Hobbies and Crafts

When we go down a certain road in the car, not too far away, there is always a flock of goldfinches flying about. they stick together in this one area, and we cant see any difference ti the hedges there, but to them there must be.

Welll...we now have 2 new bird table fingies, the little one from lidl's is great and most birds use it now, been up just over a week l think and the lates is one of those hanging thingies, made of metal...went up yesterday and already birds are using it...Yehhhhh:o))
l think Hopalong is back (woodpigeon) not seen him in ages.

Madoc is as good as gold. Had a shower this morning, came back from walk caked in mud....he just jumps in the bath, loves it:o)

Tec...hope all is well your end??

jude
PS Jean...you'll have to let us know which road that is:o)

A pair of collared doves have taken to visiting again, not on a daily basis, and it remains a mystery where they have all gone to, but glad to see one pair back here. We have a robin that lives around the garden and sings all day long. I have often heard a robin sing, but never like this one - he never stops. Plenty of sparrows and chaffinches, a pair of greenfinches, and a few blue and great tits visit daily.
I saw a lone swallow on the 27th, which surprised me as I thought they had all gone.

Just as well Madoc likes his bath if he returns home with mud on him. Ianto has always had an aversion to water, very strange for a labrador. His sister loved it, and you couldn't get her out of the sea or river once she was in. He doesn't help unpack the shopping Jude, but does investigate the bags when they are brought in. Goes hysterical if he detects anything remotely resembling a cream cake - he has a thing about them.
We only go for short walks now, and he appears to be happy to go where I take him, instead of taking the initiative as he once did when he would choose the beach, mountain, or the woods, and I just followed.
The old boy still has a sense of humour, and still enjoys a play. I suppose neither of us move as fast as we once did lol.

Sending a big cwtch to Madoc.

Tec.

You should have seen our Robin this evening.It was in the birdbath right up to it's middle in the water(with all the rain).It was in there for 20 minutes just enjoying a good old wash and splash about.I tried to take a pic but it was rubbish.

Well this morning we had 2 Moorhen .I know they have come over from next door.This the first time in months that they have been here.
I also saw a Cormorant earlier .We are in the middle of the country!!!!

Love cormorants....always remember a film where the china man (and advert) teaches one to catch the fish for him:o))

Robins are still about here:o)

We also had something attack a c/dove early this morning, loads of feathers down bottom:o( but since then the dove has appeared, we knew it was he/she cause he/she was missing rather alot of feathers!!
We still have quite a few (12 - 15) c/doves here, could be this yrs and last yrs young:o))
Anything resembling a cream cake.....noooo never for Madoc, carrots,cauli/ brocco storks and natural yogart are his favs:o)))
Its good lanto still likes to play, bless him.
Played with Rosco next door earlier, would let him in with madoc but too playful for him.
Moorhens are so cute:o)
jude

Hope to have some bits on blog later:o)

I will look forward to seeing more pics on your blog Jude.I have nothing new to send you at the moment.
There was a dead Badger in the middle of the road this morning.It just looked like it was having a sleep.We have a couple of setts in the field opposite us,and when I walk down the lane with Chester in the morning I can see the track leading from the wire fence going through the field to the Sett.

I've not been on since just before my daughter got back from her travels. It's so lovely to have her back but I had a houseful with her boyfriend, his mother, and my daughter's best friend who'd just returned from Aus so we've been busy and very active. One of the first tasks was to get a pub lunch in as her boyfriend was craving a pie and a pint. We have a local that serves from the wood and does homemade pies with meat from the farm round the corner - so that hit the spot. I think they're ready to start varying their menu again now - I've done all the classic Sunday roast, full English breakfast, cream tea and various other good British classics that they were missing. and this is my first quiet, do as little as possible day. It's 'orrible weather so that should help me feel that I just want to snuggle by my aga. I may make a fat ball again though now it's properly autumn. I don't make them in summer as the heat melts them and it's a waste of time.

Having seen the deer twice in the garden I reckon that won't happen again till next year. Apparently one of their favourites is windfall apples and since it's cleared those up now and scoffed any that were hanging on low branches I reckon I'll have to wait for more such close up views. But we still see them in the field over the back so that's good.

Having taken ages to attract them, we are now seeing loads of goldfinches. There are a number of perches for them on the feeder but the rest have to queue up in the buddleia nearby. And we are still seeing our few greenfinches too so hopefully they will gradually increase again too.

This year's ducks are making me laugh. As before they've learnt to come up to the patio to fetch us, but I tend to take the food down to the garden for them as pecking from the grass is softer on their beaks than the paving flags of the patio. As I go down the steps they fly past my ears in formation, but not being so expert yet they all crash land onto their chins in their rush. Only one has so far worked out that as you land you have to run to stop that happening.

My grape vine has saved itself from my wrath and has quite a lot of bunches ripening on it. The grapes are too small for eating and are quite pippy, but we are also not too enthusiastic about making wine, so I'm trying to make my own raisins. I know when to gradually pick bunches as they ripen because the ripe ones will have a few taken by the birds. It's a job and a half de-pipping them so I'm trying a different method with this batch by letting them part dry first and seeing if that makes it any easier not to lose the middle of the grape. Bob Flowerdew says don't bother, use them crunchy, but I don't fancy that. I'm hoping that I will also hone my growing technique next year and have fewer bunches but bigger grapes which might be worth the eating if raisins don't work out.

Oh well onto the next thread for a catch up...

Bit of a bird drought going on here (City) lately but I did see 3 mute swans fly over yesterday which is not a common sight from my window.

Jane, do you have a reservoir or fishery nearby? Maybe the comorant came from there.

Jude, we ended up staying 12 nights at GF - it was a much needed rest and, as per, was fab.
I remember that film about the man who had cormorants to catch fish for him, he let them have one now and again to keep them interested.

Island there is a large lake at Wicksteed Park ,just down the road.I think that is where the Cormorant was heading.I have seen a couple there before.I just find it bizarre as we are so far away from the sea.They are sea birds aren't they?

well you have been busy Lizzie lol.How nice to see your daughter back home again.I bet she has some stories to tell.
I am surprised we don't have more water birds here as next door has a mini lake .We used to get Canada Geese ,ducks and all sorts.It now just seems to be the Moorhens.

Jane,
Wicksteed Park??? Oh my goodness.....we used to go there for the annual day out from junior school! You've taken me right back to the days when the air in the coaches was laden with the smell of boiled egg sandwiches LOL
I must look on google earth to see if or rather how much it has changed.

Pleased to see the thread is still going. Only saw about 4 hawks in Tenerife this time and four noisy parrots that flew home most evenings chattering to each other as they flew.

At our old house in West London we used to have loads of parakeets (escapees from the local animal rescue centre that managed to survive in our locality) making noise in next door's pear tree. We loved it but she wasn't so keen because they made a mess of her washing. She hated that she couldn't just get rid of the tree, but I'd have moved my washing line.

Well so much for my 'bird drought'!
Since Tuesday I've had a pair each of bluetits and great tits on the feeders, then this morning I was surprised and delighted to have a coal tit fly in three times. I was in the right place at the right time AND with camera to hand - now that makes a change eh? A bit fuzzy but it'll do for me lol

Ann,
I'm pleased that your thread is still going too. I only dip in occasionally but dip I do :-)

Lizzie
The novelty of parakeets wore off for me years ago when a boyfriends mother banished them - I took them in for all of two days.....O-M-G lol

Well ,what a sight I saw this afternoon!!!!!!.I went down the lane opposite here and there were 2 Red Kites sat on 2 fence posts in the horses field.About 50ft away .In the middle of the field was sat a Heron.Did I have my camera? ....NO!!
I watched for a while and saw the Kites take off.It was amazing.They were just so close.I could see all the beautiful colours in the wings as they took flight.

You've all been busy:o)

Yes Ann, l'm the same l love this thread, l look most days, but don't always respond.

Jane..you must carry your mobile (has it a camera) or cmaera where ever you go, thats an order!! lol....what a sight that must have been:o)

Lizzie...bet your right chuffed to have daughter back home, good innit having them about:o)

You have your own nature reserve there:o)

Talking of grapes my neighbour called in the local garden centre for a mosey (sp) about and saw a grape fine with a note saying "anyone interested in wine making can have this vine, provided they give us a bottle of wine"...so she now has 5 gallons on the go and is need of bottles, we're saving ours fast and furiously:o)

We have'nt had any finches at all recently, hope it has'nt anything to do with the desease.
We do have 2 new bird feeder thingies, one is a small table the other a pressie to vic for his birthday from my sis one of those thingies with the poles and feeder etc hanging off....they took to them both very quickly and as they are new and clean, lets hope the finches return:o)

l used to look after parrots,budgies, cockertials etc whilst people went on hols....we had a large shed with an avery, loads of room, great cause we did'nt get too much noise:o)

jude:o)

Jude my camera on my phone is **** .it is so old and black and white .I had a friend visiting from GR and she took a photo on her phone .but can't download them !!!!!.At least she has a record off them lol
I have to say I was dumbfounded to see the birds like that.It may never happen again.

Had to go out and buy more duck pellets today. Not many places have them so I had to go a little drive out. When I got to the place they only flippin' had a huge bag of sunflower hearts - weighed a kilo more than the bag we bought at the weekend and cost half the price. I have resolved that in future I will stock up from there. We've had some of their other bird food before when we've needed to buy something in addition to the duck pellets and it's always been taken very happily by the birds so maybe I can begin to impose a little bit of cuts on the bird feeding budget in future. I know I have to go a journey but the saving more than covers the petrol etc on the car. I'll have to be more organised and get a selection of things in one journey instead of popping out just for the thing I most need at the time.

Had to go out for the duck pellets - I was tidying out the greenhouse ready for the things that need to overwinter in there. I'd used the last of the pellets yesterday and thought I'd get more at the weekend but a couple of the ducks were up on the patio with me wondering why I wasn't responding to their requests. Couldn't stand the looks I was getting any more...

l should think so too DizzieLizzie...lol :o)

Jane...why can't she transfer them to pc??? thats such a shame:o((

jude...still trying to sort videos for blog...so slow are'nt l, sorry...lol

The ducks have taken lessons from the cats. They've started following me round and tripping me up until I feed them. The garden can be completely clear of them and as soon as I open the patio doors one or two nip up from the river and holler to their friends. You can tell the occasional one not used to me. As soon as I approach with the tub of food they dash back to the safety of the river. The rest just come closer until their demands are satisfied. Lol.