Hobbies and Crafts

The birds seem to be returning to the feeders. We have, at the moment, two goldfinches, a blue tit, some sparrows and two collard doves. A sign of getting colder? (and it is raining).

I remember being in a packed hide once at Barnes Wildfowl Trust, full of serious types dripping with all the gear. We weren't so hot on our birds in those days but I knew a few more than OH. He spotted and pointed out "a very pretty bird over there" - I said that's a hedge sparrow, at which point we both collapsed in a fit of giggles made the worse by the extreme quiet in there. Not so much as a murmur from any one of them, but we thought we'd better make a rapid exit before we got hounded out.

By the way - yesterday a buzzard did a really low pass right over our garden and through our weeping willow.

Hi
There was a murder of crows in the tree at trhe bottom of my garden this morning and that's exactly what I felt like committing when I heard the dreadful noise they were making.Only joking!!!!
Talking about the garden has anybody got shrubs in bloom that would normally flower in the spring.
My clematis Armandii has just finished flowering for the second time this year and I have a Spirea in bloom and that too has already flowered once this year.
Also whilst out this morning delivering my church news in one garden was`a Pasque flower in bloom.
It's lovely to see the flowers but I worry that they won't survive the winter.
Take care
Von

My next door neighbour had Batchelors Button in flower yesterday, but today she has had her son cut them off' 'because they were untidy'! She does this often and then complains she doesnt get any flowers in her garden!

Hi,

More birds around the feeders as the days grow colder. Lots of sparrows, chaffinches, a pair of greenfinches, blue, great, and coal tits. The collared doves that mysteriously disappeared have returned after several weeks, although only three, there used to be av nine. The red kites are around more frequently now too. Still plaqued by hoards of jackdaws who wreak havoc on the feeders.

Watched a rat climb the damson tree to reach a feeder, just like a squirrel, never seen that happen before.

Von......
You asked about shrubs flowering out of season. I have four large tubs planted with azaleas. These normally flower in late March, into April. A few weeks ago I was surprised to notice they all had large buds on them. Now there is a magnificent display of pink and white flowers. Not only is the foliage the healthiest it's ever been, but the flowers are bigger than they've ever been too. We rarely get a frost here, and I'm hoping we don't get one while the azaleas are in bloom.
Now wondering what will happen in the Spring?.

Jude I hope Madoc is well, and no more mishaps. Ianto is plodding along steadily at his own pace. Seems to sleep a lot between meals, but always wakes up in time for them, and still enjoys a gentle walk each day.

Tec.

Between me having a cold and not sleeping brilliantly and the extra hour last night I was awake at 6am this morning. One of my mogs came to tell me it was brekky time (she'd forgotten the time change), she put her nose under my hand and hoiked it up for me to make a fuss of her, cheeky thing.

While I was gently waking up I heard a barn owl - we often think we hear them really close by and think they're on the roof. As I sometimes try to do, I got up to peak out of the curtains to see if I could see anything. I never normally see a thing but I was so lucky today, just as I looked out it was in flight in front of my window and landed on the corner of next door's guttering which was close enough for me to see it and far enough away for me not to disturb it. So we probably do hear them on our roof too. That was so worth crawling out of bed for.

Hi Tec
That is unusual for Azaleas isn't it. As you say I wonder what will happen in the Spring.

Jean
I forgot about my Batchelors bottons as my shrub is covered
in flowers as well.
Take care
Von

I still have a few clematis flowers from a second flowering on one that blooms in spring.

This month is when my Mum would have pruned her roses and I've always tended to split my efforts between doing it now and doing it in February which is when the experts seem to advise these days. In the past it was more a case of when the weather and I coincided to feel like it. But now I have more of them to do it's even more necessary to spread the work. This year I have a bush in the garden and one in a tub that I just don't want to touch now as they're still going strong.

Morning everyone.
My OH saw an owl being chased by some crows early this morning.He said the Owl was smallish and beige.It sat on the post for a while and then flew off down the lane.Loads of crows about and lots of seagulls in the fields opposite.I always think it so funny to see gulls as we are about as far from the sea as you can be.

Talking of unseasonal flowers, clearing leaves this morning I was very surprised to find a primrose in flower underneath the shrubs. Mother Nature is very confused this year.

Jane.....The buzzards that venture down off the mountain and glide over the village are frequently mobbed by the jackdaws and chased back to their own territory. They never seem to bother the red kites.

Tec.

Afternoon everyone:o)

Found an owl pellet yesterday and discovered a mouse skeleton in it.....we have so many mice. Also have mole hills, not seen the rat for about a week now....crumps we seem to have alot of critters!!
Heron flew over this morning, l was just coming out of nextdoors having played with the dog for 15 mins and heard the heron, amazing birds.

Just taken off some of the fruit of Physalis, (Chinese Lanterns) , wow amazing little lanterns are'nt they. Trying to think of a way to save the seeds and use the lanterns for decorations. Collected some lovely leaves too from back garden.

l'm looking after 2 budgies whilst neighbour has a well earned holiday. Budgies are both runts, not got proper wings or tails bless em, but very vocal and active.
l asked the vet about fruit to give them etc, she also mentioned seed......seed is no good if it does'nt grow!!! so l put some in water on tissue and some in soil......nothing since sunday, l will move them to the airing cupboard and see what happens then!!

Madoc seems to be ok at the moment, thank goodness. He had a check the other day and all was well. Boosters are due on 20th Nov.

Have just taken photo's of budgies will (honestly) get them on blog later, l'm all puffed out now running up and down the bloomin stairs (forgetfull, so have to keep going back down...grrr)

Take care
jude:o) x

There are advantages in a bungalow, Jude, though it would be nice to have a bedroom upstairs, more private somehow.

Just down the lane across from me there is a Badgers sett.I can see the tracks made going from the fence where they have dug a kind of mini hole to get under it leading straight to the sett.A couple of years back(I may have mentioned it) I apologise if I have.I spotted a Baby Badger just curled up on the top of the grass in the field.I got the Badger Watch people out and they checked it out and put it back at the entrance to the sett.They thought it might have been booted out by mistake and it had wandered away and got lost .Bless !! I was so worried it would be trampled by the cows.

I would love to find an Owl Pellet.What do they look like?

Ha ha Jude - I'm not the only one who gets downstairs and remembers why I went up in the first place. Having been in our home with slopes and steps everywhere - we have a slope down from the road to the garage, then steps down to the front door, we have upstairs and downstairs, but more than that, from downstairs we have another 8 steps to go down again to the lounge, then 10 from the patio to the main part of the garden which gently slopes down to the river - I'm rather hoping all the exercise before I even leave the house will help to keep me a bit fit. I'm not sure it's working though, but then I do enjoy my country fare a bit much so I'm scotching myself really.

Jane, we obviously have a reasonable population of badgers locally although we have only seen one live one in the time we've been here. Unfortunately we regularly see poor unfortunate brocks who have been caught out by the traffic.

Something we rarely see now are foxes and I have only very occasionally even heard them at night when it's quiet. Where we used to live in London they were bold as brass. I used to be out late most Thursdays and quite often as I parked up there'd be one or sometimes a group that would stop on their roaming, stand still and watch me as I went into the house. On a number of occasions I had to walk right past them to get to the gate. But that's the difference between an urban and rural area.

Just a quickie.....photos on blog:o)

jude x
PS...lst lot are from Vics walk on Sunday, then scroll down to the bottom of page and click on older posts, you should then see the budgies:o)

I'm really happy. I hadn't seen any goldcrests since our first winter/spring here. Last year I never spotted any and because they are so small I was worried that a 2nd successive cold winter might have been too much for them. But yesterday I was looking out of my daughter's bedroom window and a little green bird landed on the balcony rail. While I was wondering what it was it turned its head towards me and I could see its beautiful bright yellow crest. Couldn't believe it - made my day.

Hello Dizzie....how exciting, l have only seen one and that was in Pulborough W Sussex RSPB, it was bald as brass feeding from the feeders right by a gate where the public walked in:o)
Did you watch autumn watch last night....the Goldcrest weighs approx the same as a 20p piece!!!!


Jane...the owl pellets..well they look abit like a discarded piece of bedding from the nest, well sort of!! usually round ish, dark browns, with bits of feathers etc, if you open them you may see the bones too. They not neccessarily pooie!! lol...fascinating:o))

My crow is back, not seen him/her for a couple of months atleast.

Vic see's the cormorants drying their wings after fishing whilst walking Madoc.

Our mole mounds have'nt increased yet, so maybe they have moved on...lets hope so, as much as l would love to a mole:o)

jude

I didn't see all of Autumnwatch last night and missed the bit about goldcrests - maybe I'll take another look on iplayer. Normally I'm out at one of my choirs on a Thursday but I've not been in any fit state to be among other people this week - too many germs to pass on. Just beginning to feel a bit human again today.

Dizzie...sorry to hear you been poorly, stay in in the warm!!

The goldcrest was on the programme that follows Autumn watch, its still autumn watch though. It was part of a quiz!!

jude :o)

Lots of bugs and colds around.I hope yours clear soon Lizzie.
This afternoon I took a little walk with Chester and just as I turned into the lane I noticed something just the other side of the fence.It was a Tawny Owl,just sitting there on the grass in the field.It was only about 2 feet from me.It just looked at me and then flew off.The wing span was huge,and it didn't make a sound .It was beautiful.But I wonder why it was just sitting there.I think it must have been the same one my OH saw the other morning.