Squirrels return!!!

We had two squirrels at the end of last week in the garden again. We hadn't seen any for ages and were worried that the greys had seen them all off, but, first a light coloured red arrived, then a dark one. Since then we have had them both at once, but all thoughts of a romantic nature disappeared as they had a barney in the garden!!!

We are keeping an eye open for the greys, as if we spot any we must report them to the red squirrel trust to come and catch them as they pose such a threat to our native reds. The problem is that the greys carry the squirrel pox virus, which they are immune to, but it kills the reds in a matter of days. As well as that, the greys can eat food such as acorns before they are fully ripe, which the reds cannot, but the greys are eating them all before they ripen enough for the reds to eat them. It does seem a little hopeless, especially as we are being invaded by the greys from both north and south, but so far we have a stronghold. It is a bit like the times of the border reivers!!!! Mind you, we did ok in that attack.........

Runaway carrot

Just look at this carrot which we pulled out of the ground!

We didn't have much luck with the carrots this year, they were mostly as short as this one, although one or two were longer. next year we intend planting a lot more as we enjoyed eating them.

I have great plans for the garden next year, but there is so much prep work to do before the winter sets in, I am not sure I will manage it all, especially with the darker evenings now, I only have time to work on it during the weekends, and I seem to have so much else to do then too!

New addition to the garden!

Here are our 2 chickens which we got from Lou on 29.6.07. We have called them Cocky (the tan one, we think he is a cockeral) and Blacks (think you can guess!) they are around 6 weeks old in this photo, so still have a lot of growing to do, but they enjoy all the scraps we have fed them, and their chicken food too. Just have to wait until next spring for the eggs now!

Red squirrel returned!

This morning at 8.10am the red squirrel returned to the bird feeder in the front garden, this time he feasted for 25 minutes on the peanuts from the bird feeder, wish he would figure out the squirrel feeder, it would be so much easier for him!
Had a greater spotted woodpecker too, he seems to be becoming a regular visitor now, but oddly, prefers the fat balls to anything else on offer!

Sorry about the photo, can't get it to turn round!