March began with great excitement when we caught sight of a bird in our bird box, which you can see to the side of 'Is it Bill or Is It Ben?' It was only almost five years to the day since himself set up the box complete with camera. We have in theory been able to watch live streams from Bird TV in our living room since instalment but it has never been high up the ratings until now. After a couple of years of emptiness himself moved the box. The beginnings of a nest were constructed the following spring but then something must have gone amiss as it was abandoned. So when we saw the first appearance of what looked like a leaf, followed by more nesting material and then a glimpse of bird's legs you can imagine the euphoria. However it looks as if this was the first and only glimpse of Mama Bird that we will glimpse. What was a reasonably clear picture has disintegrated into a fuzzy morass. We think that the nesting material has been pushed up right against the camera thus blocking the picture. We can hear sounds including though so we know that the box is occupied. There are no babies as yet but when they hatch we will certainly hear them tweet although we will not see any open wide beaks.
March continued with some gentle gardening activities including dividing and seed sowing. The heated sand bench in the greenhouse has gone into operation. A batch of sweet peas went in on the first of the month and then a second on Easter Day. Other sowings include achillea ptarmica 'The Pearl', aquilegia 'Miss M.I. Huish', snapdragons, cornflowers, grasses, scabious, orlaya visigna, limonium suworowii, amaranthus caudatus and cobaea scandens. The only vegetable seed sown to date are 'Onward' peas sown on St. Patrick's Day but there will be a flurry of activity in this department once we are well and truly into April. Some dahlia tubers have gone into pots but there is still a pile waiting for me to plant up. I have some concerns about the quality of the dahlia tubers I received but only time will tell. I've made a mental note though to order early this year rather than leave it to last minute.
The greenhouse is still quite full with pots of special snowdrops which need shifting out into the outer world. I've put the bigger pots out and will probably move the smaller ones out next week. They are in crates so can be shifted back under cover if any really cold weather is predicted.
March ended with a sunshine, big bumblebees afloat, a delivery of two new special snowdrops, chestnut leaves unfurling and the flowers of geranium phaeum sneaking up on me. You can catch up with other versions of March over at 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog'. Many thanks for hosting each month Helen. Now it's back to Bird TV for me and the rustling and chirping soundtrack.
How lovely that your box is occupied, how annoying that you can't see anything! I love this time of year, I've just been sowing seeds, such hope :-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe when the babies grow and start to move around they'll shift the nesting material about a bit..
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to have residents in your nest box, you never know, you might catch a glimpse of the babies later as they squash the bedding.
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating not to be able to see inside the nest box.
ReplyDeleteYour greenhouse looks very productive Anna.
Even if you can't see them, it is lovely to know there will be baby birds in your garden. Our blackbirds are very present, chirping and bathing, but no signs of a nest yet. We had a really warm day yesterday and it took me by surprise - I must also check if my Geranium phaeum have buds yet. Have a lovely weekend and hope there's time for some gardening in it!
ReplyDeleteLast year we had a pair of great tits roosting in our camera box. They started to squabble and in the end fell out so left before nesting. Hope we are both luckier this year.
ReplyDeleteSad that you can't actually see inside the nest but hearing and imagining will be almost as much fun. Spring really seems to be making itself felt everywhere now.
ReplyDeleteOh the excitement of waiting for the chirrup of tiny beaks Anna. I hope the parents hang around to raise their chicks this year. I doubt they'd be able to drag me away from bird tv even for dinner!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting about the nestbox, Anna, even if the excitement is now rather muted! So interesting to read about your sowing and planting list too - I must look out for some grasses to sow in future. Also intrigued to hear about more snowdrops arriving... that will be me again next year!! Are you going to admit to what they are? Or what your total is now...?!
ReplyDeleteIt is so exciting at the moment with birds nesting round the garden, but to have your box with a camera chosen is such fun, what a shame they have blocked your view of things. Your greenhouse looks very organised with lots coming on.
ReplyDeleteIsn' t it a wonderful time of year?
Thanks for all your kind comments. The picture is still a fuzz but we are keeping our fingers crossed that the nesting material might pack down if there are babies in the nest. I'm working on that list Cathy :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, nest cam, I hope you do get some babies to watch. I have a black bird nesting in amongst my carry trays in the nursery, a bit inconvenient but I hope she will stay and raise her young. Have a great weekend :)
ReplyDeleteExciting news about the nest box being occupied but what a shame you can't see anything, still, at least you'll get to hear the little chirps once the babies arrive. We had our nest box in the back garden for a few years with no takers, moved it to the front of the house last year and it became occupied almost immediately. I haven't seen any signs of interest yet this year but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
ReplyDelete