Hobbies and Crafts

Hello all,

I do read with interest your thread. If you care to google Tiritiri Matangi, you will find information about Tiri (for short) an Island that has been cleared of pests to help provide a safe enviroment for some of our endangered birds and not so endangered, We have alot of birds here that you may not know - as I don't recognise some of the names you mention.

In my garden here at home, I get amonst other birds, Fantails , Tui's (who have a beautiful song) and Bellbirds who also sing beautifully.

Happy googling,

Susan

The cold weather's a mixed blessing isn't it Island. I think it's that which is bringing some of the birds closer to us than usual. As you know I've also had the grey wagtail much closer than usual on a regular basis. And when it was particularly cold even the goldcrest was up at the top of the garden where I could see it. It's lovely to see them at closer hand than usual, but I think it's a measure of how some of them are struggling. It means we have to keep making sure there's extra energy rich food out there for them to help them keep going. I've kept up the stocks even though it's a bit milder again as another onslaught it forecast and I want as many as possible of them to be well stoked up beforehand to help them cope.

Ooh those pesky squirrels!!!!.They are scoffing up all the fat balls /cakes,seeds .Poor little birdies are hardly getting a look in down the bottom of the garden.

Bought some seed feed from the channel isles which arrived today. It looks a really great mix with no wheat in it, but fruit, suet, mealie worms and lots of different seed. Wish now that we had ordered a new feeder with it.

Susan-nz....l kept the link in my favourites and will look at it later.Loads of wonderful you have in NZ, some which are as common to you as ours are to us...gawd did that make sense?? lol

Jean ... is that order from where we got the plants from?? l saw the advert it looked good. Let me know how well the birds take to it.

We bought some fat balls today and a f/ball feeder. Not used fatballs at all this year as the birds were'nt using them, but thought the metal feeder might help.

Our peg leg wood pigeon is back, atleast l think its the same one, if so he's been about for 2- 3 yrs now.

jude

Lots of the smaller tits and finches here at the moment and the peanuts are dropping fast. They weren't touched for ages now they are going in favour to the sunflower seeds

Must get some fat balls when I am out.

Linda :o) XxX

Morning All:o)

Brrrr a very cold Monmouth today....
they're are'nt as many birds in the garden today, don't know why. Dont think they have touched the fats balls yet.

Dizzi...l think l still have photo's fromyou to put on blog, will do asap:o))

jude x

For some reason best known to them our fat balls have not been eaten by the birds for ages.

It thawed a bit, and we find the birds only come to us when the weather is bad. A few this afternoon, but if it is frosty overnight there will be more tomorrow.

Welllll we had 2 bluetits onour fatballs this afternoon.....yesss:o)

Jean...the lady at the report place was pleased to get the info from your garden. Did youread the article in one of our local papers about the Otters??? How they are making a comeback to these parts of Wales....Yesss:o)

jude

The Fat balls I have been putting out seem to disappear in a flash!.The Suet Cakes last much longer and the squirrels don't seem to get to them so much.
This morning the Heron flew right over my garden into next doors 'lake'.I haven't seen it for a while.
It is a loosing battle trying to keep the bird bath de-iced lol

Lots of finches and tits again today on the feeders
Have put warm water out a few times today but it just got snowed over.
The redwing, thrushes and fieldfare have stripped the sorbus and pyrocantha berries, I don't think there are any left. They are hanging around but I don't know what else I could put out for them?
The blackbirds have been scrapping too.

Jay not seen today at home

Linda :o) XxX

Do you talk to the Tuis Susan?
I have a couple that come round from time to time when I am hanging out the washing and they will answer you if you whistle at them... the really clever ones copy you and will adopt your accent and mimic set phrases like a parrot.
My father was a bushman (in the days of axe and two man saws - no such thing as chain saws) and he used to do all the bird sounds. He was really good at copying the bellbird and tui.

Persey

Afternoon everyone:o)

Bit blooming cilly here folks. Birds are feeding well, just put some fat out from the mince that l cooked yesterday, l left the juices to settle and the fat formed on the top:o))

Been looking at sites for NZ birds, David Attenborough has a lot, but l'm trying to find one that talks to you and tells you what is what, with proper photo's not drawings.

jude

Linda
Fieldfare will eat apple so probably redwing will too.

Not seen the fieldfare yet this year. Green finches and goldfinches, blue and Great tits and the odd one coal tit, then sparrows, starlings and backbirds and the robin makes an occasional visit.

edit: forgot all the chaffinches.

All the birds seem to be looking for a drink,but as soon as I defrost the bird bath it has frozen again.Lots of squabbles going on too.

No birds yesterday, but back with a vengeance today. Two black caps, loads of blue tits, chaffinches looking very pretty in all their colours, Robin, blackbirds, thrush when the blackbird will let them, sparrows and wagtails.

Jude try

http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/birds/

Put out by our department of Conservation - go to the different headings across the top - there is all sorts in there.

Persey

This was in our morning paper with a picture of the nest before with the tern in it and a picture of the burnt out wooden piles (poles) at the wharf.

"A week or so back, some psychopaths set fire to a nest in an old pile at Bayswater wharf," write Russell and Marie. "It was occupied by a family of white-fronted terns (tara). We had been watching them and went to check last weekend and saw the devastation. One of the parents was hovering about so it had not long happened. The newly-hatched chicks had not fledged and the parent was probably staunchly defending the nest. Doubtless this was an irritation to the pricks who did this."

It is so sad that people have nothing better to do.

Persey

Hi Persey,

I haven't tried to talk to the Tui's. I love them visiting my Banksia and Kowhai. . They are quite territorial it seems with 'their' tree, they make a real racket . Will give it a try when they next visit. I have not long planted a tree specifically for the Tui's to feed in - don't ask me the name of it though. Hopefully we will get lots of visits- might take a season or two to produce.

I live in the South Waikato in a well renowned (not always for the right reason's) Timber town, we are surrounded by trees and forest.

Susan