General Chat

I have learned to leave my hanging baskets in situ over the winter as the blue tits appreciate them in the spring - they strip out the mossy liners for nesting material. len

Thanks for the latest batch of stories. Sure if you save one life you feel very pleased. Good tip Len. Most of us don,t seem to like magpies, but they do have some fans, probably cos they look nice. XXX thanks pink, for the below.XXXXX Happy days

My ickle garden is full of noisy birds and i get to giggle watching Clicquot sitting under the tree waiting for prey to fall!! She isn't quick enough to catch anything these days but its so funny watching her try!! xx

I am on holiday in America and managed to photograph a Pelican and a night hawk. I also heard a mocking bird but I can't recognise it. Lots of birds which I must look up when I get home. When I was a girl someone gave me the Canadian brook bond tea cards of birds but unfortunately I lost them.

In the Chilterns, we get lots of red kites. Adults have a wing span of 5 to 6feet but I cannot believe how wimpish they are. We also have a large rookery in the nearby beechwoods and, if a kite gets any where near, a couple of rooks, maybe only one, comes out to see off the intruder. The falsetto cries of alarm let out by these large birds as they flap to escape is quite amusing. len

Just wanted to have a read through of this again. Very interesting reading imho. Since moving house, there are no squirrels in the garden now so they don't take the bird food from the bird table. At present, there are robins and sparrows in the garden.

Over 1,000 Parakeets roost in trees 100yrs away

Morning Harry, we have a blackbird singing his heart out every morning from about 5 onwards and a very cheeky Robin who winds up the local cats, much to my amusement as the cats couldn't catch a cold never mind a bird. Wonder if you could answer a question for me I came through Milton Keynes the other day and there were some very large birds circling. My o.h. says he thinks they were Buzzards have you any idea? Lin x

We have Starlings and Blue Tits nesting in ours.... freqent visitors are also Great Tits, Coal Tits, Chaffinches , Collared Doves, Blackbirds, Sparrows, Pyed and Grey Wagtails a Dunnock, a Robin and a Gold Finch (just spotted it this morning) Oh yes and we have Ducks and Swans flying over to the lodge nearby. I love watching the birds Gaynor :-)

can I add a plea please? Don't put fat balls or peanuts out in those mesh things. Birds can easily trap their feet and/or beaks in them and perish. At the moment our resident blue tits are very stroppy, divebombing the goldfinches on the feeder. We have had to put an old glove on the wing mirror of the car because the tit is gioing demented attcking his reflection. I am in Somerset Pat

Whey Hey---we have Blue tits nesting at last!!!!!! In one of our nest boxes. Also have Blackbirds,greenfinches,starlings,collared doves and an odd chaffinch visiting to feed ---oh and a Robin---not much more i'm afraid apart from blooming Magpies

I am pleased that you are renewing membership, Harry, and look forward to seeing you posting on here … :-)

Does anyne know if after blue tits have made thier nest they go awa for a while--just we havent seen them for a day??

I don't know, Ann. I have searched the internet for an answer but cannot find it. Hopefully someone else will know.

Harry - I was looking at a bird watch magazine the other day, and read an article about a yellow wagtail - I've not seen one of those before, have you?

Really, Teresa? I'd seen plenty of pied wagtails before but not a yellow one ... :-)

I've seen loads of yellow wagtails, fascinating little birds. Mostly around Abberton Reservoir near Colchester Essex Wildlife Trust reserve, which I used to visit when I lived down that way.

Hi All, We have been fascinated watching a Woodpecker busy on our tree... He was really loud until he got through to the softer inside of the tree... He has made a big pile of wood chips on the ground,good for mulching... We also have a pair of Coal Tits that are making a nest in the first hole the Woodpecker started.. Will post more later. Mea.

Quite common around lakes and reservoirs Joy, pied wagtails tend to be seen more often around buildings and wasteground. Yellow wagtails are slightly larger. There is also a grey wagtail, very similar to the Yellow, but less common.

In case you are looking in, Harry - there have been a lot more sparrows on the bird table the last few days. Happy days .....