Found a strangely coloured little toad under a flagsone yesterday along with two larger blackish toads, its a dull brick red colour and quite agile. All three still there this morning when I was watering plants so I dampened down their residence with hose, they have taken over a voles run and holes under the flagstone on top of what used to be an old railway embankment, its an ideal hideaway for them but subject to drying out this nice weather of late due to the ballast it contains.
As soon as I start watering in the morning its a cue for the tiny frogs to come out and theres still plenty of them, the wildlife pond is now virtually empty of toad tadpoles for this year.
Spring is nearly here!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Well the weather treated us kindly for the Wednesday evenings club meet here and I'm pleased to say it went seamlessly from start to finish. I showed off the little red toad under the concrete flagstone to several members and he is now duly named Cochyn Bach (ap Kevin) in memory of Kevin the toad who died just 12 months ago.
The thieving magpies were at it again this morning, seven of them attacking my Stella cherry tree despite netting, one had a lucky escape for as I chased them off one had got trapped inside netting and was flapping frantically about. Lottie flung herself at it and it narrowly escaped with its life through hole in netting (which is now repaired) but its like locking the door after the horse has bolted because the damned nuisances have now eaten most of the cherries.
I need a Goshawk to move into the woods at the back, that will sort them out as we have far too many magpies about at present.
The thieving magpies were at it again this morning, seven of them attacking my Stella cherry tree despite netting, one had a lucky escape for as I chased them off one had got trapped inside netting and was flapping frantically about. Lottie flung herself at it and it narrowly escaped with its life through hole in netting (which is now repaired) but its like locking the door after the horse has bolted because the damned nuisances have now eaten most of the cherries.
I need a Goshawk to move into the woods at the back, that will sort them out as we have far too many magpies about at present.
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roselanekoi
- Posts: 322
- Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm
Re: Spring is nearly here!
On behalf of everyone who attended, a big thank you to Phil and Cynthia for hosting the club meeting on Wednesday,
Colin
Colin
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Thank you for those kind words Colin, we appreciate them and enjoyed having you all over for a pleasant evening.
Sequel to the little red toad is he or is it a she now has a companion under the flagsone; a smaller toad thats a darker red, its sort of bordering on brick brown and its just as agile as Cochyn, the two black toads have buggered off!
Fruit time this week with a vengeance, my gooseberries have mostly been gathered (had some last night stewed) and I have started eating the apricots this week.
I have a new variety called Tomcot and some are the size of small peaches, deep tangerine in colour with red freckles on exposed side and divinely scented and sweet, well worth waiting for I can tell you but god knows what I will do come the end of next month as the blackberries,Tayberries, Josterberries and plums have set an enormous crop this year and we are running out of space in the freezers (full of trout!)
I also enjoyed the first of this seasons peaches today, almost ripe but I could'nt wait; sunwarmed and deliciously sweet. this variety is a fairly new American variety called Redhaven with yellow flesh and a semi-clingstone and it is amazingly productive so much so I have had to thin the fruitlets fairly ruthlessly otherwise you end up with two hundred + walnut sized peaches!
I was pruning bushes by pond this afternoon when one of those increasingly rare visiters zipped across the pond and came to rest on the pond parapet, an azure flash,then a metallic blue very large dragonfly, a living jewel if ever there was one and about six or seven centimetres long, just stunning to see it parked there like some miniature exotic aircraft with its wings held out to the sides; then it was off hunting again up and down the pond catching flies that it eats on the wing.
This is surely, one of the priveledges of owning a pond; to attract such exotic rarities as this today.
On the subject of the pond; today its as clear as a bell and fish are munching their way through another 15kgs of Japan Mix from Queni-koi, they love it and they are voracious this last few days so I'm back to feeding them three or four times a day for now.
Sequel to the little red toad is he or is it a she now has a companion under the flagsone; a smaller toad thats a darker red, its sort of bordering on brick brown and its just as agile as Cochyn, the two black toads have buggered off!
Fruit time this week with a vengeance, my gooseberries have mostly been gathered (had some last night stewed) and I have started eating the apricots this week.
I have a new variety called Tomcot and some are the size of small peaches, deep tangerine in colour with red freckles on exposed side and divinely scented and sweet, well worth waiting for I can tell you but god knows what I will do come the end of next month as the blackberries,Tayberries, Josterberries and plums have set an enormous crop this year and we are running out of space in the freezers (full of trout!)
I also enjoyed the first of this seasons peaches today, almost ripe but I could'nt wait; sunwarmed and deliciously sweet. this variety is a fairly new American variety called Redhaven with yellow flesh and a semi-clingstone and it is amazingly productive so much so I have had to thin the fruitlets fairly ruthlessly otherwise you end up with two hundred + walnut sized peaches!
I was pruning bushes by pond this afternoon when one of those increasingly rare visiters zipped across the pond and came to rest on the pond parapet, an azure flash,then a metallic blue very large dragonfly, a living jewel if ever there was one and about six or seven centimetres long, just stunning to see it parked there like some miniature exotic aircraft with its wings held out to the sides; then it was off hunting again up and down the pond catching flies that it eats on the wing.
This is surely, one of the priveledges of owning a pond; to attract such exotic rarities as this today.
On the subject of the pond; today its as clear as a bell and fish are munching their way through another 15kgs of Japan Mix from Queni-koi, they love it and they are voracious this last few days so I'm back to feeding them three or four times a day for now.
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roselanekoi
- Posts: 322
- Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:38 pm
Re: Spring is nearly here!
At the July meeting Phil gave me a very nice water lily plant which I've replanted in my small wildlife pond. The plant seems to be thriving as it's just started to flower.
I don't know the the name of the variety but I'm sure Phil can tell me. The big test will be getting it to survive the winter,
Colin
- Water_Lily.jpg (84.96 KiB) Viewed 14686 times
Colin
Re: Spring is nearly here!
'Escarboucle' Colin and it will grow happily in five feet of water!
Glad you are pleased with it
My new deep red one 'Froebelii' has just had 5 flowers out all at same time this week which is quite good for small size of plant in my wildlife pond.
It is a more dwarf growing less vigorous lily though more suited to a shallower pond.
Glad you are pleased with it
My new deep red one 'Froebelii' has just had 5 flowers out all at same time this week which is quite good for small size of plant in my wildlife pond.
It is a more dwarf growing less vigorous lily though more suited to a shallower pond.
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Got down to face level in my wildlife pond yesterday and had a gentle root through plants and weed on sides.
Just some pretty amazing things have appeared in there over past few months; dozens of tiny greyish white mussel type shellfish about six or seven millimetres across that I didn't put in there, freshwater shrimps and Daphnia I've not seen in years scooting through clear water and also tiny newt efts about fifteen millimetres long swanning in and out of weed, they look so delicate yet they are ferocious hunters. The usual pond skaters and diving beetles were there darting about and lots of Argulus creeping through weed cleaning up debris. Turning over old water lilly leaves revealed the inch long strips of jelly containing freshwater snails eggs and quite a few black leeches were clinging to surface along with several Ramshorn snails. Putting in the larger pond has certainly worked because the much larger volume of water has prevented the newts from devouring everything like they did in the tiny overflow pond and everything now can expand and grow naturally. Mind you, putting one rudd in there for a week would clear it barren!
Just some pretty amazing things have appeared in there over past few months; dozens of tiny greyish white mussel type shellfish about six or seven millimetres across that I didn't put in there, freshwater shrimps and Daphnia I've not seen in years scooting through clear water and also tiny newt efts about fifteen millimetres long swanning in and out of weed, they look so delicate yet they are ferocious hunters. The usual pond skaters and diving beetles were there darting about and lots of Argulus creeping through weed cleaning up debris. Turning over old water lilly leaves revealed the inch long strips of jelly containing freshwater snails eggs and quite a few black leeches were clinging to surface along with several Ramshorn snails. Putting in the larger pond has certainly worked because the much larger volume of water has prevented the newts from devouring everything like they did in the tiny overflow pond and everything now can expand and grow naturally. Mind you, putting one rudd in there for a week would clear it barren!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Despite my best efforts at netting my fruit over last month or so I still lost a lot of fruit; mainly cherries, Josterberries and gooseberries so I went out with a torch recently at 11.00 pm and quietly had a look around and spotted the culprits.
Yellow necked mice climbing up into the Stella cherry tree to strip the remaining fruit, they even stripped a netted small Morello (sour) black cherry while they were still red; they must have been bitter!
War was declared from then on and I baited ten traditional type mouse traps with six mil koi food pellets, result over a week; twelve Yellow necked mice and two bank voles (at my gooseberries)
Strange thing is despite covering traps (to avoid inquisitive little dogs) three of my mousetraps disappeared completely; probably rats or squirrels as nothing else could get in. I now tie all my traps down with gardeners wire so I won't lose any more.
Discovered one of their hidey holes today emptying one of my compost bins, so; they will be targeted next with remaining traps!
Yellow necked mice climbing up into the Stella cherry tree to strip the remaining fruit, they even stripped a netted small Morello (sour) black cherry while they were still red; they must have been bitter!
War was declared from then on and I baited ten traditional type mouse traps with six mil koi food pellets, result over a week; twelve Yellow necked mice and two bank voles (at my gooseberries)
Strange thing is despite covering traps (to avoid inquisitive little dogs) three of my mousetraps disappeared completely; probably rats or squirrels as nothing else could get in. I now tie all my traps down with gardeners wire so I won't lose any more.
Discovered one of their hidey holes today emptying one of my compost bins, so; they will be targeted next with remaining traps!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
Found very large toad minus its head and front leg on back lawn early this morning while watering the garden. Hedgehogs again I'll bet as their poo is scattered everywhere, this is close to anniversary of poor Kevin the toads death last summer on lawn. I'm sure its the same one I found a few nights ago on path next to my koi pond completely covered in still wet duckweed from small overflow pond.
Had a very enjoyable trip to Bodnant Gardens yesterday, hot but quite tolerable thanks to the shaded pathways winding through the thousands of large trees there; that and the many strategically placed benches to rest up on mostly in shade. Another big help of course is several watering holes/cafes en route, one serving proper ice cream cornets, so, it was 'Fill yer boots' all round.
Through the gardens there are various water features fed by a small river that runs through the gardens eventually winding down to an old water mill. Being a keen fly fisherman I gazed down enviously at the large trout holding station in the flow through the crystal clear pool under the bridge next to the mill.
I also spotted quite a large freshwater eel moving slowly across stones into the shade under the Skunk Cabbage growing out over pool and dragonflies and damselflies darting about everywhere around the water. It was really quiet and peaceful down there in bottom of dell, enjoying the cool shade of the trees and with just the sound of the water moving over the stones.
The visit was made more enjoyable by having my sister in law and her husband up from Kent who are also very keen gardeners as myself so they knew the names of a lot of the plants and trees we saw, that and the hit and miss labelling system they have at Bodnant.
A very good day out though and an excellent evening meal in 'The Stag' at Llangernyw on our way back.
They have a novel system of paying for meals at The Stag, to encourage you to eat early they have a 'Beat the clock' special, so if you arrive and order your meal at 5.00 pm you pay £5.00, if as we did you arrive at 6.20pm you pay £6.20 for each meal; this operates evenings only from 5.00pm to 7.00pm.
They also operate an exchange and barter system so if you grow, catch or shoot anything they can use on menues they will strike a deal with you to offset or indeed pay for meal and/or beer, but the landlady is Irish!
Had a very enjoyable trip to Bodnant Gardens yesterday, hot but quite tolerable thanks to the shaded pathways winding through the thousands of large trees there; that and the many strategically placed benches to rest up on mostly in shade. Another big help of course is several watering holes/cafes en route, one serving proper ice cream cornets, so, it was 'Fill yer boots' all round.
Through the gardens there are various water features fed by a small river that runs through the gardens eventually winding down to an old water mill. Being a keen fly fisherman I gazed down enviously at the large trout holding station in the flow through the crystal clear pool under the bridge next to the mill.
I also spotted quite a large freshwater eel moving slowly across stones into the shade under the Skunk Cabbage growing out over pool and dragonflies and damselflies darting about everywhere around the water. It was really quiet and peaceful down there in bottom of dell, enjoying the cool shade of the trees and with just the sound of the water moving over the stones.
The visit was made more enjoyable by having my sister in law and her husband up from Kent who are also very keen gardeners as myself so they knew the names of a lot of the plants and trees we saw, that and the hit and miss labelling system they have at Bodnant.
A very good day out though and an excellent evening meal in 'The Stag' at Llangernyw on our way back.
They have a novel system of paying for meals at The Stag, to encourage you to eat early they have a 'Beat the clock' special, so if you arrive and order your meal at 5.00 pm you pay £5.00, if as we did you arrive at 6.20pm you pay £6.20 for each meal; this operates evenings only from 5.00pm to 7.00pm.
They also operate an exchange and barter system so if you grow, catch or shoot anything they can use on menues they will strike a deal with you to offset or indeed pay for meal and/or beer, but the landlady is Irish!
Re: Spring is nearly here!
We let the dogs out for their last pee before bedtime last night and Cyn called me out to see a tiny newt eft about an inch long she found near back step, to avoid it being stepped on I carefully picked it up and took it down garden to wildlife pond and on my return I was surprised to see a large Great Crested Newt peeping out from under a folded mat just about a foot from where we found eft! Great Cresteds are voracious predators and it would certainly have eaten the eft.
In hindsight it might have been stalking the eft and I nicked its supper, oh well; you win some you lose some!
Solved the problem of my glut of excess fruit this year; I ventured out of the hills and went down to Chester this morning for a pair of shoes and came back with a juicer!
A nice lady was demonstrating them in the Lakeland shop and I had that moment of joyous revelation as I saw carrots, apples, oranges, strawberries converted into a lovely refreshing drink at the flick of a switch; well almost! there is a bit of preparation involved.
Cyn and I spent an hour trying it out on some half ripe apples tonight and its as good as in the shop, cannot wait for autumn.
Didn't get my shoes though!
In hindsight it might have been stalking the eft and I nicked its supper, oh well; you win some you lose some!
Solved the problem of my glut of excess fruit this year; I ventured out of the hills and went down to Chester this morning for a pair of shoes and came back with a juicer!
A nice lady was demonstrating them in the Lakeland shop and I had that moment of joyous revelation as I saw carrots, apples, oranges, strawberries converted into a lovely refreshing drink at the flick of a switch; well almost! there is a bit of preparation involved.
Cyn and I spent an hour trying it out on some half ripe apples tonight and its as good as in the shop, cannot wait for autumn.
Didn't get my shoes though!