Thus, forgetting tricks and play
For a moment, Lady dear,
We would wish you,if we may,
Merry Christmas, glad New Year!
Christmas 1867 Lewis Carroll
Another fly fishing trip to lake above Penmaenmawr yesterday and a lot different to last friday weather-wise. Dry with sunny spells although the lake is in a fold between steep hills so it doesn't get much sun in the winter and yesterday was no exception.
Very windy conditions made casting difficult as the lake is very exposed to the North and West. We never really got any serious fishing in til about 11.00am when the wind eased to a stiff breeze.
Never had a bite not even a nibble until six minutes, past twelve, this was after I had changed flies to a black leech or 'zonker' type lure. This was the 'Fly of the day' it turns out
First fish a rainbow weighed in at 3lb 7 oz, next fish and my best yet, a fully finned beauty of a rainbow of 7lb 2oz that Nigel described as having a tail like a firemans shovel!.
Had our lunch then I caught a further rainbow of 3lb 12oz, Nigel had 5 rainbow to 5lb + and lost three at the net as he was using barbless hooks and they shed the hook, it happens!
Our fishing friend Frank drove all the way from Crewe to fish with us but he had to pack in after less than an hour without even a bite due to getting too cold. But, he is disabled and can only sit to fish so being sedentary the intense cold up there on the mountain got to him more quickly. A great shame really as he had been looking forward to the trip so much over last few months.
Happy New Year to you all
Spring is nearly here!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
She wakes;the gray dawn streaks the dark;
With early song the copses ring;
Far off she hears the watch-dog bark
A joyful bark of welcoming!
Lewis Carroll Feb 23 1857
"JE SUIS CHARLIE"
The terrorist attacks against democracy in France over the last week has shocked, horrified the world yet the mass gathering of solidarity in Paris today brings hope.
I would like to think that sense and sensibility will prevail over the coming months as the authorities deal with the aftermath but I would urge, as they attempt to bring peace that they heed the wise words of the US President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt's foreign policy dictat; 'speak softly but carry a big stick!'
The times! they really are a changin.
Walking the dogs by the river this morning and things change there on a daily basis
Flood waters were fining down but still worryingly up and spilling over front concrete apron of central bridge support on rd bridge in St Asaph.
I spotted my first clump of snowdrops in flower just 50 yards downstream from the stone road bridge, they have had flood water flowed over them recently as grass was flattened down around them but they bravely hung on close to the river bank.
Saw a merganzer for the first time in weeks a male, he was fishing under the Pont Be'gard metal footbridge downstream behind the livestock market but no signs of dippers returning yet.
With early song the copses ring;
Far off she hears the watch-dog bark
A joyful bark of welcoming!
Lewis Carroll Feb 23 1857
"JE SUIS CHARLIE"
The terrorist attacks against democracy in France over the last week has shocked, horrified the world yet the mass gathering of solidarity in Paris today brings hope.
I would like to think that sense and sensibility will prevail over the coming months as the authorities deal with the aftermath but I would urge, as they attempt to bring peace that they heed the wise words of the US President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt's foreign policy dictat; 'speak softly but carry a big stick!'
The times! they really are a changin.
Walking the dogs by the river this morning and things change there on a daily basis
Flood waters were fining down but still worryingly up and spilling over front concrete apron of central bridge support on rd bridge in St Asaph.
I spotted my first clump of snowdrops in flower just 50 yards downstream from the stone road bridge, they have had flood water flowed over them recently as grass was flattened down around them but they bravely hung on close to the river bank.
Saw a merganzer for the first time in weeks a male, he was fishing under the Pont Be'gard metal footbridge downstream behind the livestock market but no signs of dippers returning yet.
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Amazing selection of weather this last week, sleet, hail, snow blizzards torrential rain and gale force winds with frosty nights in between for good measure; ah well; it is mid January!
My brother rang me Tuesday from Ontario to tell me he had just spent the morning clearing the latest snow dump off his drive with a snow blower, they've had temperatures down to minus 18* lately but the cover from snowclouds brought the temperature up to a balmy minus 5*
I've spent a couple of Chrismases over there with them so I know first hand just how bitterly cold it can get in January, lots of fun on a snowmobile across the frozen lakes though.
Big surprises this week on the visiters to our bird feeders, some welcome some not so welcome. Monday morning saw a large rat trying to get into our new ground feeder; Sue please note! Following morning a squirrel was chancing it's arm, the feeder has only been there a week!
On the positive side though I saw a first in our garden this Tuesday a Bullfinch, never knew they lived locally but the weather was really foul, gale force winds and sleet so that may have accounted for it coming to feeders.
Practicing for the forthcoming RSPB garden bird count I made a list of bird visitors to our garden this week and it's really surprising the diversity over several days.
A buzzard flew over low to inspect Wednesday but never landed,a bullfinch, 2 fieldfares, sparrow hawks, blackbirds, a mistlethrush, goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, siskins, robins, wren, hedge accentors, nuthatches, greater spotted woodpeckers, male and female, great tits, blue tits, marsh tits, long tailed tits, coal tits, sparrows, rooks, jackdaws, jay, crows, herring gulls,
My brother rang me Tuesday from Ontario to tell me he had just spent the morning clearing the latest snow dump off his drive with a snow blower, they've had temperatures down to minus 18* lately but the cover from snowclouds brought the temperature up to a balmy minus 5*
I've spent a couple of Chrismases over there with them so I know first hand just how bitterly cold it can get in January, lots of fun on a snowmobile across the frozen lakes though.
Big surprises this week on the visiters to our bird feeders, some welcome some not so welcome. Monday morning saw a large rat trying to get into our new ground feeder; Sue please note! Following morning a squirrel was chancing it's arm, the feeder has only been there a week!
On the positive side though I saw a first in our garden this Tuesday a Bullfinch, never knew they lived locally but the weather was really foul, gale force winds and sleet so that may have accounted for it coming to feeders.
Practicing for the forthcoming RSPB garden bird count I made a list of bird visitors to our garden this week and it's really surprising the diversity over several days.
A buzzard flew over low to inspect Wednesday but never landed,a bullfinch, 2 fieldfares, sparrow hawks, blackbirds, a mistlethrush, goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, siskins, robins, wren, hedge accentors, nuthatches, greater spotted woodpeckers, male and female, great tits, blue tits, marsh tits, long tailed tits, coal tits, sparrows, rooks, jackdaws, jay, crows, herring gulls,
-
roselanekoi
- Posts: 322
- Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Well you're certainly doing better than me with the number of birds visiting your garden. All I ever see at my bird feeder are jackdaws and pigeons along with the occasional sparrow and blackbird, a couple of grey squirrels also pay a visit,
Colin
Colin
Re: Spring is nearly here!
I should put my hand up here Colin and admit that we do spoil our avian visiters with a varied assortment of food on offer in a variety of feeders scattered around our back garden.
It's no surprise we get a good selection of birdies to our feeders as we put out sunflower hearts, suet pellets with dried insects in, mainly tits and finches.
Dried mealworms, Robins, Wrens, Hedge accentors.
Niger seed; mainly for Goldfinches and Siskins
Fat balls with added goodies like seeds etc ,Woodpeckers love these and of course peanuts.
There are various trees and shrubs growing in the garden with lots of berries on that also attract birds in like cotoneaster, viburnum, holly, hawthorn, ivy,snowberry and pyracantha.
Missel thrushes and Fieldfares like holly berries and they've stripped the tree bare already growing in our hedge
We also scatter wheat or barley for the woodpigeons that call every day.
One woodie with a deformed wing has regularly visited for at least 18 months and nested for the second time this year in our Leylandii hedge opposite our kitchen window so it's got quite tame.
Don't know what the life span of wood pidgeons is but this one must have a charmed life as wood pidgeon shoots regularly occur round here.
We have a large woods at the back of our house as you know Colin so this is most probably our major source of feathered visitors; and also the grey furry ones with the bushy tails!
It's no surprise we get a good selection of birdies to our feeders as we put out sunflower hearts, suet pellets with dried insects in, mainly tits and finches.
Dried mealworms, Robins, Wrens, Hedge accentors.
Niger seed; mainly for Goldfinches and Siskins
Fat balls with added goodies like seeds etc ,Woodpeckers love these and of course peanuts.
There are various trees and shrubs growing in the garden with lots of berries on that also attract birds in like cotoneaster, viburnum, holly, hawthorn, ivy,snowberry and pyracantha.
Missel thrushes and Fieldfares like holly berries and they've stripped the tree bare already growing in our hedge
We also scatter wheat or barley for the woodpigeons that call every day.
One woodie with a deformed wing has regularly visited for at least 18 months and nested for the second time this year in our Leylandii hedge opposite our kitchen window so it's got quite tame.
Don't know what the life span of wood pidgeons is but this one must have a charmed life as wood pidgeon shoots regularly occur round here.
We have a large woods at the back of our house as you know Colin so this is most probably our major source of feathered visitors; and also the grey furry ones with the bushy tails!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
A gardeners day begins at daybreak; and ends with backache!
Start of the re-potting schedule this week as I slowly get the full use of my left arm back after my operation.
Too many pots and not enough time or daylight hours yet I found time to order some of my favourite fruits I've not grown for some time.
Its a new variety of raspberry that has not long been introduced into UK.
Its an American/Swiss variety thats a primocane; that is an Autumn fruiting variety that is thornless, prolific cropping, only grows to two feet tall so doesn't need staking and will grow happily in a pot apparently.
It produces fruit from Mid August to October and best of all will grow in heavy clay unlike most raspberries.
Looking forward to my delivery all the way from Orkney on Thursday
Start of the re-potting schedule this week as I slowly get the full use of my left arm back after my operation.
Too many pots and not enough time or daylight hours yet I found time to order some of my favourite fruits I've not grown for some time.
Its a new variety of raspberry that has not long been introduced into UK.
Its an American/Swiss variety thats a primocane; that is an Autumn fruiting variety that is thornless, prolific cropping, only grows to two feet tall so doesn't need staking and will grow happily in a pot apparently.
It produces fruit from Mid August to October and best of all will grow in heavy clay unlike most raspberries.
Looking forward to my delivery all the way from Orkney on Thursday
Re: Spring is nearly here!
ITS THAT TIME AGAIN!
The tiny trickle of new life is slowly turning to the annual irreversible tide as more spring flowers appear. The scant few snowdrops out along the Elwy a week or so ago are now turning into small rafts of white as more and more come into flower and daffodils that are pushing up through the bankside grass by the stone bridge are now showing sturdy buds ready for St Davids Day.
Clumps of dark green Lesser Celandine are spreading open their leaf posies to reveal yellow globes on thin stalks as the flower buds swell, preparing to open any day now to a gradual carpet of buttercup yellow.
Even the bluebells are showing shards of pale green as they push to the ever increasing light though they are way off from flowering yet. Primroses are showing fresh new rosettes of leaves under the Hawthorn hedge at the back of The Common with the odd yellow bud or two.
It's still early days weather-wise though and Old Mother Nature may just have a trick or two up her sleeve for us yet!
On Wednesday lunchtime a Kite was spotted flying low over the woods alongside the A525 near the Tweedmill, I've seen three several times on Denbigh moors last year in summer between Cerrigydrudion and Llyn Brenig and one on it's own flying over Dragonfly fly fishery on A5 near Glasfryn last September. There have been other reported sightings in local press over last couple of years so it looks like they are now established this far North I'm happy to see.
Who knows, we could be feeding them chicken portions soon!
The tiny trickle of new life is slowly turning to the annual irreversible tide as more spring flowers appear. The scant few snowdrops out along the Elwy a week or so ago are now turning into small rafts of white as more and more come into flower and daffodils that are pushing up through the bankside grass by the stone bridge are now showing sturdy buds ready for St Davids Day.
Clumps of dark green Lesser Celandine are spreading open their leaf posies to reveal yellow globes on thin stalks as the flower buds swell, preparing to open any day now to a gradual carpet of buttercup yellow.
Even the bluebells are showing shards of pale green as they push to the ever increasing light though they are way off from flowering yet. Primroses are showing fresh new rosettes of leaves under the Hawthorn hedge at the back of The Common with the odd yellow bud or two.
It's still early days weather-wise though and Old Mother Nature may just have a trick or two up her sleeve for us yet!
On Wednesday lunchtime a Kite was spotted flying low over the woods alongside the A525 near the Tweedmill, I've seen three several times on Denbigh moors last year in summer between Cerrigydrudion and Llyn Brenig and one on it's own flying over Dragonfly fly fishery on A5 near Glasfryn last September. There have been other reported sightings in local press over last couple of years so it looks like they are now established this far North I'm happy to see.
Who knows, we could be feeding them chicken portions soon!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
BIRD WATCH TIME AGAIN!
If you missed the reminder on the BBC'S Winterwatch programme last night then the RSPB's annual garden bird count takes place this weekend.
It's a very important survey so, the more the merrier
This years Winterwatch series from Scotland has been very interesting and informative despite the coherent but irritating grating anorak Chris Packham.
He is certainly very knowledgeable about a broad range of wildlife subjects, but! in my book he wins almost totally unopposed 'The Nurd Of The Year' title.
Bring back Bill Oddie please BBC
If you missed the reminder on the BBC'S Winterwatch programme last night then the RSPB's annual garden bird count takes place this weekend.
It's a very important survey so, the more the merrier
This years Winterwatch series from Scotland has been very interesting and informative despite the coherent but irritating grating anorak Chris Packham.
He is certainly very knowledgeable about a broad range of wildlife subjects, but! in my book he wins almost totally unopposed 'The Nurd Of The Year' title.
Bring back Bill Oddie please BBC
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Despite the daily threats of heavy snow falling on us, nothing has stuck here yet this winter!
Turned telly on this morning for latest news at five to eight and first thing I heard on BBC Welsh news ; Horseshoe Pass is blocked with snow!
And then; later on this morning I found a picture on the Fly Fishing Forum that someone local had posted of daffodils in flower along side a road in the Vale of Clwyd at Graig nr Tremeirchion; taken on the 15th January 2015!
In the same post I read that Robins, Mallard and Moorhens have been spotted with broods in south of UK.It's also been reported in a seperate post that frogspawn has been laid in a small garden pond in a town centre in mid Wales on 25th January.
Doesn't say where though==== BUT IT'S HAPPENING!
Turned telly on this morning for latest news at five to eight and first thing I heard on BBC Welsh news ; Horseshoe Pass is blocked with snow!
And then; later on this morning I found a picture on the Fly Fishing Forum that someone local had posted of daffodils in flower along side a road in the Vale of Clwyd at Graig nr Tremeirchion; taken on the 15th January 2015!
In the same post I read that Robins, Mallard and Moorhens have been spotted with broods in south of UK.It's also been reported in a seperate post that frogspawn has been laid in a small garden pond in a town centre in mid Wales on 25th January.
Doesn't say where though==== BUT IT'S HAPPENING!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!
Frogs chorus heard this morning!
Walking back from my greenhouse for my next cup of coffee at 9.30 am I heard splashing and croaking coming from my small overflow pond next to my Koi pond, so, despite the heavy ground frost last night the early morning sun was warm enough to tempt them out to frolic. In their early morning shenanigans they had broken paths through the very thin crusting of ice on small pond but theres no sign of any frogspawn yet.
Theres been no ice at all formed on my Koi pond so far this year; same as last year so fingers crossed for a normal Spring.
First Primroses in flower in our garden and also Lesser Celandine peeping yellow stars out from grass alongside path in back of shrubbery.
Snug and warm in the conservatory enjoying my coffee I watched the early morning sunshine melt the frost in billowing clouds of steam from the corrugated bitumen roof of our summerhouse. Suddenly I was aware of movement; a pair of Bluetits popping in and out of a nest box on the north side of our summerhouse, moments later they were chased away by a pair of sparrows who also had designs on the same box but despite the frantic efforts of both sparrows trying in turn to squeeze through too small a hole they gave up after a few minutes and the Bluetits returned; but this time there were three of them fighting over it!
Down at the river this week because of muddy conditions on our usual route we walked dogs along riverside path toward and under the A55.
I discovered a very large raft of Winter Heliotrope in full flower growing down the Elwy river bank near the Pont Begard bridge. It has a small lilac flower that grows in bunches like a small thistle flower and it has an unusual but pleasant sweet scent like fresh marzipan with evergreen round leaves like Coltsfoot.
Further on under the A55 road bridge I counted 40 odd pure white doves resting on the steel girders under the bridge.
They have been there at least three years to my knowledge and are well established by now so they must have a reliable source of food; possibly the livestock market 200 yards from bridge!
They were difficult to count as they were constantly coming and going but there could be a hundred or so roost there of a night. I saw them on nests feeding young last summer so they are a permanent feature there and still all pure white so no cross-breeding yet.
Frogs chorus heard this morning!
Walking back from my greenhouse for my next cup of coffee at 9.30 am I heard splashing and croaking coming from my small overflow pond next to my Koi pond, so, despite the heavy ground frost last night the early morning sun was warm enough to tempt them out to frolic. In their early morning shenanigans they had broken paths through the very thin crusting of ice on small pond but theres no sign of any frogspawn yet.
Theres been no ice at all formed on my Koi pond so far this year; same as last year so fingers crossed for a normal Spring.
First Primroses in flower in our garden and also Lesser Celandine peeping yellow stars out from grass alongside path in back of shrubbery.
Snug and warm in the conservatory enjoying my coffee I watched the early morning sunshine melt the frost in billowing clouds of steam from the corrugated bitumen roof of our summerhouse. Suddenly I was aware of movement; a pair of Bluetits popping in and out of a nest box on the north side of our summerhouse, moments later they were chased away by a pair of sparrows who also had designs on the same box but despite the frantic efforts of both sparrows trying in turn to squeeze through too small a hole they gave up after a few minutes and the Bluetits returned; but this time there were three of them fighting over it!
Down at the river this week because of muddy conditions on our usual route we walked dogs along riverside path toward and under the A55.
I discovered a very large raft of Winter Heliotrope in full flower growing down the Elwy river bank near the Pont Begard bridge. It has a small lilac flower that grows in bunches like a small thistle flower and it has an unusual but pleasant sweet scent like fresh marzipan with evergreen round leaves like Coltsfoot.
Further on under the A55 road bridge I counted 40 odd pure white doves resting on the steel girders under the bridge.
They have been there at least three years to my knowledge and are well established by now so they must have a reliable source of food; possibly the livestock market 200 yards from bridge!
They were difficult to count as they were constantly coming and going but there could be a hundred or so roost there of a night. I saw them on nests feeding young last summer so they are a permanent feature there and still all pure white so no cross-breeding yet.