Hobbies and Crafts

Me here as well:o))

Got back from Birmingham 1pm ish after babysitting:o))))))

Sorry Wilfred has flown, as you say he's fed himself up and got back on track hopefully:o))

Woodpeckers have been very busy munching on the nuts, the holder was nearly empty!!
Too hot up here....phewww
jude:o)

Tec......lol

Hi Jude.......
Wondered where you were - welcome back.
I've never had a Woodpecker in this garden - though I often hear one in the nearby wood.

Wilfred is missed - I got quite attached to that silly pidgeon, had many meaningful conversations!

Regards
Tec.

Hi all, don't know what has been happening today, but i have sparrows in the ivy only 2 feet away. There has been loud scratching noises and so much activity. I often wonder if they nest in there, but surely it is too late now?? But something is definitely different.
My little robin still hasn't been seen...sigh
OH sees the owls we have here for the past 5 years. but at 6am when I am still in my bed ! They used to sit on a wall later in the morning but I never see them now.
The blackbirds are still waking me with their dawn chorus which is lovely, and they come for a bathe in the pond around tea time.
Sadly I haven't seen the bullfinch again, nor the thrush

Maggie

Hello all, nice to be noticed that I am missing Tec, lol. I don't spend much time on computer as I like to keep up the housework in the little flat, much easier than the semi we had.
We have an owl every night now, maybe two as we hear the hooting and the screech/ krick call. Our bird has started answering it, hubby thinks it is so close it could be sitting on the roof just above us.
By the way Tec, our cockateil was never in his cage at the other house, he spends time in it now for safety but when he gets used to the safe landing and safe places he will be out all day again. He used to go everywhere with me, on my shoulder or if he thought he knew where I was going he'd fly there and wait for me.

I also hear what sounds like Goldcrests coming from the massive tree in the visitors carpark, like a creaking wheelbarrow. I thought they were found in pine woods and firs, but can't think of another bird that sounds like them.
We also have a lot of Chaffinches and Greenfinch up here.

Caz xx

hello all

We were pleased to see yesterday a very young goldfinch on the nyger seed, so young it was all brown with just a tiny flash of yellow starting to appear. we have also had quite a few blue tits around again.

Ann
Glos

Hi Folks,

Maggie.........You could easily have young sparrows in the ivy. We have a second brood of sparrows hatched this week in an outbuilding.
I occasionally see a barn owl hunting in the fields behind my house, but only if I'm up very early in the morning.

Caz...........How nice to see you back you were missed. My wife had a cockatiel many years ago. He used to go about on her shoulder too. I was often abroad in those days, but when I was home, he developed an unfortunate habit of swooping off his favourite perch on a bookcase, feet first into my dinner . Needless to say, he had to be put into his cage at mealtimes. He obviously didn't like me, actually I think he was jealous, although of the two of us, he was the better looking.
It would be good if you do have goldcrests nearby.

Ann........That very young goldfinch must mean there are others nearby, hope you get to see them. Haven't seen any here for a while.
Today we had the adult robin and a very young one. Also two families of young magpies - complete hooligans.

Regards
Tec.

Tec, all winter we had three goldfinches feeding then recently we have had one single adult, then we had the one baby. I was curious to know how that baby knew it had to come to our garden and find the nyger seed feeder, other years the babies have appeared with the parents. maybe they brought it when we were out.

Ann
Glos

Hi Ann. I think it was about 5 years ago, one January day that I first noticed one solitary goldfinch. I had put out the seeds that you have Ann. I was thrilled, but not with the ensuing thistle plants all over the garden in the spring..lol ...So I sought advice and someone said they like sunflower hearts. Since then we have at least 6 pairs and lots of babies....and sunflowers everywhere...which I don't mind !

Maggie

We put out sunflower hearts as well, unfortunately the pigeons also enjoy them and have bigger appetites!

Lots of excitement and activity among the sea birds this morning - gulls, cormerants frantically feeding just off shore - must be a shoal of mackeral in the bay. The oyster catchers seem to have disappeared from the beach.

Fledgling robins being fed by parents in the garden, and we seem to have quite a lot of baby sparrows around, as well as those just hatched.
I am pleased about that, as I read that nationally their numbers are dwindling.

Have not seen the giant toad again.

Regards
Tec.

Did you see Country file last night? There was a piece on Skomer the Islnd off wales where Puffins, Shearwaters etc breed. I didn't know that Puffins spend just three months in the breeding season on land then fly out to sea for the rest of the year.

Ann
glos

Ann......No - I didn't know that either, and I'm surprised.

One of my bird books mentions that they winter at sea.

Tec.

No wonder they are difficult to see, they are never here!!

another bird (is it Shearwaters?) heads for South America. That is a long flight!

Cooee:o)

Back from Sussex this afternoon:o)) so good to be back l can tell yeh:o))

l have caught up and will be back over the weekend:o))

jude:o))

Hi Jude............Good to see you back!

It's been very quiet here - so what's been happening on your patch?

I want to try to attract Goldfinches back to my garden. Given that I am plaqued with Jackdaws that create havoc on the feeders, can anyone suggest the best kind of feeder for Nyger Seed, as I cannot afford to feed the jackdaws on it. All suggestions welcome.

Regards
Tec.

Evening all:o))

Whilst away l tried very hard to get my cousin and his son interested in the birds in the garden......grrrr....no luck:o((

Our garden seems full of young sparrows and c/doves, l would think we have about 10 young sparrows and almost the same with the doves. Still about 4 or 5 Magpies, the usual jackdaws and starlings. One of the baby robins has his full feathers now. Not seen many blackbirds:o(

Vic got back about 4.30pm from an 8 mile walk somewhere near Crickhowel, he was exhausted and jumped straight into a bath. Alot of uphill then down again, thoroughly enjoyed it though:o))

Madoc spent best part of the day at my feet ether in the garden whilst l was trying to put washing out, or whilst l was ironing, big daft lump!!! lol

Ann....l did'nt know that either about the Puffin!!

My sister had about 40 young sparrows in one tree yesterday, she said it was so funny cause the branch was going lower and lower with the weight of them.....daft bat did'nt have her camera handy!!! doww

jude:o)

Hi Jude
Do you live near Crickhowell ?
I was born there, nearest hospital at the time, spent the 1st 20 yrs of my life about 6 miles from there in the family home and the rest about 11 miles away since I got married.
Lovely area to go walking and to see loads of birds :)

Hello Sandie:o)

Apparently it was past Crickhowell and near Bluith Wales the Black mountains....l just heard Crickhowell mentioned earlier..lol
l live in Monmouth:o)) where are you now?

jude :o)

Tec
The nyger feeder I have has really tiny little holes in it, big birds can't get the seeds out of the holes.

Ann
Glos