Back to normal weather then.

Sunday 8th May 2011
Well now that my sisters have gone back south the weather has decided that it has had enough of being sunny and calm all the time. It started off windy and wet on Sunday and didn't improve much for most of the week.

Because of the weather, (or rather because I am getting soft in my old age and no longer go out in foul weather), I just pottered about doing things in the house or in the shed for most of the week.
Many attempts to ensure that the Jersey Giant cockerel stayed in his pen were all to no avail and I have more or less given up trying and now I just put him back every now and again. He has at least stopped attacking the Sussex cock (having established his dominance) so it does not really matter.
I have now bought a landing net so at least I can catch the evil cockerel when I want to.

On Tuesday I had some timber delivered so of course I was quizzed by the dlivery driver about how I had voted in the Scottish election. He is a really chatty bloke and always asks what I think of scottish politics. I don't think that I have offended him to much.

I managed to break the lawnmower, a cunning ploy to avoid mowing the lawn. This turned out to be quite lucky and not only because it delayed having to cut the grass.
While I was trying to find out who in Orkney did lawn mower eepairs, I cam across a young lad in Finstown who repairs all sorts of small engines.
I get the impression that he didn't do to well at school but he is a natural with machinery. He seems to be able to fix anything and he charges a fraction of the price that the more usual repair shops charge.
Anyway he fixed the mower quickly and cheaply so he can give the strimmer a look at next.

We finally had a decent day on friday, nice, sunny and calm so I thought it was much to nice to work. The RSPB have wardens on duty at some of the hides throughout the summer and today there was one at The Loons so I thought I would go and get myself educated.
The Loons hide is fairly idylic, overlooking a small lake (lochan) and a load of marshy wetland and reed beds, so it is pleasant just sitting there admiring the view even if there are no birds. There were however plenty of birds and I can now recognise a sedge warbler at 100 yards (but probably not at 6 feet).