New Baby Swallows

[LoftyLottie]

For AlfieBlue, Yogasun and all the other lovely wildlife people:

Just to say Mrs Swallow has produced another four babies (might be five) who at the moment are thriving well in our front porch. Please keep your fingers crossed for these new little ones - I should hate the same thing to happen again.

xx

[LoftyLottie]

My cat has taken up residence in the porch but has no chance of reaching the nexs and Mr and Mrs Swallow are taking absolutely no notice of her. She will be grounded very shortly when the babies become bigger and more mobile and there is more chance of them falling out!

[alfieblue]

Oh Lottie - what wonderful news!!! Pup n me keeping fingers n paws crossed!!!

Hope little ones do well. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

Just been thru meadow and down to beach with pup before it got too hot. Wonderful - smell of the sea, the freshness of it all. Lots of wee wildlife critters going about their business.

Beaut day here - pup has now found a cool spot to send up the zzzzz's!

Wee birdies still visiting the garden - mr and mrs and chicks!!! Rotary line now appears to be feeding station!!! 2 little greenfinches balancing - waiting for food (or their turn on the feeders!!). Lol - washing will not be hung out on that for some time!!!

Keep us posted Lottie about your new swallow family - :o)xxx

[LoftyLottie]

Hi Alfie,

Your morning walk sounds just wonderful. My two little treasures are missing out on walks today. They have had to make do with ball games in the garden!! I am off to the hairdressers for a colour session very shortly, which normally takes ages. I can think of things I would rather be doing, including the beach!!

We now have a resident songthrush who starts off at about 4.30am and doesn't stop until it's nearly dark. It's the most vocal thrush I have ever heard - wonderful.

All the baby blue tits are about now and are just so funny and amusing to watch - not as funny though as the baby woodpeckers who don't seem to realise how woodpeckers behave, to do and who seem to enjoy getting in the birdbath with all the tree sparrows!!

Love to you and Pup

xx

[alfieblue]

Ps - just to say - have been sitting out in the garden - watching the wildlife come and go. Butterfly plant (buddl) is attacting a lot of bumble bees, honey bees and butterflies - so good to see. Plant is nearly in full bloom now and open for buzzziness!!! Lol!!!xxx

[LoftyLottie]

I really should start to edit my ramblings before I post them - two glaring errors in two postings. A 'nexs' should have been 'nest' and I don't know what 'to do' is doing!!

[LoftyLottie]

I only seem to have cabbage white butterflies this year and not a lot of bees, but I noticed quite a few on the lavender yesterday.

The buddleas are over on the other side of the garden in the jungle area!! I will have to go and investigate when I put on my safari gear. Will have to watch out for the beasties that lurk...........................

[alfieblue]

Lol! Although I have a fairly averaged sized garden it is packed with plants (some quite tall) all round the boundary - pup is braver than me - especially behind the pond!!! If i venture in - then its combat gear - for fear of spiders and all other little critters that are lurking!!! Am I a coward? Oh yes!!!! Indiana Jones I am not!!! I send pup in first!!!! :o)xxx

[yogasun]

Hi LoftyLottie!
That's brilliant news! Hope they all survive and thrive.
It's cheered me up after feeling worried from reading the post about the lack of bees (Ray's I think). Alfie I'm so pleased you seem to have loads of bees and butterflies. We have a few bees on the lavender and have seen a Gatekeeper or two and a Peacock and a few Large Whites but nothing like it should be, nothing on Buddleia.
Cloudy here now but warm.
Keep posting. xxxx

[alfieblue]

Hi Yogasun! Well just been out sitting again in garden - bumbles and honeys are still feeding on the budd with a few butterflies - which is good news but they are def lower in numbers this year.

The bees also love a climbing plant i have that i trained up the old lilac tree - its evergreen with beautiful lilac blossom but for the life of me - can't recall the name. Also got lavender out in the front which attracts the bees - like yours, just got to make sure pup stays away from them. He's too inquisitive for his own good!!!!

Another thing i have noticed is low number of dragonflies? We used to have loads of them round the pond - (I was a wee bit scared cos they used to home in on me - like little helicopters!!) - but i fairly miss them now. Have seen a couple but not the usual number seen in previous years.

Few light clouds here now, sun is peeking in and out, but still fairly warm. Just going out to investigate where my hoggies have disappeared to! Really miss them - slugs are still partying every night - poor plants (or stems!!!!)xx

[alfieblue]

Keep us posted Lottie - everything crossed for the wee ones. Love to you all. :o) xxxx

[madboutcats]

fingers and toes crossed for the swallow chicks, im off on hols later today, thats if cupar comes back as he went out first thing and hes not back yet,....argh. we were packing last night so he saw all the bags,..double argh. margos lying at my feet as i type waiting for a belly rub, she wont be this relaxed later on when shes put in her cat basket, it will be loud mieowing and sweaty paws all the way to the cattery.

[LoftyLottie]

All babies still present and correct as I type this. They are growing well and preening themselves now!

Alicia Cat is soon to be on curfew for a week or so.

Have a lovely holiday Madaboutcats, and you too Cupar and Margos.................... ;o)

xx

[madboutcats]

thank you Loftylottie, thank godness cupar reappeared about half an hour ago, at least he's had a good leg stretch before being confined to a cattery, i must remember to pack his ear plugs or he may have trouble sleeping next to a very loud snorer in margo and i'll put their blanket in the basket so they've got a familiar smell of home.we'll spend the first few days wondering how they are......:-))

[LoftyLottie]

Alicia goes to a posh kennels and has access to her own private outdoor courtyard with various toys and things to climb on and a big 2 storey indoor area. I must be mad - it costs me about �9.00 a day. I actually think she really likes it there!

[madboutcats]

The one our two go to does'nt come cheap either, but we know that they are both looked after and are reasonably happy, (two grumpy why are you doing this to us faces as we walk away from the cages).

[LoftyLottie]

Crafty animals cats. I bet they hatch up a plan together to make you feel guilty about leaving them!

[alfieblue]

Madboutcats! Hope im not too late in wishing you a happy holiday - have a wonderful time. I'm just a wee bit tied up at the mo cos son is off to the states to meet up with friend for a hol and i am fussing like an old mother hen (he is 23yrs old!!!) - (he is still my wee boy!!!). Can't help it - once a mum always a mum, tho kids tell me to behave and not to worry!!!!

Lottie - so pleased the little swallows are doing well.

We had a huge dragonfly come into the kitchen yesterday (after I said I hadnt seen any!!!!). It swooped in - possibly 3-4" long with yellow and black markings - well - pup went beserk - so did I - didn't i say that they home in on me!!!!

Called my daughter down and she shut all the doors so I could help dragonfly - had to get chair to open kitchen windows cos I'm too small to reach them - and blow me - after 20 mins the critter went out the back door.!!!!

Must admit it was a beautiful dragonfly, wonderful markings but .......... oh dear - I'm pleased he went off to do his own thing!! Love seeing them - but not too close to me - this one was huge!!!! :o) xxx

[yogasun]

Hi alfie!
Probably a Black-tailed Skimmer dragonfly! My sons are 22 and 25 and I still fuss! x

Madaboutcats - have a good time x

Lottie- great news
xx

[alfieblue]

Hi yogasun! Thank you for info - I will look it up - beautiful creature but so glad he went outside rather than staying in!!!! Glad to hear that I'm not the only softie for fussing over (big) kids!!!! Hope you are well. :o)xx