Mrs Down's Diary

MULTITASKING was the name of the game yesterday. Lambing, calving, drilling spring wheat, bedding and feeding up the herd and flock, cooking Sunday lunch for all the family , arbitrating said family arguments, entertaining grandchildren, flower arranging the lovely bouquets I was given, taking the dogs a walk and still trying to find out where those guinea fowl are laying their eggs.

We are now certain we have two males, but intriguingly; one or other of the hens disappears at certain times of the day. But to where?

We know where certain pair of sparrows, who are supposed to be blue tits, are laying their clutch of eggs. In the camera nest box. John thought the hole at the entrance to the nest was too large for anything other than blue tits, but a couple of sparrows have squeezed their way in.

The nest is extremely untidy and at times envelopes the birds in straw and feathers so we only know it has inhabitants because of all the writhing and fluttering around that is taking place. Probably a modesty screen.

On the land, John has been flat out for three days getting the spring corn in. It is a field that was too wet to drill in the autumn and has lain fallow over winter after ploughing. The frost has broken it down and happily, with the dry weather, conditions were right for it to go.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette April 1