Heron – Donich Website

Arrival of the Frogs

donich_admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 20:05:09 +0000

Going up to the waterfall the other day we noticed that there was frog spawn in one of the pools by the side of the path. Strangely this particular pool always seems to get the frog spawn earliest – and the first year we were here I got my feet soaking wet filling a jar with it to put in our pond. Little did I know that our pond gets filled with the stuff without needing any human intervention.

Then today I met one of the originators of the spawn by the side of the path.

A large frog or as we call them a “slimy”. I touched him to make him jump off the path in case someone trod on him and he hopped off into the ditch. Normally I love seeing the heron on the pond, but at this time of year I feel terribly sorry for the poor frogs getting swallowed up just as they are mating – so I am thinking of putting a flag next to their trysting place in the hope it will deter the heron.

Heron on the pond

donich_admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 16:10:12 +0000

I’ve been sitting looking at the weather today trying to decide whether to go for a walk or not (R is away at a conference). Every time it looks nice and I decide to go out, it suddenly deteriorates and is pouring with rain five minutes later.

I eventually went out to walk round the waterfalls at about 2:30pm – didn’t get too wet and saw one of our resident herons fishing by our pool. They are remarkably beautiful birds – shame that so many people dislike them as stealers of fish.

Advent Dec 10th – A Visitor in the Snow

donich_admin — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 08:21:53 +0000

Last year we got some snow while we were waiting for N and J to turn up. Then when they did, N’s car (which with the best will in the world is not exactly a ruggedized vehicle) got stuck at the bottom of our drive. We had to clear it with snow shovels, and while we were doing it, J noticed some interesting tracks. They are from one of our resident herons who is visiting nearly every day at the moment – the single human footprint is J’s….

Wildlife

donich_admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 22:22:30 +0000

The wildlife are now back in force. Last night R and I watched our pine marten (or one of our pine martens?) eating nuts on the bird table for about 10 minutes. Then suddenly he shot off into the woods. We realized why a few seconds later when a large badger emerged under the fence looking for his treats. That same night we also saw the fox – still looking very scrawny.

The heron is catching so many of the poor frogs that today for the first time I tried shoeing him off – just to give them a chance of enjoying their conubials in peace for a while. But to no avail; three times I chased him, and each time he was back within half an hour. The ducks are also spending nearly all their time on the pond at the moment – they are very sweet the way they sleep on the water with their heads tucked under their wings.

Then this evening there was one mature red deer hind and a yearling – presumably her offspring from last year grazing on the back lawn. Hopefully they will keep clear of the daffodils which are now coming into full bloom. As soon as R saw them he ran to get the anti-tick liquid for the cats – it is about that time of year again.

The picture is a bit of a cheat as I didn’t manage to get a photo of the heron today. As you can probably tell from the lush vegetation, that one was taken in the correct location, but in June last year.

Shy denizens of the Woodlands….

donich_admin — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 12:20:27 +0000

My bird book describes the Jay as a ‘shy woodland bird’. I just went into the kitchen and there were six immature but large jays around the feeding area; two were clinging to the fat balls we put out for the tits, and one was hanging from the bottom of the peanut feeder. Last year one worked out how to get the bottom off and extract all the contents in a oner – thank goodness they haven’t done that this year (yet).

Anyway there is going to be a big territorial battle soon I think because this lot are the second batch this summer and they surely all can’t stay in the one area. I only managed to get three of them in the picture (you have to click on it to see the other two).

Also on the bird front, in one of the strange shifts which seem to occur for no particular reason, the siskins have suddenly vanished but we seem to have a lot more assorted tits than a few weeks ago.

We also saw a buzzard being chased by a crow today, and the heron was back on the pond.

Active Pond

donich_admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 19:54:25 +0000

R and I spent some time looking at the spring residents on our pond the other day.

Of course we have our heron (mentioned many times before) but also two ducks which I thought at one point were thinking about making a nest. The video shows some nice reflections as they come into land.

Then last night there were a variety of amphibians, two frogs locked in carnal enjoyment, several newts, and a large toad who tried to make a snack of one of the newts. Also water boatmen, bees in the heather, and the latest arrival – a peacock butterfly

Frog Orgy

donich_admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 22:07:30 +0000

I was walking down to the summerhouse this morning when I heard a familiar burbling sound coming from the pond. Down near the stream the water was surging about and sure enough the frogs had arrived and were (not to put too fine a point on it) “getting it on” – right at the point when they were leaving last year.

So looking at the dates on ‘Seasonwatch’ spring in Lochgoilhead is almost exactly two weeks later this year than last year with the frogs arriving in our pond on the same day this year as they left on last year. This sort of fits in with the dates the flowers are coming out as well.

One end of the pond is now completely full of frog spawn, and the heron is going nuts. I actually should correct that and say ‘herons’ because on the web cam this morning I saw one heron being chased off by another one. Obviously this pond is prime territory.

The ducks have also been back and the female sat on the little island for a while, but I don’t think they will breed here because they are very wild and fly off every time we walk past. Probably just as well because I don’t see ducklings and cats being entirely compatible…

Frog Stealer

donich_admin — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 17:43:39 +0000

I’m afraid it doesn’t look like we are getting our frog orgy in the pond this year – I suspect due to the activities of our heron. There are some frogs (and newts) because I disturbed some while I was gardening today – but obviously the presence of the heron is a little off putting in the sex department (can’t say I blame them….).

So I made a video in honour of the heron… The featured image on this post I called ‘Four Herons’. The first two are the real heron and his reflection. The second two are the plastic heron (for scaring real herons off – not very successful obviously!) and his reflection…

In which I am wrong

donich_admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 20:46:22 +0000

Yesterday I added a comment to the ‘SeasonWatch’ section of this site to the effect that spring was a long way behind where it was this time last year. I based this on the fact that in early March 2014 the narcissi were out under the apple trees in the garden, whereas this year they are only in early bud.

But this morning I was proved at least partially wrong. I went for a walk round the waterfalls and it was surpassingly foul at the bottom of the hill, a sort of mixed rain, slush and hail with a stiff breeze blowing it right into my face. By half way up it had actually turned to snow and was starting to lie – and it was right there that I saw the year’s first frog spawn in the stream by the side of the path. Remarkably, this is one day earlier than when I saw it for the first time last year.

So we can expect our froggy friends to turn up in the pond soon – although their nemesis Mr Heron has already taken up position and may have already had a couple of early arrivals. Perhaps an example of ‘the early frog gets caught by the heron’.

Wimps

donich_admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:15:16 +0000

Back in the distant days of summer, R and I promised that we would faithfully go for a walk every day in the winter – even if the weather was foul. Reason being that last winter we put on an alarming amount of weight through lack of exercise (and to be honest – overeating!).

This morning at 8am we had our coats and shoes on and stepped out of the front door. We exchanged one glance and stepped right back in. A combination of wind and sleet made it so completely foul that even we wouldn’t go out in it – and we are pretty tolerant of bad weather.

And now this afternoon when it is too late because we are both working – the sun is shining, but when I stepped out to take a photo of the snowy mountains, it is still bitterly cold. I also managed to scare the poor heron off his pond again.

By way of comparison, the second image on the post is what it looked like last Friday – even so it wasn’t quite as foul as today.