The day started off wet and grey, We spent the morning inside low-lying cloud, there was no colour and no visibility past a few hundred yards. This prompted me to create a shelter where I could work on the timber store without getting completely soaked. Fortunately we had an old tarpaulin, from the days of The Dolphin, and this was pressed into service. This should also help next winter's fuel dry faster.
In the afternoon the sun did come out and the temperature rose to the giddy height of 21 degrees Centigrade. While working near the back of the house I noticed that we had small lizards. Probably two of them (but they are fast and difficult to count) about 4 inches long. They looked like common lizards (lacerta vivipara or zootoca vivipara), brown with lined markings and scaly skin. They were impossible to photograph as I could not keep track of them and this speed itself make it more likely that they were lizards (as opposed to newts)
In the late morning we had a new bird visit us. A
Blackcap, a male , was in the small field foraging between there and the feeder at the front door. This had quite a clear and identifiable call and one can see why it was sometimes called the
northern nightingale. It is straneg to think that this small bird, about the size of a robin, has probably travelled all the way from Germany to visit us.
Our own birds remain productive with a further 8 eggs this morning. We will have to find out which one is not pulling her weight and giver her her cards. We will also have to find a lot more egg based recipes as we are starting to fall behind.
Outside the office window the tree has just burst into flower. It is heavy with large, white flowers and really brightens that area of the garden. It is unfortunately yet another plant I can not identify, hopefully the gardening club members will be able to help when the meeting is in our house next month. I wonder if it is a type of Hibiscus or cotton rose, though the centre of the flower is not of this type.
Today was also the day to change the water filter. We had changed the UV light filter, which hopefully kills all the bugs, previously but guessed it must be time to change the mechanical filter, which gets rid of all the gunk. There is no good way of telling by looking at them when they are past their best. I think we will just change this 5 micron filter every three to six months. Another task for country living.
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