Apple tree and birds

Despite the severe drought we have had most of this summer, the apple trees have managed to produce a lot of apples. Most of them are small but sweeter than normal. The birds are taking advantage of the situation and try to get to them before we do :)

Once again a bird with a funny looking head. Can it be the one I saw much earlier this year?

The bird of the year!

Every year a particular bird dominates both what we see and what we hear. Most of the time it is the wagtail that can been seen and heard all the time but this year I think the Common blackbird (Turdus merula) has played that role. I have not been able to find out where they got their nests but there have been and still are a lot of them. Many of them have spent time in our juniper bush eating its berries. 

Apples

It has been a very HOT and DRY summer as you have seen in previous postings. Despite the lack of rain the apple trees are full of fruit that might never get really ripe. If we cannot get a big harvest, they are already very appreciated by the wasps and birds :)

Nuthatch

A very nice little bird is the Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) . From what I have read it is the only bird that can walk head first down a tree!  

Flowers and bumblebees

The bumblebees have enjoyed the many flowers that have survived the drought thanks to my wife's hard work watering them every day. In particular the Calibrachoa or Million bells is a favorite! 

No blueberries:(

Due to the dry and hot weather most berries have just dried up like these blueberries. 

We got a bit of rain today but it is still extremely dry. Only the weed survive. 

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia )

Some time ago I took a very small plant of a Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ) from my father's garden. It did not do very well the first couple of years but earlier this year, maybe thanks to the warm weather, it was really a joy to see.

Wet and cold, dry and warm..

Spring was very cold and wet with flooded rivers and a much needed boost to the ground water level. It was therefore not a big surprise when the weather in May and June changed and it became very warm and dry. This has continued and July is now one of the warmest we have had in a long time. I remember 1959 as one of the warmest ever but it is possible that 2018 might be just as dry and hot.

There is still water in the well but the grass is more or less gone and many trees have gone into sleeping mood with yellow or brown leaves. No need to cut the grass on the lawn and the farmers are suffering and have had to cut the grass on all fields where they can find some food for their animals.

Snake in paradise :(

Snakes are not very common in Svångemåla but now and then we are either happy to see a Grass snake (natrix natrix) or less happy to spot a European adder (Vipera berus). A large sample of the latter enjoyed the sunshine at our gate the other day. It was very lazy and did not move even when we looked at it from just a couple of meters. They are poisonous but move normally away quickly when they feel the vibrations of someone coming.