... mower of the season. It was a long way off but I'm almost sure it was a Mountfield. The call is quite distinctive - a monotonous drone accompanied by frequent harsh clattering as it encounters some unseen debris in the grass, and it also seemed quite mature, having none of the brightness the younger ones have. It bore all the signs of being fresh out of hibernation - the frequent silent pauses and apparent reluctance to go under full power. It can't compare of course, with sightings of the pair of greater Atcos that frequent the local park throughout the summer, but it's a start.
I know it wasn't anything special and I gather those of you further south have been watching them for some time, but seeing the first one of the season is always a memorable moment, and reassuring to know that many others will now follow very quickly.
Geoff.
Cut mine yesterday, would have done it sooner but time, and rain were against me. It was only a light cut, but the lawn hasn't stopped growing since last year!!
cut and rolled mine the other day. Rain has been on and off but grabbed the first moment i could, checked the soil and cut it at 50mm
Ours got cut a day before the SNOW! :o ;D
There was a Lesser Spotted Council Strimmer out the back yesterday, making quite a racket. This morning a Greater Mower put in an appearance, so I think spring has definitely arrived.
Yesterday, I was called in to a client to rescue a Lesser Orange Hover which had hibernated in his garage over winter. It was a bright sunny day and my client thought that it would benefit by being put out to grass and gently awakened......alas! the poor dear Hover no longer hovered and I'm afraid that, after trying gently to coax it to life, I got exasperated and I brutally threw it around the lawn in desperation, trying to revive it.
Harsh measures you may think, but sometimes, I'm told, it works..
But not this time :'( and I'm expecting a knock on the door from the RSPB any time now ::)
I've spotted one of those lesser orange hovers towards the back of our garage! It's built a little nest with cobwebs and old tufts of grass to keep warm. I'm hoping to coax it out into some sunshine over the weekend but I'm always reluctant and once it awakens from its winter slumber the flippin' thing will be demanding attention and feeding for months... ::)
We had the Giant Green Mower on the village green today (love the smell of freshly cut grass), but unlike other pests, he did manage to avoid flattening the bank of daffodils!
I have also spotted the unusual lesser green hoover (not hover) collecting up the last of the leaves for it's breakfast over the road.
Crazy lot! :D :D :D :D :D
Mine doesn't need mowing yet which is lucky really as it is at the back of the garage under and blocked in by everything else I might need someday. :)