Hobbies and Crafts

*Doesn't tell Elisabeth that it didn't occur to Glenys about the water dish frosting over*

Last night, hubby and I were discussing nesting boxes, as you hear so much about birds dying of the cold in this weather. I'm going to try Googling DIY building nest boxes in a min., as he says he's got loads of leftover timber in our shed.

Have a good day. :-))
x

Please remember the birds in this cold, snowy weather.

Just been out to feed sunflower hearts, mixed seed, sultanas, peanuts, niger seed and dried worms. (Is that enough of a selection?)

I have knocked out the ice from the plastic tray I use for a water bath as the stone birdbath is totally frozen and impossible to thaw safely. They need water, just as much as food!

Happy birdwatching.

Elisabeth

Today Ive been putting seeds and small bits of cheese under the shrubs - I know wrens like cheese, but my goodness, some beautiful bull finches arrived too - they were gorgeous.

For a few weeks after Christmas there wasn't a bird to be seen in my garden but I have noticed that they are back " on mass " now . The fat balls have been going down at an alarming rate the past few days.
And the good old starlings have been flocking in to eat up the dropped bits of the ground .

We went to the park today with our carrier bag of loaf crusts and the ducks where out in force , glad we got it to them before all the snow arrives, I suspect they will be in for a rough few days .

I saw a squirrel attack a group of pigeons that where trying to get the peanuts we had scattered for it.........they didn't half get out of the way quickly...........lol

Amanda : )

Jude, you're welcome.

Steve, isn't it spectacular? Who'd think those avian thugs in my back garden are capable of producing such a lovely sight?!

Gawd, I think I'll come to tea at your place, if you're having a roast! My hubby decided to cook a stew today, but it wasn't ready on time, so we had salmon salad ........ oh well, it was nice anyway.

Oops sorry folks, digressing here. That poor bird that was taken by the buzzard, such a shame. But then I suppose, that poor hungry buzzard. Steve, I think the guy who took the photos was in one sense, quite proud of them but in another, very disappointed at the fate of the bird! :-((
x

Thanks Glenys.....amazing:o)

l'm still not sure about this Yellow wagtail.....b i l is here this evening and he's sure its not the Grey .....thing is it probably won't appear again!!! grrr

Hi Glenys, spectacular images those links!!! The photographer of the buzzard taking the phalarope, has taken image of his life.

Who'd think starlings could produce such a spectacular sight! I saw a similar one by Bil Oddie a few years on TV, agve me goose bumps.

We have a coating of snow here in Essex, made sure feeder is topped up. Doing a roast this evening, with the excess juices, I'll give the fat balls a trial run tomorrow.

Steve.

Jude, see this link:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/4246823/Buzzard-snatches-and-kills-rare-bird.html

x

Jude, I think the rare bird taken by the bird of prey was some sort of small wader.

Your sister's bird sounds like a grey wagtail that,despite its name has a lot of yellow on it. There are quite a few up here in the Lake District.

Ann
Glos

Sorry Jude no pic this time, we have now got 5 pairs of yellowhammers, and must be about about 6 or more long tailed tits they are on the fat balls and peanut feeders.
Have seen the weather for the week I hope that all down south keep safe and warm, it looks as if we are going to miss the worst of the weather here.
take care.

Hello Stephen

From sis is saying l would say its the one on the right(3rd pic) with black head ....dunno though, but from the grey pics they are'nt what she discribing,but then she's sometimes wrong and l love it then!!!! lol


Yellow Wagtail
362 x 307 - 58k - jpg
www.hull.ac.uk Yellow Wagtail
550 x 407 - 41k - jpg
www.nyctea.co.uk
[ More from www.nyctea.co.uk ] Yellow Wagtail
550 x 411 - 40k - jpg
www.nyctea.co.uk Yellow Wagtail (thunbergi) ...
350 x 289 - 55k - gif
www.birder.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk


Glenys....what was the rare bird?? No looked yet, will do in a mo:o)

Heather.......your garden sounds great:o) we're all so lucky to have all this space for our birds,, so many people don't have gardens, so its great that we can have this thread....THANKS ANN:o))

jude :o)

Me again. On our local news recently (south-west England) there were photos of a rare bird from, I think, much further north of the globe. It had flown here and was minding its own business, being observed by a bird-watcher, when a bird of prey suddenly swooped down and caught it. :-((

According to the bird-watcher, it was a fascinating sight, but at the same time it was a shame it ended like that. Mr Birdwatcher had photos of the capture, too.
x

Did anybody have a look at the link I mentioned? Either way, and slightly digressing, I've noticed some of the smaller birds in our garden landing under our hydrangea bush, looking for food. I remember that bit on my food list about cheese (that it can be scattered under shrubbery and the small birds don't feel intimidated by the larger ones), so I scattered some seed under there.

I know I'd have to make a habit of it during the winter, so I'll keep an eye on the area to see if they're eating it.

Yesterday, one of the starlings had a McBirdie. It started out as a chip from McDonalds, but I dropped it on the carpet on Friday evening. Hey, waste not, want not! lol

Oh - by the way - hi, everybody! :-))

Morning...ooop....afternoon all. Made sure feeder was topped up last night, still plenty there. But'llput some more out for them this afternoon.

Heather...sounds like your feathered friends live in bird paradise.

Hi Jude...still think its a Grey Wagtail. You can see images of the two birds Yellow Wagtail at;
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=yellow+wagtail&cr=countryUK%7CcountryGB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

& Grey Wagtail at;
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=grey+wagtail+images&cr=countryUK%7CcountryGB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

If it does turn out to be a Yellow Wagtail, than as you said earkier, best to phone RSPB as it should be wintering in Africa.

Steve

"Heather .........crumps your birds eat alot:o)"

Well, our garden is about a quarter of an acre, so I guess our bird population is quite high :)

Long tailed tits in groups on the fat balls, a lot of different finches this year, very large number of blackbirds, higher than normal, blue tits, great tits, sparrows, wrens, robins, doves (who stuff themselves), occasional pheasent, jay, green woodpecker, dunnocks. Hence the need for sacks of food :) (13kg is £7 - so a good buy really). We use an icecream box of mixed seeds a day for them - put in 4 separate feeding locations - different heights etc. and then we add things like sultanas and bread aswell.

I read that the robin population will be poor this year due to the bad summer. I love robins, I think they are the Jack Russells of the bird world :) I also love wrens, such tiny, delicate birds and their little nests in our ivy are works of art. One year we were SO lucky - I put some of OH's old boots in the hedges and the very first season we had Robins nesting in one. It was wonderful.

Very cold here again this morning, but did my duty and all points of feeding are topped up.
Blackbirds eating the oats this morning.
I have seen may Kites over the most recent years. Firstly in Buckinghamshire, then in Hampshire at Stockbridge, more recently as close as Twyford in Berkshire(between Maidenhead and Reading off the A4)
Seeing small flurries of snow already. so no tydying up the garden today.

take care everyone and keep feeding those lovely birds we all see.

Linda :o)

Morning:o)
Brrr blinky freezing here. Quite a few birds flitting aorund out back this morning, even saw one Longtailedtit:o)) thing is everytime l get excited because l've seen another type of bird....the bloomin dogs gets excited aswell and rushes to the patio doors and FRIGHTENS them all off't!!

Just rung sister, she says he had a brilliant yellow chest, black head, greenish back, she pretty sure its a Yellow Waggie. If she gets a chance she'll take a photo.

jude:o)

Hi Jude...From your discription, you're right, not a Yellowhammer. Had another look in my book. It could be a Grey Wagtail, yellow body & blue-grey upperparts. The male has a black bib & brighter in appearance.

Regards,
Steve.

Bell......did you take any photo's?? wouldlove to have seen that:o))

Stephen......mmm not sure,she's usually wellup on her birds and wouldknow a yellow hammer,she says they are rarely seen and like to be near water. Will ask her again tomorrow. She said he had a black head and bright yellow body . Perhaps she needs to tell RSPB!!

Will have a look in mybooks.

jude:o)

Hi Folks,
Been a brought extra for the birds today as weather looks as if it might be bad.
Jude you would love this my big Mr Pheseant was chased by the Robin this morning it was so funny watching as he tried to get away great lump. but we have had the sparrow hawk here most of today which is very unusual.
Got a big tub of mealy worms today for £5.99 .
Tescos have got a special on peanuts and seed at the moment £8.00 for 12.50 k and £9.99 for the seed.