Hobbies and Crafts

Jude, there is a long Barrow at Coaley Peak, Uley I think, near Nymphsfield

Jane I shall have to take a look and see if you got Woody's best side. Lol.

I hope Madoc enjoys his time with his sitter, Jude. I must organise us a trip out sometime to Dorset again - another lovely county. Just been reading in the Tadio Rimes about previous masterchef winners. Last year's one has opened a restaurant in Beaminster, might be worth a bash.

Yesterday morning just before I left for work I saw a bird I'd not noticed before in our front hedge. It turned out to be a coal tit, to add to our collection of blue, great and long tailed. Actually I haven't seen any long tailed tits for ages. I hope they come again. They always look like they could do with a good spruce up.

I watched Autumnwatch last night and and they were at Abney Park Cemetery which is on our list of to visit for OH's family tree. Now I've seen it, it looks like we'd better get down to that visit for the actual trees - it looks lovely for inner city parkland. Then they were on our Wiltshire Downs - just around the corner from us. In one shot I noticed the Lansdowne Memorial which is just above the Cherhill White Horse, a regular walk for us especially when someone comes to visit who hasn't seen our new house or area yet. OH was on his way back from Amsterdam so I'll have to get him to watch it on i-player.

Morning everyone.What a mucky morning .We woke to rain and mist but is now clearing and brightening up.The Robin is singing his little head off out the back,and it sounds lovely.
I haven't seen the squirrel for a few days,but assume it is still about.
Off to town briefly,I just hope it's not too busy,but I need to change something.
Have a nice day y'all lol

It was a rotten day here yesterday, lots of rain and very windy. Loads of leaves to sweep off the steps now it's dryer today, before postie slips on them.

We've seen a few more coal tits over the weekend. This morning being brighter weather and there being more activity in the garden, I've noticed a female blackbird and two males having a bit of a discussion in the front hedge. Seemed like one of the males was seeing the other off and Mrs looked a bit ruffled about the whole thing.

Still not a lot of birds around other than sparrows, an occasional blackbird and Billy no mates our lone Goldfinch, also a single starling, don't know where the rest of his flock are (Spain maybe?) but every day he comes for his suet pieces. Oh yes, had a wood pigeon looking very bewildered this morning, to keep the pigeons off one of the feeders we have taken the saucer off the bottom, they used to sit on that and feed, he couldn't work out why he couldn't get there any more.

The birds do seem very hungry now that it's colder. My feeders are very busy with the usual visitors. Quite a few bluetits, and great tits about. I spotted a red kite soaring over the field at the back this morning, and while watching through the kitchen window, a missel thrush suddenly popped out of the hedge, closely followed by another. I haven't seen one for a while, so was particularly pleased to see two together.
Braved a walk on the beach yesterday, dressed like Nanuck of the North.
Despite a very rough tide hitting the beach, and a howling wind, there were about twenty oystercatchers looking for food, and a few terns of some sort, couldn't identify them though.

Yanto is currently sulking because it is cold and wet outside. He has always believed that I am personally responsible for the weather, so lays there glaring at me on wet days.
Hope everyone is well,
Regards
Tec

Hi All
I help with a Brownie pack and they are doing their "seasons badge " and tonight it was the Winter part. We discussed British birds and they managed to name quite a few.
After that they made bird feed cakes to take home and now they have to record the birds that visit the feeder.
Take care
Von

We had a Greater Spotted Woodpecker on the feeding post a few days ago - what a pleasure - followed by a Sparrowhawk after its obvious prey - but, they all have to live!

Alice

Tec, just conjured up a funny picture of Ianto 'glaring' at you while looking out the window at the rain!!!

Lol Tec. I have one of my cats sulking too. She sits by the window looking out with her shoulders hunched. Then she looks at me as if to say "I'm boooored". The other two just use the excuse to snuggle up on the beds for even more hours than usual. Had to frontline them this morning. Two easy, one nigh on a casualty visit. But succeeded with few lacerations this time. Now she really is glowering at me!

Von - you take me back a year. I was Akela to a cub pack where we used to live. I've been taking a bit of a break and keeping my head under the parapet locally now, but I still go back and help in my old group on special occasions, and OH is District Explorer Scout Commissioner for the old area - he can do that at a distance with a few visits to keep himself up to speed, so I support him with that a bit too. We went back for the district swimming gala a couple of weeks ago and a curry after with the old guard. I still have a loft full of useful resources which get gradually depleted as I take stuff with me for activities. I think I still have about 3 years worth of programme on the computer too. Do you know the Woodland Trust website? - Very good for tree recognition activities etc.

Hello Alice - we haven't seen our greater spotted woodpecker in a while. Used to be a daily visitor you could almost set your clock by last year. Hope he comes back.

After the heavy rain we had earlier the birds have been having a feast on the lawn.Big juicy worms being pulled up by the dozens lol.
Yesterday there was a buzzard flying quite low over the house,then there was the sound of Cawing and all the crows appeared to chase it off.
I think there was a lot of pheasant shooting going on at the weekend.Lots of guns going off.Is it time for that now?

We were looking out of the window this afternoon when we spotted a blackcap in the garden, we don't usually see them until it is cold so I guess that is our weather forecast.

Evening all:o))

Just been catching up with all of you.

Thanks for the info re Barrows, will look that up.

Ann....Never seen our wood pigeons on the feeders, ours are usually on the lawn and our low walls, Vic spreads the bird seed everywhere now, hence loads of strange things growing in the troughs + weeds!!


Tec....would love to see the Oystercatchers, apparently there are'nt as many now. Poor Yanto.....now why don't you take him out in the horrible weather?? Vic takes Madoc.....mad as he is....lol

Jane.....l have got the photo of woodie, did'nt put it on the blog as it was almost the same as the others.

Von/Dizzie....someone was asking me this evening if l wanted to help out with the Rainbows, l'd never heard of them till now.
It would be interesting to hear how many types of birds use the feeder:o)

Alice...we have'nt seen our LS woodie for ages now, we get so excited when we do though, like a pair of big kids.

Nite nite
jude:o)

There's a younger section in Scouts too called Beavers for 6 - 8 year olds. Had you heard of them? Otherwise known as ankle biters! Strange creatures - but I've often found the most difficult Beavers grow up into the best Scouts and Explorers. It seems they do appreciate the extra effort put in over the years to turn them into decent human beings, do you find that Von, in the Guide sections?

Dizzie
Thank you for the link.
Jude I'm sure you would enjoy Rainbows.
Not a bird in site at the moment -even the Magpie has left.
Take care
Von

We have had plenty of sparrows on the fat balls today plus a bluetit on the suet bits and a cheeky bluetit eating the apples on the tree.

Morning all:o)

Sun shining here and blue sky:o)

Atlast we have a pr of chaffinches, not seen them for ages:o)) lots of other small birds fltting about but have'nt had time to get the binocs out to see whats what.

Yes l had heard of the Beavers, not the ankle biters bit though...lol

jude:o)

Evening everyone:o))

Well, l was a good girl this afternoon and did some gardening:o))

Watching me very closely were a pair of robins and about 6 c/doves, as soon as l had finished and was about to shut the patio doors they were all their feeding:o)) l took a photo of the doves which l am trying to download from mobile to pc....no success as yet...grr
We now have 6 or more prs of chaffinches, all of a sudden they are back. Some weeks ago we read in the Forest of Dean papers that all the finches were dying of an awful slow death, not sure how wide an area this was, but at that time we had no finches....so we are so pleased so see them now, l'm going to contact Gwent Wildlife Trust to let them know.

Rain stopped me gardening, which is a shame as l was really enjoying it. l have some Sedum from a lovely lady on here to plant, but l have to sort everything else out first....hopefully more todo tomorrow:o))

Take care

jude :o)

Hi Jude,we don't seem to have a lot of birds ,although all the blackbirds came out after the rain the other day chomping up the worms.There is some bird I keep hearing in the tree,but I have no idea what it is.It has a very high pitched call.
I don't know where our squirrel is.It seems to have disappeared.We do have some very fat Wood Pidgeons .
It feels freezing out there tonight!!