Hobbies and Crafts

I did get a pic of a squirrel this morning,but not good enough to put on the blog.
Another I took is of what I am pretty sure is the squirrels drey/nest in the top of our pine tree.
I might send that to Jude and see what she thinks.OH took the pictures of the woodpecker through the patio windows.

Well done to your OH on the woodpecker pics Jane and thanks Jude for putting them up. I'm not a great photographer and for me to have got close enough to catch the one we had in the garden the other day I would have had to go outside and that would probably have scared it off. Not only that but usually when I go outside one of the cats will probably follow me. But it was good to watch woody having a good old root round in my lawn for a while.

My sister has 3 dogs and 2 cats lol Don't know what or where she would put the crow lol.She said she took a photo on the camera phone but doesn't know how to put it on the computer!!! It is called Mr.Crow.She is just keeping her eye on it.
2 pheasants in next doors garden this morning ,making a racket lol.My dog was all of a quiver as he hadn't heard that noise before lol.There are a couple of moorhens pottering around there too .Trouble is because of trees and the hedge I can't get a clear view for a photo.
Have a good kip Jude,I won't be long behind you.

Evening ....just onway to bed, blinky tired:o((

Is there anyway your sister can catch the crow, perhaps put food down for it like cat food or simular (very smelly etc) and then throw something over it....always have brilliant ideas l do.....lol lol

Not been about today, hubby did'nt have time to feed the birds before we left, but we did on return, just a few of the smaller birds flitting about and the squirrel. He's quite a large one with a red head and partly red on his neck, dog caught sight of him so kept the patio doors closed!!

We've been to Ros-on-wye today, met d i l and grandson, spent some time feeding the ducks and swans. A lady walking her dog told us of a swan with fishing line tangled on it, it was till swimming about ok apparently (we did'nt see it), we suggested she phoned the rspca as there might be a swan rescue service in the area, l do hope she did!!

Bought some nice bits in the charity shops:o))))

Nite nite
jude :o)

Thanks Jude.They aren't bad are they.
My sister has had a crow opposite her house for weeks now.She says it just spends all day just pottering and then sits in a tree at night.She thinks it probably can't fly properly,which is why it just stays there.I have asked her to try and get a picture of it.She is getting a bit paranoid about the poor thing as she is pretty sure there must be something wrong with it.
Next mission for me is to try and get a pic of our squirrel.

Both photo's on blog:o)

jude x

Hello Jane
Wow what lovely photo's, brilliant:o)
Will get them onto blog now:o)

We had a nuthatch this morning:o)) A very large crow sat on the fence and lent down to the small bird table almost falling off the fence, but just managed to grab some food:o)

Off now to the blog.

jude :o)

Finally!!!! I have snapped the Woodpecker.Well not me,but OH did.

Dizzie, l look forward to the pics :o)

We've had 6-8 doves, often a few more than that, 3-4 wood pigeons, couple of robins, couple of dunnocks and a number of sparrows. Not seen our lesser sp woodie for ages......ohhhh l would so love to have ducks knocking on my door:o))...would'nt mind chooks too, not sure what the mad dog would think though!! His bestes friend came in this evening and between them they knocked my small coffee table over that had all my pins, sewing needles, cottons etc on, nice job that was picking them all up!!

Nite nite:o)

jude

No birds in our garden today either.

After lots of activity in the garden yesterday hardly anything today, but the weather's been poor so everything was probably taking shelter.

Having handed my old phone over to my son today because his isn't working we discovered some photos that hadn't been taken out of it including one of the duck that knocks the patio window occasionally. I knew I had it somewhere and we've transferred them to the computer, so over the next week I'll try to upload one or two more to your blog Jude.

Must be about 20 years ago now I visited Rhayader. A friend lived in the area for a while - he took the mobile library out in that area, and on the few occasions we visited he always took us out for a drive and a walk somewhere around. It's a beautiful place - you've reminded me of somewhere else we must go back and see again. I'll have a look at that website Jude.

I wanted to go out in the garden this morning and get on with a few things but I couldn't. There was a green woodpecker on the lawn having a good feast. OH gave the lawn its last mow of the year (hopefully) and this year it's been troubled by ant nests from time to time so I wanted woody to get in there as much as possible. He was there for quite a long while. I was so glad to see him again. He's not been around for ages.

I also saw a grey wagtail having a go in another spot. Always grateful for a good bit of natural pest control.

Hi Jude
No I'm afraid I didn't. It all happened so quickly so difficult to tell. I'm quite familiar with Kestrals but not so with Sparrowhawks.

Ann you say that male Sparrowhawks are not much bigger than Kestrals so it could have been a Sparrowhawk.

I go to the garden centre quite often so will keep a look out for birds of prey.
I'll ask the staff if they know as quite a few spend their time outside.
Take care
Von

Morning everyone:o)

Beautiful day although abit nippy round the ankles:o))

Dizzie....your walk sounds lovely, we see 2 or 3 and sometimes 4 buzzards overhead here but not so close, you hear them first and often they are being harassed by the rooks or crows.
Have you been to Rhayader in the Elan Valley, Gigrin Farm.....amazing place:o)

Here is the website, very interesting:

http://www.gigrin.co.uk/gigrin_farm.html

Tec...Thanks for telling us about the Feed The Birds Day, have got the site in my favourites. And l am still smiling at you climbing into the back of the car up the ramp!! sorry Tec...lol
Hows the old boy doing (Yanto that is). Our Madoc is doing very well he's on the bed right now as Vic has gone on one of his rambles. l went downstairs to make a coffee and he folowed,sat there looking at me wagging his tail until l got a handful of his biscuits and hid them round the lounge, he's satisfied now and is back on the bed:o))

Von....did you sort out if it was a kestral or S/hawk??

Just added Jane photo to the blog, sorry for the delay. If anyone has photo's to add l'll get a move on this time:o))

jude xx

I think the male sparrow hawk is not much bigger than a Kestrel.

We went out for a lovely walk in the downs yesterday and along a section of the Ridgeway. As we were at the top and beginning to walk down into a valley we saw three buzzards wheeling round below us. That was a fantastic sight as because of our postition we actually got to see them closer than you normally would and appreciate their size - they're so imposing -you could imaginethem being like pteradactyls. Actually, I have to say the heron that's flying along the river more regularly now reminds me more of the shape of them that you see in kids' dinosaur books.

Once we were down in the valley, the footpath took us through a tres poshe farmyard. Part of it was stables for young horses that are being trained for racing. Like a pre-school for racehorses. We chatted to a jockey who'd just been exercising one of the horses in the gallops we'd walked past, and another stable hand. They told us the land belonged to Count Konrad Goess-Saurau. Then as we continued on the path that skirted part of the farm we came across so many pheasants. They must be breeding them, they were everywhere and we know why the buzzards were so interested now. Stupid pheasants don't keep quiet and hidden when there's trouble about - they do panic rather noisily and flap about horrendously.

When we got back we googled Count K and he's a bit of a b@#!*r by all accounts according to a couple of local news items over the past few years. Glad we don't live too near his land I must say. Shame because it's an absolutely beautiful area.

Hi
Yesterday I was at my local garden centre just about to get into the car when I heard a lot of noise. Two birds flew overhead and in a second the larger of the two had taken the smaller one and circled round again with the smaller bird in it's claws.
I thought the larger one was a Kestral as it didn't look large enough to be a Sparrow Hawk. I've googled and found that Kestrals can take birds but it doesn't indicate whether they can take them on the wing.
Anyone else seen this happen?
Von

Hi Folks,

24th October is RSPB "Feed the Birds Day"

More info at =

www.rspb.org.uk/feedthebirds

Regards
Tec.

Apparently the birds spread that particular disease in their saliva.


We had a couple of greenfinches back on the feeders this morning, always good to see them arrive, even if it does mean winter approaches! Great tits were very active as well.

That sounds unfortunate Ann. I'm pretty sure OH cleans ours out every time he replenishes them. I'll have to check and maybe we ought to listen out for news just in case. It would be sad if all our good work ended up making things worse just as we're getting to the time when the birds need our help most.