Non-paying guest!

This is a first, a collared dove has set up nest in the gite pool eating area, a flimsy nest which doesn't look as though it will hold eggs let alone how ever many young there is when hatched!
Whilst on the subject of nests, we've got lots going on at the moment, on the opposite side of the gite pool is a light outside the tobacco barn gite where a Black Redstart has nested on top of it, in the main barn, 4 pairs of swallows are nesting (you can imagine the racket) plus the usual pair in the boiler room, Blue Tits are in one of the nest boxes, one pair of Blackbirds have already had a brood of young that have fledged. Other pairs spotted are Goldfinch, Redstarts, Great & Marsh Tits, Wagtails, Nuthatches, Robins and Wrens. The Nightingales and Golden Oriels have returned plus the Peregrine Falcons are in their usual spot on Le Roque.
It's all go!

It always happens!

A few days before guests arrive, there is always something that goes wrong and this year is no exception! We discovered last week we had a water leak, somewhere in the gite area, not a small leak, 2 litres a minute (4 pints!), nearly 3 cubic metres of water in a day. We looked everywhere and amazingly nothing could be found, With the help of our local plumber we located the underground main water pipe feeding the gites and bypassed the original which thankfully stopped the water meter spinning round!
So last weekend we spent digging a trench for the new pipes to be buried in through the gite courtyard, with massive amount of help from friend and neighbour Ken, back breaking work having to shift stone and earth to create a channel.

Two days later, our guests arrived for their stay in the Tobacco Barn gite, water all connected and not one hint or sign of any problem, all's well that ends well!

Mole excavations!

 Whilst we've been busy decorating in the house and gites, this year the moles have been extremely busy doing their own bit of landscaping work for us! When looking at what they'd achieved something caught my eye as the sun reflected off whatever it was that had been thrown up to the surface by our excavating friend!

After picking it up and brushing off the dirt, turning it over this is what I found, a very thin coin made of (I think) silver with very clear markings. LUD XV is the marking for King Louis 15th of France who reigned from 1715 to 1774. After research on the internet I think this may well be part of a counterfeit coin or gaming token as on the reverse it looks as though a different metal has eroded away leaving the silver face. Needless to say, I'm now looking through the other mole hills to try and find the other half!!

Happy days!

We've had a lovely week of weather which consequently has made everything spring (sorry for the pun) into life. Temperatures touching 20 degrees has meant not just the appearance of seasonal flowers but the early return of birds to our area. A few Crag Martins, Bullfinches and Black Kites are back plus many of our favourite Black Redstarts are here jostling for territory! All we're waiting for now is our Swallows to return which I'm sure won't be too long.
Following the mass fly over by the Cranes last week we have only seen one more group fly over and that was only a group of 8 or 9, so it looks like that display is over until they fly south in the autumn.

New gates have arrived!

Yesterday saw the arrival of our latest purchase in our continued programme of refurbishment. The old gates that separate the house and gite areas had finally had their day and were consequently burned on a bonfire in the afternoon!  

Made in chestnut wood by the same carpenter, Gerald Delpit of Montignac, who also hand made the superb house front door, they are also made in the traditional local perigordine style. Time now to get on with the next project.....!

Early return of the Cranes.

Yesterday afternoon was amazing, after putting on my last post about our first sighting of Cranes, hundreds if not thousands flew over us on their journey north. Wave after wave kept appearing over Le Roque St Christophe, the noise was incredible. Click on the picture below and you can see them.    

Every now and then, for whatever reason, the formations would break up and circle (picture below) as if no one could decide which way they should be going, until 4 or 5 set off and all the rest followed!

Who's that knocking!

 After hearing a loud knocking noise outside, we discovered the reason why after spotting a Nuthatch on the nest box next to the Roque Terrace gite, hammering away at the entrance to what is normally the box the blue tits nest in. In fact it's even rounded the corners of the dark top lid as you can see on the picture above.
Finally, after many days of work, it has managed to squeeze itself into the box only then to continue its work from inside of the box!

Yesterday we spotted our first mass formation of Cranes heading north after their winter break, which shows spring is definitely very nearly here at last, no picture I'm afraid as I was too late finding the camera!