowers. So fast that even the stills from 4K video are blurred.

#insects #moth

We had a new garden visitor last night… a polecat! I knew they were about and it’s one of the reasons I bought a wildlife camera. They checked out the hedgehog feeding station but weren’t interested in the kibble. Luckily no hedgehog inside, it’s interesting enough when two hedgies meet in there.

#wildlife #nature

#SilentSunday

Our house martins fledged today. Husband saw the grand departure but I missed it. However they were soon back in their nest with parents still feeding them. I’d been so worried about them when they first started rebuilding last year’s nest as we were in another dry spell so I’m happy that they got it together. The other pair gave up on theirs and went to our neighbours (who had stickier mud obviously). First time they’ve had house martins and they were delighted. So happy endings all round.

#StandingStoneSunday