Welcome to our little home on the net. We are Steve & Rosemary and live in Buckinghamshire, UK. This is a blog of our life, sometimes interesting, but mainly boring. It is very picture orientated as Steve loves to take pictures, especially of wildlife. Sometimes he has his arm twisted by Rosemary and takes the odd snap of a weed.
Looking for Foxes 11
15th March 2025
The preceding fortnight has been characterised by predominantly dry conditions and clear skies. While for a few days we experienced warmer temperatures, the majority of the period was marked by cold weather, with the pond occasionally freezing over.
A variety of avian species graced the area. A blackbird was observed foraging amongst the leaf litter, while a muntjac deer made a solitary appearance, browsing on the grass near the pond. A collared dove was also sighted at the water’s edge. A fox visited the vicinity on several occasions, sometimes venturing close to the camera and at other times traversing the pond’s perimeter beneath the overhanging vegetation. During one such visit, the fox startled a moorhen, which promptly sought refuge in the pond. A jay was also noted as an occasional visitor.
The relationship between the mallards and moorhens has shown signs of improvement compared to the previous years, when the mallards were consistently driven off. While minor skirmishes still occur, the mallards have managed to maintain their presence.
A male pheasant, likely an escapee from a nearby shoot, continues to inhabit the area. The exact origin of the pheasant remains uncertain, as there are currently no active shoots within a significant radius.
Finally, the rabbit population has flourished, providing a vital food source for the various carnivores that roam the region.
Camping at Fforest Fields
10th March 2025
The weather in the UK had been dry for well over a week, and it was predicted to remain dry for at least another week, though a little cool with frosts at night. So, we decided to take our first camping trip of the year in our VW T5. We packed the thick duvet. Of course, as soon as we had booked, mysterious snowflakes appeared in the forecast. We set off quite early, hoping to have Sunday lunch somewhere. Our preferred pub, the Hundred House Inn, appeared to be closed, having shut at the end of November after a recent renovation. It appears to be on the market for £525,000. So, we selected another pub, the Fforest Inn, but alas, we hadn’t booked and there was no room. We drove up to Penybont and tried the Severn Arms Hotel. Here, we were able to eat and had a Welsh Sunday lunch. The turkey and beef were carved from generous joints. There were excellent Yorkshire Puddings and masses of vegetables. Perhaps too many?? It was a good Sunday lunch.
We headed to the Fforest Fields campsite to check in. Nobody was there; we just had to go to Reception to write down the pitch number against our booking details. The shop on site had plenty of basics, all paid for through an honesty box. There were a few campers, who disappeared during the week, leaving only us and one other. On Thursday, a few more started to arrive for the weekend. Despite the lack of campers, the shower block was open and was delightfully warm (underfloor heating!) at any time of the day.
Tradition dictates a bottle of fizzy wine on our first night, but we were both too full of Sunday lunch. We did comply with the traditional walk up to the Lookout. Bit misty.
The campsite-come-farm crew were always there in the morning, having coffee and preparing for the day’s work ahead, which appeared to be quarrying and rebuilding some of the roads and paths.
Most days we managed breakfast and lunch outside. But it was cold, with very frosty mornings (yes, we even used the diesel heater) when ice accumulated on the awning. During our stay, we went for walks into the village and above the campsite. I did several 10km walks and explored several paths and tracks I had not done before. On one particular day, the red kites and buzzards were very much in evidence. We even found the Medieval Fforest Wood Castle, an ancient ditched motte castle-type monument in the wood above the campsite. We had never known of its existence; someone must have recently placed it on Google Maps, where R spotted it.
The main boating lake was quite bare around the edges, before the vegetation grows up. There were quite a few coots and mallards, plus a pair of swans. The swans proceeded to build a nest, and one was sitting on it on the final day. Coots had possession of the smaller lake, near the yurts, where we watched them chase off a pair of Canada Geese.
On our last night, I was up early in the morning, just before 5 am, to view a partial lunar eclipse. Unfortunately, the clouds came in quickly, so there was little time to see it. One of the campsite/farm workers had done a lot better with his eclipse viewings than I did.
Police Dog Hogan at The Stables
7th March 2025
On a whim, R and I booked tickets to The Stables in Milton Keynes. We were going to see and listen to a band with the rather distinctive name of ‘Police Dog Hogan’. The initial draw was that we both read the Saturday Guardian and were familiar with the column by the American writer, Tim Dowling (second from the left). Tim Dowling, in addition to his writing, is a musician who plays the banjo and guitar. He tends to downplay his musical contributions in his articles, to the point where one might wonder if he’d even bother to show up. This, however, is far from the truth; he plays a significant role in the band’s performances.
We made a day of our outing to Milton Keynes, first stopping at IKEA for their complimentary coffee, then navigating the labyrinthine maze-like layout of the shop, before finally, stocking up on my beloved pickled herrings.
At The Stables, we had booked a pre-show supper, the first such offering in many years. We were, in essence, the guinea pigs for this revived dining experience, and as a gesture of appreciation, we were each offered a glass of prosecco. We accepted! Rudenot to have, we thought. The supper consisted of pizza, preceded by a starter and followed by a dessert, all accompanied by a drink. I opted for a pint of ‘Side Pocket for a Toad’, brewed by the Tring Brewery Company, while Rosemary chose a glass of white wine. The food was simple, hearty, and the pizzas were generously sized. The starters, in particular, were excellent, we never got to the desserts.
The show, while not completely sold out, was thoroughly enjoyable. During the interval, I managed to purchase a vinyl record and received a complimentary tea towel for subscribing to their email list. As for Tim Dowling, he performed admirably, taking a much more prominent role in the performance than his Guardian column might suggest. Police Dog Hogan are known for their blend of folk, country, and rock, often referred to as “urban bluegrass,” and their live performance was energetic and engaging.
It was a good evening out.
Looking for Foxes 10
26th February 2025
In the continuing drama of the pond:
A couple of mallard ducks came to visit. They did not stay long, probably chased off by the moorhens.
The moorhens were around for most of the week, swimming and walking across the grass.
A fox paid us several visits during the week. Looking for a mate?
There was a fabulous display by the grey heron, who also caught a frog and devoured it in front of the camera.
A jay came around one day, and worked its way through the leaves looking for food.
A couple of male pheasants walked past the pond. One behind the other, escapees from a shoot, perhaps.
Rabbits were much in evidence, dashing from one side of the pond to the other.
Some crows took the opportunity of a frozen pond to practise their ice skating.
One grey squirrel was seen in the trees, fat after feeding on our bird feeders.
The starlings have been in evidence on the field, and did appear for a short while in front of the cameras.
Unfortunately one of the cameras had the incorrect date set. Time, Month and Day were correct, but the year was 2024, whereas it should have been 2025.
Timeline
00:00 Mallard Ducks
00:24 Fox
01:09 Grey Heron
02:30 Grey Heron & Frog
06:28 Jay
07:43 Moorhen
08:57 Pheasant
09:31 Rabbit
09:55 Crows `
10:37 Squirrel
10:45 Starlings
Caravan Camping & Motorhome Show
21st February 2025
This Friday we took a trip to the NEC to visit the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show. No intention of buying, but to look around and see if there were any good ideas we could add to our VW campervan.
One noticeable change this year was the number of stands selling Lithium batteries. Only a few years ago they were virtually unrepresented at the show. Now everyone was selling them, and their price has plummeted. Still the cost of upgrading probably not worth it, but if I were getting a new van, it would be all electric Lithium powered and no gas.
Some van convertors were having a laugh, more than £100,000 for a VW converted van, and so badly fitted out, no storage, designed for a night away for someone with more money than sense. We did find one company in Shrewsbury, Rolling Homes, who did good conversions of VWs and Fords, in a similar layout style to ours at a reasonable cost. The cabinets were beautiful, all wood. Was rather tempted, but there are years left in our Morrison, our VW. Will keep in mind for the future. Be it a Ford van or a VW T7 van, they are the same and built at a Ford factory. Well we hope there is years left in Morrison. We did have an issue with the ABS sensors which took some time to sort out.
We saw Hamza Yassin a couple of times, briefly at a talk about camping, and then later we watched Hamza participate in a cookery show & chat at the C&CC stand. Looking forward to his new wildlife series on the BBC later this year.
Starlings on the field
20th February 2025
We have had starlings on the field. They have been bathing in the puddles, and looking around the field for food. They are always busy moving on to different areas, never stationary for a moment. No large murmurations as we are only a gathering point in the evening before they move off to roost for the night somewhere else.
Looking for Foxes 9
15th February 2025
Our field pond continues to be a hub of activity, offering fascinating insights into the local wildlife. Fox sightings remain infrequent, but we were fortunate to capture a glimpse of a young fox near by. Interestingly, the moorhens, usually quite skittish, seemed completely unconcerned by its presence. This suggests they may be becoming accustomed to foxes, or perhaps the young fox was not displaying predatory behavior. Foxes, afterall, while often perceived as a threat, play a vital role in controlling rodent populations and maintaining ecosystem balance.
A heron also graced us with its presence. While it wasn’t observed fishing this time, it did wade along the pond’s edge before taking flight. Herons are opportunistic feeders, consuming fish, amphibians, and even small mammals. Their presence is a good indicator of a healthy pond ecosystem.
The moorhens were actively swimming, a behaviour often observed as nesting season approaches. Moorhens, members of the rail family, are known to build nests amongst reeds or in dense vegetation near water. Their frequent treks across the field to the neighbor’s pond likely indicate they are exploring different territories or resources.
A male and female pheasant also made several appearances. These ground-dwelling birds are common in many gardens and are often attracted to areas with seeds and insects.
As always, pigeons and rabbits were abundant. The rabbits, our most frequently observed mammal, were captured in a short video clip. Rabbits are herbivores and can be a significant food source for predators like foxes, but seemingly not ours, and birds of prey. The pigeons, some rather plump, were also spotted.
A flock of starlings descended upon the pond, some to feed and others to bathe. Starlings are highly social birds, often forming large flocks, and are known for their impressive mimicry skills. Seeing them enjoying the water on a sunny day was a delight.
Finally, a grey squirrel, another common garden resident, was spotted and photographed. Grey squirrels are opportunistic feeders, consuming nuts, seeds, fruits, and even insects. They are known for their caching behaviour, which helps disperse seeds and contributes to forest regeneration.
Time Line
00:00 Blackbird
00:03 Heron
01:55 Moorhens
02:16 Pheasant
02:39 Pigeon
03:09 Starlings
04:30 Fox
04:45 Rabbits
04:55 Squirrel
Looking for Foxes 8
22nd January 2025
It has been quite some time since I last shared a video showcasing the wildlife around the garden. Sightings of foxes have been infrequent, mostly limited to them passing through the garden without settling. They have not yet taken over any rabbit burrows for breeding purposes.
The most notable sighting was that of a Grey Heron, which appears to have made the field pond its new habitat. I was fortunate enough to capture footage of the heron stalking across the pond after sunset. There is one particular moment where it can be seen holding a frog in its beak, and another where a fox is seen walking behind it. You can find these scenes using the YouTube chapters.
Please note that the dates displayed by the cameras follow the American date format (Month, Day, Year), as the cameras do not support localized date settings.
Bird species recorded by the cameras include: Blackbird, Chaffinch, Heron, Crow, Jay, Moorhen, Pheasant, Redwing, and Starlings. Mammals observed include: Domestic Cat, Muntjac Deer, Fox, and Rabbit.
Spiders and Winter
11th January 2025
Some interesting cobwebs after a frost.
Portmeirion in the Snow
10th January 2025
We headed off to Portmeirion for a three-night post-Christmas break. The weather sounded a little iffy, Snowstorms were forecast. In the event there was no snow on the drive there or back. While we were there, a small icing of snow came down to brighten up the views.
We elected the Welshpool route, stopping at a charge station while buying lunch at Tesco. Arrived too early for the hotel, so a quick tour of charity shops in Porthmadog where I picked up a live vinyl double album of Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield and R (surprise, surprise!) a book.
Back to the hotel, where we were staying in Cliff House 1. A first for us. It is on the edge of the village, and you can park the car nearby. Excellent for loading and unloading, and for driving off to see the sites of the Welsh hills, but not so good for charging. The room was not as good as other rooms we have stayed in. It was also a little chilly, possibly because of the wintry weather, and the room not being used for a few days.
Our first night’s meal was in the hotel at 7.00. Excellent meal as usual.
It snowed overnight; tiny crystals rather than flakes. After breakfast, and setting up the car to chargein the residents’ car park, we walked around the gardens. At any time of year, there is always something new to see. This year there was much clearing up of old rhododendrons, and quite a few trees had also been cut down. I can only assume they had been clearing up much of the damage from the previous months’ storms. Health and Safety was also having a field day, new fences to stop you falling down the cliffs, and lots of tape barring you from entry to sections of the woods where there was clearing-up in progress. We saw signs to a new The Peace Statue, so we followed the signs.
On the second night we ate at Castell Deudraeth for a change of scenery. The walk up to this hotel in the dark was lovely. There were several owls hooting all around us. The Castell Deudraeth restaurant was not very busy. We were the last to sit down to eat at 7.00pm.
Our final day, so we took the car out for a drive around. We visted Plas Brondanw house and gardens. This is where Clough Williams-Ellis (the creator of Portmeirion) lived. It is now open to the public and is the home of the Susan Williams-Ellis archive. We were the only visitors, our footprints in the snow from the carpark to the house were the only ones.
Lovely house, and an exhibition of art by Ruth Jên Evans, ‘Seeds of the Imagination’ was on display. We ended up buying a print. The last of the limited edition, so it was taken off the wall, frame and glass included. While it was being wrapped, we walked around the gardens in the crisp snow. Whole place was delightful and the views superb.
We then drove on to the Lakeside Cafe near Blaenau Ffestiniog. We had stopped there before. With dinner at the hotel, we really only wanted (needed) a snack.
R suggested we visit a castle, Castell Cricieth. Of course it was closed. We walked around a bit of Cricieth and decided it looked a bit of a dump.
Back at the hotel, Negronis and G&Ts in our room before heading out for supper at 7.00 Another excellent meal. Oh and by the way, breakfasts in the morning are also very good.
Next day, there was a lovely sunrise. It was luck that I drew the curtains before the sun had come up. We went down for our last breakfast, and then packed up, and set off home, stopping at a Tesla (I know, I know!) charger on the M5 services for a Splash and Dash charge.
