1981 May & June
May 2nd
This morning the ground was covered with snow. Yes SNOW!
For 50 years, when weather was first recorded it has never
snowed in May, but there is always an exception, and this year
has been it. On 30th April there was a storm and the
old Crow’s nest was blown down. Maybe it is just as well,
because a pair of Magpie have visited that tree and might have
thought about using it to nest in. If they had, Dad would have
shot them.
May 7th
Today the sky was overcast and there were showers of rain.
One good thing was I heard the Cuckoos call for the first time
this year. On 4th May I saw my first Swallow in the
Lane Field, and I saw one there again today. Recently I’ve found
a lot of Starling’s egg shells under the tree, and today up the
back I found a whole egg.
May 9th
What else can I say about today apart from it was perfect?
Throughout the day the sky was blue but with a lot of clouds.
The first thing I did when I arrived home was to go a walk on
the moor with Cindy. The sky had almost cleared from clouds
except for over the west horizon. Everywhere was calm; the sun
shone, and the only sound to break the silence was a Skylark
singing. All around I could see for miles right across Bolton
and in the other direction part of Darwen.
May 13th
I think today has been a lovely day. The sky was clear
blue with a strong warm wind. The sun was very warm and in the
classroom it became unbearable. I took off my jumper and rolled
up my shirt sleeves to try and cool down.
I went
for a nice walk up the Back Field. On the west slope I found
many Coltsfoot leaves growing; there was a few odd flowers still
flowering. Later I went a walk across to Willows Den.
What a surprise I had, the Wood Anemones were out and so too
were a few Celandine. I never expected the Wood Anemones to be
in flower yet.
May 14th
This morning the grass was soaking wet with dew; the land
was covered in mist and I could see the day was going to be hot.
In the Tip Field some Marsh Marigolds were flowering, and so too
to my delight were the Marsh Violets; tiny delicate purple
flowers. Yesterday I was dismayed to find no Violets flowering
in the Willows Den. I thought I’d missed them this year
but maybe they have not opened yet.
May 15th
Today has been hazy with the sun not as warm as yesterday.
Everywhere there is a tint of green and many trees have got
their leaves. The Hawthorn are covered in leaf and an odd
Sycamore tree too. It is weird that some Sycamore trees become
covered in leaves long before others.
May 21st
Most of the trees are covered in leaves now, except the
Ash and Oak. The nicest are the small, oval, soft and silky
leaves of the Beech.
Recently,
Jack noticed a cat stuck up the Beech tree. It was a wild Tom
Cat and with glaring eyes and flattened ears he looked very
angry. Jack told me to fetch a thick coat and a strong pair of
gloves while he went for the ladder. However these weren’t
necessary because the cat jumped down and ran away as Jack put
the ladder up against the tree. Today I saw that very same cat
sitting on the bank just through the road tunnel. There it was,
looking as savage as before. I moved quickly away with Cindy.
1st
June
The first day of June has been gorgeous! The sunshine was warm:
I’d go as far as to say hot! The sky was blue with many clouds
in the morning that cleared by afternoon. I went a walk on the
moor with Cindy. It’s really surprising what a lush green the
grass is where the moor has been burnt. I saw a Fox on the moor
- it looked like a juvenile; lucky for me Cindy didn’t see it.
Today I
saw three Swifts flying above the house. They are the first I’ve
seen this year. On the bank of the Lodge I saw a cock Reed
Bunting. On a Hawthorn stump in the Croft there was a large
white Giant, Puffball growing. I was amazed by its presence,
size and creamy white colour. It looked like half a new tennis
ball had been glued to the trunk. The Mayflowers are now out in
the fields.
June 5th
Today the sunshine has been warm with a cool breeze. The
sky has been blue with a few clouds. There were more clouds in
the evening. They spread out in equal sized small clumps across
the sky.
Above the
reservoir about 25 Black-headed seagulls were screaming diving
and hurling themselves about the sky. There was a pair of Canada
Geese swimming gracefully on the reservoir and they seemed
undisturbed by us and by the seagulls: one of which dive-bombed
one of the Geese. By this time I was looking for a reason for
their strange behavior. Then I realised they were nesting on
the little island. There were about 15-20 pairs of gulls in all,
and about five pairs settled on the island when the sun sank.
June 9th
Today it was the village fete. The sky was very cloudy but
the sun was warm and blue sky showed through. The reservoir was
very calm and just like a mirror and guess what I saw! A pair of
Canada Geese swimming gracefully along with their six goslings.
I was delighted to see them.
In
Willows Den, Globeflowers are out, and surprisingly the Bog
Violets and Marsh Marigolds are still flowering. It was so warm
I went for a swim in the lodge. Two Snipes were flying there mad
erratic flights through the air; drumming with their whirring
wings as they went. I wondered whether they were a pair courting
or two rival males fighting over a territory.
June 16th
I expected it to rain today because the sky although blue
has been full of large grey and white clouds. Also there has
been a strong wind constantly turning the leaves on the trees.
Three of my Tadpoles are now frogs apart from their tails which
they will soon loose. In the plastic tank I have put stones on
the bottom, pond weed and stones large enough for them to sit on
out of the water. Sharing the tank with them are several stone
fly larvae and many tiny red water mites.
I went up
the Back Field for a walk and saw quite a few flocks of young
Starlings. These juvenile birds fly rather slow, short
topsy-turvy flights about the fields while in search for food.
At the moment they are very unwary and Cindy easily catches up
with them. Their plumage is a chocolate brown and slightly
speckled.
Cindy
found a foxhole just over the fence on the moor. It is obviously
being occupied by a Fox. I could tell by the pungent smell and
scattered remains of its last meal, The Fox is probably the same
one as I saw on June 1st. Just by the side of the
hole was a small pond. On it there were loads of pond skaters.
These bugs skim across the surface of the water feeding on any
insects that have fallen into the pond. It is strange that a
colony of them should manage to live and survive there when I’ve
never found any on other ponds on the farm.
On the
way home I passed the rabbit warren at the bottom of the field;
to my amazement four young baby bunnies ran into the main hole;
only just in time to miss Cindy’s snapping jaws. Cindy was very
excited by all this and so was I. For all this year I’ve hardly
seen any rabbits I have no idea as to the reason for their
decline. It certainly was not mixomatosis, so your guess is as
good as mine. This family of young rabbits is the first I have
come across this year.
June 20th
Today I went for a swim in the lodge. It was a warm sunny
day with a faint breeze and blue sky. In the Hay Meadow Red
Clover and Yellow Rattle are starting to flower.