Hobbies and Crafts

Hello Dormouse,
Great to see you back..........
Send me a swallow - make my day. Well done with the black redstart - I've never seen one - swop you for a firecrest?

Best wishes
Tec

Hi Jude :))))))

Still busy looking after my Mum, after her hip replacement but she's getting about a bit now - still on two crutches though, so can't carry anything or actually do very much.
I am still finding time to do a bit of bird-watching, though......... must get our priorities right, after all - lol :))

Dormouse xx

Just a quick "Hello" to Dormouse, good to see you:o))

jude:o)

Hi everyone,

Long time, no posting by me but hopefully back on track now. Tecwyn, we have swallows aplenty in South Shrops - will nip out tomorrow and have a word to see where yours have got to!!
I never get over the thrill of seeing the first swallows back - we generally spot them first skimming over a pool about three miles down the road.
Added a new species to my list at the weekend - a black redstart. I was so excited!! Really good view. Also saw a red kite being mobbed by a pair of ravens.
Fingers crossed for the choughs, Tecwyn. Hope they manage to rear a brood on the windy South Stack site!!

Dormouse xx

Hi Folks,
Haven't seen a swallow yet - I keep watching.
Got jackdaws nesting in the chimney - starlings in the gable end.
Saw a red kite today - came gliding low over the garden, then made his way back up the mountain.
I heard a long tailed tit in the apple tree this morning, but couldn't see it.
We had four goldfinches yesterday on the feeders - they don't often visit me.
I see the RSPB have rigged up a camera on a pair of nesting choughs at South Stack Anglesey - one egg so far. Also the Osprey's are back at their nest near Porthmadog - guarded 24/7.
That's all for now - hope everyones well.

Tec

Meant to say, last week we had a visit from 2 Long Tailed Tits but not seen them since.

We've got a pair of greenfinches back feeding, a pair of great tits and a pair of Goldfinches, plus the blackbirds who never went away and a pair of dunnocks. We also had an extra female blackbird today which caused a bit of hassle in the garden, the extra one came for a bath and the resident was not impressed!!

Amanda....my sister had 5 cats and blackbirds nested right outside her bedroom window about 5 - 6ft from the ground, don't think any were got by the cats, its a risk where ever they nest l suppose.

BC....The dogs behaved very well considering, atleast we know we can do it again:o)
The Mastive x called Tan was quite an attraction up at Symonds Yat. He is a handsome dog thats for sure:o)

We also went to Tintern, my friends OH noticed 2 men looking at something on the ground and one man kept kicking his leg out, it was a BAT, it had climbed onto his trousers, when it fell to the floor he sort of kicked it again, poor little thing, friend rescued it and placed it in a tree, but it did'nt stay there! Wonder why he was flying about during the day time??

Been trying to take photo's of the Reed Bunting its in the garden everyday again, or should l say they are(a pr).

Did any one watch The One Show, the new wildlife/photographer man, he went to a feeding station for Red Kites in the Breacons and took some amazing photo's:o)

Bellblair....did you take any photo's?? must check blog email addy!!

Jude :o)

So I guess that means that the fledglings would be vulnerable where ever they are nesting ?? Next doors cats keep out of my garden during the day as I'm usually out there ( or the dogs are ), I think I'll leave them alone , they might decide to abandon the nest anyway i suppose .

the trouble with blackbirds is that when they are grown they are out of the nest on the ground before they can fly properly, then the adult birds feed them on the ground so they are very vulnerable to cats.

Ann
Glos

I haven't seen this thread about in awhile so shall have to do some back reading.

I just wanted to tell that I spotted a Barn owl perched on a road sign ( by the edge of a busy road ) yesterday , broad daylight too.......my heart leapt at the sight of it : ))

In the garden I have a pair of Blackbirds starting a nest in my Bay tree . I don't know wether I should scare them off before they get settled . I have four cats and the next door neighbour has about 12 I think !!
Only one of mine could be a problem to the birds ( the other three are getting on a bit ) but her lot next door are bound to get them.........what should I do ?

Amanda

BC I think it is because with the fine weather there are more insects for them. Keep the feeders topped up though, when they have young they will be back for food.

Ann
Glos

Good morning all:-) Your doggie weekend sounds fun, Jude! I have absolutely nothing to report as it is rather SPOOKY.....not a bird in sight, and even the pigeons have deserted me! Even the parakeets in the park have stopped screeching!! They are all obviously busy elsewhere building their nests or having tea parties with their neighbours. I DO miss them though. Anything I can do to lure them back? BC XX

So far the weekend has been brilliant :~)
My friend has alzheimers and it has been harder to understand her but we get there in the end, we've laughed alot :~))))

The 2 dogs Madoc & Binky are getting on well, although Binky does tell Madoc off everynow and then and they have had a couple of set too's.
Tan the mastiff x ridgeback did'nt come into the house...too risky...lol

We went Symonds Yat and saw the pereguins nesting place, fantastic views. Tan was with us and attracted loads of attention...he's BIG:o)))

nite nite

jude

Jude hoping that your week end went OK, the ducks have arrived here this week end just to fat away to get any good piccies there are 2 pairs of mallards. Other than that its very quite on the feeder front, the blue tits are working round the clock nest building in all nest boxes which is very good news.

Fairly quiet on the feeders here too at the moment. Had one greenfinch and two great tits today, plus starlings on the suet and yesterday 2 goldfinches. And I was also surprised to see the female blackbird eating sunflower seed from a feeder. Not seen a blackbird on a feeder before.

Ann
Glos

Hiya just a quickie....waiting for vic to come up here so he can read out an email to his sister(for me to type), lcan never read his writing....lol

Apparently the first sightings of swallows was 16th March,don't know where though.

We've had some green finches again, atlast, about 4 of them and loads of w/pigeons, they know where the food is, great big lumps!!

Vic was walking madoc the other day when madoc went to close to an electric fence, bless him he got a shock and has'nt gone near that fence since.

We have friends coming from Derby this weekend, the mother & father will be bringing their staffie called Binky, she's not good with other dogs so we have to keep them aprt, their son is also coming and staying at a camp site in Hereford, their dog is a blooming great big greatdane x mastive called Tan, he's massive and guess what..... he does'nt like other dogs either, so l think its going to be fun here!!!! both dogs are lovely with people though:o)))

Have a lovely weekend everyone:o)

jude

Hi everyone,
Its every quite here at the moment not many birds around must be busy building thier nests.
Have not seen any swallows here yet near the end of the moth for us.
Hope that you all have a nice Easter.

Hi Folks,
Much quieter on the feeders at the moment, but I did have doves looking for food at 6-30pm today - unusual. We have a healthy population of sparrows here - about 50/50 with the chaffinches.
Blackbirds have reappeared after two weeks absence. Jackdaws nesting on the chimneys - seagulls on the next house.
Jude........ interested that you've sighted swallows - none here as yet - we usually see them here around 14th April - last year they were very late, and I didn't see any until the 30th. They used to nest on the back of my house, but the sparrows evicted them two summers running, so we don't get them here anymore - sadly.

Tec

I saw a couple of rooks or crows (not sure which) busy in the top of of an old chimney pot on a thatched cottage this morning.Making the nest I think!