news from pembrokeshire-cottage-holidays

27/2/09 The last few days have been warm, so the birds are very active - while having breakfast we watched two Goldfinch feeding off the Teasels in our small walled garden, later on while walking the dogs on the farm trail Lettece came face to face with a Cock Pheasant, not sure who was more suprised, though Lettece soon remembered she is a hound and gave chase, the pheasant made a lot of noise but escaped.   Then, a Raven flew over closely followed by two Canada Geese all three were quite vocal.

6/4/09 First Swallow this evening - spring is here?

21/4/09 First Cuckoo we have heard at Rogeston for two years!

27/5/09 Sad day, Mary one of our Indian Runner ducks has disappeared, we suspect a fox!

30/5/09 Hundreds maybe thousands of Painted Lady butterflies flying low but heading south a marvelous sight, some stopped of for a drink of nectar on our flowers.

31/5/09 Many  more Painted Lady butterflies than we thought have stopped of at Rogeston, when we walk past the plants in flower, clouds of butterflies (20 or 30) circle round us.

1/6/09  Just before dark, we were walking the dogs in our far field (the Moor) when about 20yards away from us were two young badgers snuffling about in the long grass, Lettece suddenly found their scent and chased them off.   In our top field (the Green) we found the first of this years Orchids in flower, we counted twenty in 2008, we hope for more this year.

2/6/9  Another sad day, Jones the last of our ducks was taken by a fox this morning, the vet was attending to a sick cow in our neighbours field, not twenty yards away but this is a very persistent fox. 

15/6/9     In a few weeks time the television service is going digital in Wales so we have put small new sets in all our cottages - lots and lots of programmes!

Elderberry cottage, Heather cottage and Little Rogeston cottage all now sleep two people per cottage.

news from pembrokeshire-cottage-holidays

26/6/9     Strange goings on at Rogeston!

The vegetables garden looks rather like a wild west stockade - in minature.

Rogeston is suffering from a population explosion of rabbits.

John has used 35 paletts to surround the vegetable garden and hope that our furry friends do not have ladders.

John has this year planted seeds in the garden three times, but each time the seedlings appear the rabbits have had a very early breakfast, though they have ignored the potato plants.   We surrounded the garden with an electric fence but this only worked for a few days, the were jumping over and through the wires.

Organic rabbits are versatile. 

The paletts, binder twine, posts, nails and odd bits of wood have all been used before so the rabbits have in a way contributed to our recycling efforts.

We may be looking for volunteers to man the barricades!

news from pembrokeshire-cottage-holidays

12/7/09    Our local Buzzards (a pair from the airborne division) have been helping out with the rabbit situation.   Sitting on top of the greenhouse, field posts and gates looking for a tasty breakfast, we hope with some success.

Lily has caught a rabbit!   She was very proud and gave a small growl when John approached.  

10/8/09    Two weasels on the farm path!

7/9/09   Fewer rabbits about, weasels, and buzzards seem to be having some impact.

5/10/09  It has been a very busy autumn!

Our Swallows left very early in fact the earliest we can remember.     Four young black and white calves have joined us as our jersey cows just could not eat all the grass in our fields.  No rain for about five weeks.

6/12/09    First daffodils in flower at our son in laws farm (about five miles from Rogeston).   Rogeston daffodils will be about another ten day before flowering.   Primroses and winter flowering Heathers are showing some colour.   A few snipe in the fields, that normaly means cold weather on the way.

16/1/10   At last a few daffodils in flower. 

15/2/10           Crocus in flower and the first lambs Skipping around our neighbours fields.

2/3/10    Sadly Poppy one of our Jersey cows died today - we will miss her.

18/3/10   Roses are begining to put some leaves on their branches-spring is here!

7/4/10     First few buds can be seen on the early roses. 

7/4/10     Welcome home - five of our Swallows arrived back with us at lunch time - summer?

5/5/10      Welsh poppies and some of the roses in flower.

8/5/10      Another calf arrived from our son in laws farm(Cuckoo Grove farm), the fields are getting quite

                  busy.

28/5/10     All the calves have returned to Cuckoo Grove Farm, but two in calf cows have taken their place, one should calve in the next few days.  

 3/8/10      Plenty of swallows this year.   Lots of berries on the Holy trees - maybe a hard winter to           

                 come?