29th May : Toad & House Martins

The dog was making a bit of a commotion outside this morning, on going to look we found her barking at the rear of the plant container, closer inspection revealed a Toad huddled down in the fallen leaves, nice and damp behing there ideal for a Toad to hide away, unfortunately this one had been discovered. Knowing the dog wouldn't leave it alone now, I placed it in a bucket, releasing it in the safety of some long grass near the garden pond.

 

Later in the morning the House Martins were calling excitedly, buzzing a Jay as it perched on the gutter above their nests. Last year a Jay predated a couple of nests taking the chicks, so I had to employ the services of a local security guard which seem to work, so I've brought him out again this year.

As if the Jay wasn't enough of a problem a Kestrel landed on the chimney in the afternoon, he received the same treatment with about 20 House Martins seeing him off. 

Don.

Images Copyright : Don Stone.