Since my last update around a month ago, life continues to be good down here in Somerset and Dorset (Magdalen actually sits in both counties, and as Vicky works in Dorset I thought it best to be inclusive!).
In fact when we woke up yesterday we were lucky enough to have a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the bird table that I have built, and there were also several deer around when I went for a walk shortly after. Unfortunately though, neither stayed put long enough for me to be able to whip out my camera!
I have well and truly settled into my job at the farm and am really enjoying what I do. Working with large groups of children is something I never thought I would do a few years ago, but to spend so much time with them in an outdoor environment, and to see the difference it makes to them makes the work extremely satisfying.
Vicky has now started her new role with the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and she is working at 2 main sites; Chesil Beach and Lorton Meadows. Her role is technically a lot more varied than mine, working in the visitor centre, developing new events and items of stock for the shop, leading a team of volunteers on practical conservation as well as looking after school visits.
Looking over the Fleet Lagoon to the visitor centre at Chesil Beach where Vicky is based
We are very lucky to be living in such a beautiful area at the moment, with such a wide range of wildlife living all around us. Having a mixture of woodland, open grassland, farmland and the River Axe all in such close proximity allows us to have a huge range of wildlife to admire during our spare time.
The River Axe winds it's way along the north border of the farm. Otters and Kingfisher are among the highlights of what can be found
I was able however to catch "Stubby" on camera. Stubby is our friendly resident Robin who is missing his tail and is often in the garden looking for food at the bird table
This month I may well invest in a wildlife trail camera to catch some of the other animals at the farm on film. We have a number of badger setts, fox holes and even the odd otter that turns up on the farm, so it will be a great way of seeing what's around, especially overnight when I am not!
These Willow Tits have been frequent visitors to the garden since we started putting out food
This weekend our friend Emily, who we used to work with at Occombe Farm, came down to see us. The weather unfortunately wasn't as it had been for the past couple of weeks with the colder temperatures and rain closing back in, but we still had a great time exploring for fossils down at Lyme Regis, and walking part of the Coast Path between the Golden Cap and the Anchor Inn (for a pub lunch and a little refreshment of course!).
A Barrel Jellyfish had washed up on the beach at Lyme Regis. Vicky's foot is included to give you an idea of scale!
Last weekend Vicky and I went for a little explore around Portland Bill. The weather at that point was still beautiful and perfect for exploring the coastline. We saw plenty of sea birds including a raft of Guillemots out at sea, while spring migrants like the Swallows and House Martins were flocking back over to England for the summer. Portland has had some great birds come in it's direction over the last few weeks (including 2 Hoopoes), but unfortunately we didn't see any of them during our visit.
Now with the General Election looming next month plenty of us are trying to work out exactly who we are going to vote for. But with all those policies floating around on immigration, education, the environment, the economy and so on, it makes me wonder how politicians can remember all of the things that they have promised? It seems quite often whoever is in power simply "forgets" to do all of the things that they said that they were going to do, and so this weeks funny story looks at David Cameron and his amazing memory coming a cropper...
Us by Portland Bill lighthouse
Now with the General Election looming next month plenty of us are trying to work out exactly who we are going to vote for. But with all those policies floating around on immigration, education, the environment, the economy and so on, it makes me wonder how politicians can remember all of the things that they have promised? It seems quite often whoever is in power simply "forgets" to do all of the things that they said that they were going to do, and so this weeks funny story looks at David Cameron and his amazing memory coming a cropper...
See you all next time :)
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