Flight

After a fairly cool few weeks - the central heating went back on - a warm sunny day last week was the trigger for several ants' nests to fly.  It wasn't just here; apparently there were so many flying ants that day that they showed up on the weather radar.  Two separate nests on the patio swarmed that afternoon, as did some of the ants in the greenhouse; the blackbirds and sparrows were delighted, gathering them to feed to their youngsters.  They even ventured into the greenhouse to feed, though not all of them found their way out easily; the female blackbird and one of the sparrows got trapped between the glass and the dense tomato plant foliage, and some panic ensued before I could shoo them out of the door.  More ants have swarmed in there in the days since then, and the male blackbird in particular has become quite accustomed to popping in for a look.  Apart from that, there have been very few intrusions into the greenhouse this year; the only other known visitor was in the spring, when a goldfinch must have got in through an open roof vent (the door was closed) and couldn't find a way out until I opened up.  I haven't even seen a toad or frog in there this year either, though they could be hiding among the compost bags that the tomatoes are planted in.  We did have a tiny frog in the grass outside the greenhouse one day, and a very much larger toad lurking in the firewood behind the garage.

Tangled tomato plants

The tomatoes this year form quite a thick screen across that end of the greenhouse.  There are seven plants, of three varieties: 'Gardener's Delight' of course is an old favourite, though it has lost its AGM and I'm not sure it's as good as it once was, and 'Harzfeuer' I've grown successfully for a few years now, and quite like.  The third, 'Cocozelle', is also an AGM cherry tomato, and the fruits are lovely and sweet, but it makes huge growth, reaching the roof and sprawling over everything else!  The result is a total tangle, but they're fruiting well this year, and I'm not complaining, even if the visiting birds find them impenetrable.

The male blackbird, who is quite trusting of us, is still feeding at least one youngster, but he stopped singing about three weeks ago, as did the robins.  A song thrush still strikes up from time to time, but otherwise that phase of the year is past.  Visitors to the bird feeders and patio are almost entirely the regulars - sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, starlings - especially in the past few days, when some youngsters have dropped by - robins, though less frequently, and blue tits.  The occasional woodpecker, including youngsters, comes to the peanuts and sometimes to the fatballs.  And woodpigeons, of course; Lefty is gathering sticks again, so another nest must be in progress.  The male pheasant was around for a week or so, resting up quietly in the long grass behind the fruit bushes; he and I startled each other several times when I didn't see him and accidentally got too close.  He may have started moulting, as his tail was looking rather ragged.

Also in flight the other day was the red kite; the field behind us was mown, and he was obviously in search of an easy lunch, swooping quite low.  Another, smaller, raptor was checking out the bottom of the field, either a kestrel or possibly a female sparrowhawk - I couldn't tell at that distance.

Butterfly numbers have started to pick up, gently.  I've only seen a single peacock this year (a couple of days ago); but there are plenty of large and small whites, especially around my brassicas!  Yesterday I disturbed a lovely magpie moth which was hiding among the chives - black and white with an orange body - and what I think might have been a large yellow underwing, found sheltering in some rubbish that was being moved.  I'm not good at identifying moths, but many of them are beautiful, and I ought to get to know them better.