NEXT EVENT

PERTHSHIRE OPEN STUDIOS
3th-11th September

I don't have to travel very far for this exhibition. Jill and I are opening up our home and the studio space as part of the wider Perthshire Open Studios event

The studios will be open over 9 days. Each studio will host one or more artists exhibiting their work. There are now 122 venues taking part.

Visit the website for more details
www.perthshireopenstudios.com

Contact me if you would like a POS Brochure


My studio will be open from
10am - 5pm daily & 10.00-7.00 on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th
www.martinridley.com

2011 BIRD NESTING SEASON at ROSSAL

Swifts
There are three nests with two monitored by cameras. The season started very late as poor weather prevented the birds getting into condition for egg laying. Both broods of two chicks were less developed than at the same time last year, but I'm pleased to say that they all fledged successfully. There is a painting of swifts at the top of this newsletter.

Swallows
This year we nearly had three pairs settle to nest. In the end it was two pairs. The most advanced, hatched five young in the previous year's nest, but abandoned them due to the continuing bad weather. The other pair used a woodcrete cup placed in our garage and fledged three young.

Spotted Flycatchers
Now this is another addition to our garden list of breeding birds. I did not see the brood fledge, but hope they made it!

Starlings
Five young were raised very efficiently in the box next to one of the pairs of swifts

Treecreepers
This is the first time that I've come across a treecreeper nest. They were using a rotten silver birch trunk peppered with Great Spotted Woodpecker nesting holes. By coincidence I had just placed a treecreeper box on a tree nearby.

Catch up on the story so far Nestbox News