Hobbies and Crafts

Hi all, well my little robin that I took pics of in the pond waits for me each morning. I thought it was a fluke ar first, but no. Each morning I go out with feed for all the birds, and there he is. He sits only a foot away at my feet waiting. I swear he would eat from my hand. In fact I am going to try that next...lol
Maggie

We have had a lesser spotted woodpecker on the fat balls( I always like to ask the man in the feed chandler's if he has any) a couple of times.

When I bought the bird feeding station for Christmas I made sure it was the one with the fat ball torch on top and I am very glad I did.Everything goes on to there to eat some suet.

There are lots of blackbirds here in North Tenerife, we can hear them singing and also hear their alarm call. However, there don't seem to be any brown female birds, Anyone know if the female here is black?

Yesterday, down on the sea front we watch a couple of pigeons, male & female, the male was obviously 'wooing' her, he chased her and every so often gave her a light peck on the back, then he stopped in front of her making her stop and he did a litlle 'dance', turning round and round in circles, so funny, then they flew off together towards the cliffs,
There is also a blue tit type bird that visits, much smaller than our blue tit but with the same 'song'.
Ann
Glos

Hi Bellblair..........

It's gone very quiet on this thread. Maybe everyones gone away to look for their disappearing birds...........

The picture of your Peter Rabbit would be fun - but even funnier would be a picture of you stalking him on your hands and knees.........

We've got fledgling sparrows, blue tits, and greenfinches being fed by parents in the garden at the moment.

Best wishes
Tec

Hi Tec I hope not got a few new ones though about a dozen or so Swallows and this lunch time they where sitting on the flat roof of my extention also a couple of black/white wagtails. and a new addition to the garden, eating my black violas was peter Rabbit, and Jude I have got a pic of him for you. on me hands and knees crawling along the garden so as not to scare him away. and all I could hear was Meg barking to get out into the garden lol

Hi Folks,

There is another pair of Osprey nesting in North Wales, in the Dovey Valley, near Machynlleth - so that's two pairs. The RSPB have set up a viewing site there too - so when the chicks arrive - hopefully - I may have to pay a visit. The site is guarded 24/7 by the RSPB.

Hi Jude.......wondered where you'd gone to - welcome back. Pleased your regular visitors are returning. We have a pair of swans been nesting on a nearby lake for many years. Last year, something must have gone wrong, because although they were sitting, no cygnets appeared. Hope they manage to rear some this time.

We have blue tit chicks hatched in a fur tree in the garden, and I think the starlings have hatched in the eaves - now there will be a mess down the wall.

Bellblair........Hope your birds have returned.....was it something you said?

Sylvia.......Are you in South Africa?

Regards
Tec.

Hi there:o)

Been away since Saturday in Dorset:o))

Ann & Maggie....not noticed any birds pulling up plants, have seen the squirrels do it though.

Tec....Liked your story of feeding birds on the window sill and the robin:o))

Hello Sylvia....we get Morhens along the river Wye here and loads of mallards, so many chicks this year...two families seem to be swapping their young, one day one has 11 then 16, and another one that had 6 suddenly has 4. Vic noticed one family settled on an island bit thats attached to the metal leg structure of a bridge, usually the swans nest there and then get flooded, fingers crossed these are ok!!

Our chaffinches are back, one pr atleast, pr of dunnocks are here most days again and a pr of greenfinches as well as the usual w/pigeons, c/doves, blackbirds (not as many), sparrows,bluetits, great tits and afew starlings. One squirrel keeps getting the top of the peanut holder off the post by the top piece of wire, which leaves the holder hanging almost upsidedown, cheeky monkey. Vic thought he'd secured it too!!

Hello Bellblair:o))


jkude :o)

Hi Folks,

Ann..........I think that blackbird is the same one that eats your pansies - hoping to catch you planting more!

Regards
Tec

Hi all,
The funny looking black birds I meet when riding along the water to the shops are moorhens.
Yes, certainly the quality of life is improved by being able to feed and watch the birds. I must go out and buy some more buts for them as they have finished the others now.
We've got that nasty cold bitter wind returned and I was so cold when I went out today, even though the weather looked so promising. Anyway the fresh air is good for you, they say!
It is our Remembrance Day here today, like November 11 in the UK. Lots of wreaths being laid all over the place. Tomorrow is Freedom Day. The trouble is one doesn't know which shops are open and which are not, that is why I went out today. Probably a good thing because it is supposed to be bad weather tomorrow.
Next Sunday we have Mothers Day here and then Whitsun. It is one run of holidays.
See you all again.
Sylvia xxx

Not feeding the birds here in Tenerife but there is a blackbird serenading us from a roof opposite

Afternoon Everyone,
Hope that you have all had a good weekend, weather here is wet and cold not at all spring like. and very few birds around, mind I dont blame them.

Hi Sylvia,
Interested to hear about your visitors. If you take the trouble to feed the birds, they will find you, wherever you live. In my student days I had a room on the third floor in the Halls of Residence, with just a small window sill. Having come up from the country I missed the wildlife, so started feeding the birds on the windowsill, and hanging stuff on the window. Not being able to afford to buy bird food etc, I got what I could from the kitchens. In no time at all I had lots of birds visiting, including a kestral for a while. Sleeping with the window open it was not unusual to wake up to find the robin - who I named Stalin - sitting on top of the wardrobe waiting for his breakfast. Small pleasures can make such a difference to ones quality of life can't they?
Hope you can identify the wading bird - maybe a Coot or Moorhen?

Regards
Tec

Hi all,
Even though we live in a flat I have strings of nuts and balls of fat and nuts hanging out for the birds. At the moment they are feeding constantly. We have even had a lot of sparrows hanging on the strings of nuts, together with blue tits and the magpies keep coming in and try to imitate the smaller birds. We also have blackbirds regularly on the balcony and pigeons. I see the herons too as we have the water on the other side of the road. When I go on my scootmobile to the shops I pass lots of ducks, swans and a black wading bird. I'll have to look up the name of this bird and tell you next time what it is.
So you see, even living in a flat I can still enjoy the bird song.
Sylvia xxx

My blackbirds have a taste for primroses - they've torn mine to shreds.

But.....there is one this evening singing his heart out in the garden -
It's a fair deal.

Tec

There is no justice. I feed the birds and the little 'darlings' p**p all down my nice clean windows!!

Too true Ann, They are taking the moss off the stones and a plant which needed to be kept moist has all gone, along with the compost!! I have plants in the borders which are slowly disappearing. But I think its just short lived while they are nesting.

Maggie

Anyone else have the 'help' of blackbirds with gardening. As fast as we put plants like pansies in, they pull them out, then they also throw earth from the borders over the grass!!

Ann
Glos

Hi Maggie,
Thanks for the offer lol I have got a pair of Goldfinches but not sure where they are nesting not to far away I hope, birds have been taking the dogs fur that I have been grooming out of her bet they are nice and cosy. But its very quite other than that.

Ahhhh goody....my Great Tits have come back and pigeons are losing interest....lol....now all I need is the lone dunnock and robin:-)) BC¬XX

Bellblair...you can have some of mine, they are costing me a fortune...lol
Sunflower seed hearts I buy for the goldfinches and I have several pairs each day. A pair of Robins that continually fight (as they do ) and the blackbirds have ripped all the moss from the stones, presumabley for their nesting. I had a plant that had to be kept moist, and now that has gone.
Don't you just love 'em ?

Maggie