Early Days - a New House

We have moved within the village from a 17th century cottage, to a new house on an estate at the edge of the village.  The house move was not that stressful compared to the challenge of getting internet access.  It took 6 weeks to get broadband, due to the obduracy of Openreach, and we gave up contact with the world whilst we waited.   At one point we were told that no broadband service was possible because the nearest telephone cabinet was over 4km away rather than the 300 metres it actually is. We have now thankfully travelled forward from the 20th century to the 21st.

The estate is built on what was a pasture, and we face the original hedge which was the field boundary.  Needless to say that the development was controversial because of its siting, and there is still a lot of opposition even though it is now built.  It should all settle down in around 10 years or so, judging from another controversial development back in the 90's.

The hedge is a mature with hazel, blackthorn, field maple, crab apples, ash and pedunculate oak.   Behind lies a playing field and beyond that open countryside.   So far we have had a fox stroll by, and a muntjac exploring the hedge. as a scratchy video from my mobile demonstrates  https://youtu.be/Nx2mzNUMGIU.   3 families of mallard ducklings were raised on a nearby pond, and a piece of land which regularly floods and had standing water until the end of July had a Little Egret.

Within a couple of days of moving my wife put up three bird feeders - peanuts, grain and niger seed. (We are now back to dispensing industrial quantities of bird feed).   Blue and great tits were the first to appear on the feeders followed by dunnock and robins.   Goldfinch arrived only after a few weeks but they are now regulars.   From time to time we get clouds of housemartins circling around, occasionally perching on the roof.

A few butterflies so far including Speckled Wood, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, and a Painted Lady.   This Southern Hawker Dragonfly has been a regular.

Early days!