Brechfa

Went to Irene's and had a lovely salad for lunch. Then we took Emma and Sian up to the forestry. I hadn't been up that way for a couple of years, and was surprised to see they've done a mountain biking track now, with proper parking facilities, instead just parking in the entrance. Was also nice to see that they haven't yet started to cut down all the trees like they seem to be doing elsewhere at present. The scenery was stunning as usual, and it was so lovely to be out and not be frozen. I kept trying to take a picture of Sian, but she won't keep still for two seconds. In the end, she wound herself up with the extending lead and couldn't move, we didn't tie her up, honest! (Poor Sian is only partially sighted, can see very little, so has to be kept on a lead, even then she bashes into things sometimes)

Mass excitement coming home down the mountainside, we spotted what looked like a hawk of some kind sitting on a fence post away over the other side of the meadow. Couldn't see clearly enough, but did a photo on the zoom, and hoping to blow it up at home on the pc. It looked like it could be a male Sparrowhawk, from the grey feathers, but when it flew off, we knew it wasn't. Then right in front of us, another one appeared, no chance to photograph though, as it flew into the trees to our left. CUCKOO! My first ever sighting of one (or two as it turns out) We are hoping to go back later this week for another look, and hopefully a good photo.

Came home and sat outside with a cup of tea. Oh boy am I glad I cleaned up the patio area and was sitting round by the main bit of the garden now. One of the great tits is fairly fearless, and he kept coming down to the suet pellets on the window sill, literally three feet from me. If I were to persevere, I'm sure I could get him to feed from my hand. Also the hen blackbird looked at me from over the guttering, quite comical. It was such a lovely evening last night too, although still very chilly for the time of year, it was just nice to be out in the stillness and watch the swifts hunting and smell my gorgeous lilac blossoms by the back door. Ah bliss.

Just to round off a lovely day, my little hoggy came again last night, at 10.30, took some more pictures on the webcam. I must think of a name if he/she is going to stick around.