They're back! Bats in our belfry (well, on the outside stairs) and the
barn owls are back in the chimney. That means stamping and screeching
for the next couple of months at least (from the owls and young, not
from me). They normally have two young and they are very demanding and
so noisy. Demanding to be fed, stamping in the chimney and screeching
at us when we go outside. Nothing like being observed from an owl on
high, peering down at you!
The bats aren't a problem - but they do leave loads of droppings on the stairs. Last week Harry was going to go up to the studio, up these half-covered staris, and there was a bat with a baby or young one attached at the top of the stairs, so he decided to retreat. We know we have two different kinds of bat - one with long wings, the other shorter wings. We did used to have at least three living in our roof spaces, so will be doing a count again this year once we start being able to sit outside (temperatures not great at the moment) in the cool of the evening.
Two day ago on our way to a sheep show a large cat-like animal ran across the road in front of us. It had a ringed tail and was sturdy-looking, bigger than a domestic cat. It might have been some sort of European wild cat or possibly a genet, although with the brief view we had of it, it didn't seem to have the genet's pointed muzzle.
And now, even though it's cooled off again, bees, humming-bird hawk moths, butterflies and all manner of other insects are back out in force - ants are everywhere, especially when you move a pot or dish on the ground. Mason bees are constantly around our door and windows looking for holes - and filling them up as I discovered when opening one of the bedroom windows!
© Marie Tyler, 3 May 2018
