Hobbies and Crafts

Heather have got ostriches in your garden!? ;o))

Hi Jude I think your sister probably saw a Yellowhammer. As Yellow Wagtails according to my hand book never winters in europe.

And for some strange reason the Yellowhammer isn't even in my book. Had to google to make sure I'm not going mad......then realised it's too late! lol

Steve

Just spoken to my sister and she had a Yellow wagtail feeding all morning, don't think l have seen one of those before.

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

jude:~)

They are definitely all feeding madly. Im buying 13kg sacks now as I was getting through the bags in a couple of days. Wonder if we are in for a tough February.

The Red Kites in wales are a fantastic sight:o)

Go to this site:
http://www.gigrin.co.uk/

We've been there about 3 times, fantastic work they do. We've seen approx 300, (when weather is bad, you'll see loads more than that!!)plus the crows and buzzards all feeding together. Its a feeding station and the farmer drives a tractor into the field loaded with meat, he feeds them twice a day (l think), and birds from all directions, infact loads are hovering whilst he is scattering the meat. Sadly his dad died a few years ago, he was the instigater of the station.
Not much going on in out backgarden today, very quiet:o(((

jude :o)

Red Kites!! You lucky people, we don't get them here in darkest Essex. I've only seen the odd sparrow hawk, kestrel & someone flying a kite. lol

I understand the Red Kites were persecuted to near extinction. Now making a come back in Wales & west country.

Steve

Hi Helen
Lucky you to see three Red Kites; we get them very occasionally but usually have to head into Wales before we see them more often.
Your bird of prey in the field was probably a buzzard and I imagine the rabbits were pretty safe. Although buzzards will take small mammals, it was probably hunting for worms or beetles. It might pick at a dead bunny but live ones are not usual prey :)

Still getting our regular feedersin the garden.
The fat ball nearest the house has attracted blue tits.
Putting out brown bread, raw oats(porridge) the nut feeders and sunflowerseed in feeders too.
If I have already put out food early ..................they hang around waitng for my husband to see them and hopefully get another top up !!!!

Snow forecast even for the south by Monday................ so no neglecting them.

Linda :o)

Seen this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/7859989.stm

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Ann - I agree! lol
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When I took my dog this morning there were 3 Red Kites flying really low.It was a beautiful sight but one was probably only 30 foot above me and I thought it had its eye on the dog.lol.Yesterday there was a bird of prey(some kind of hawk) and it was sat in the field I think at the entrance of some rabbit warrens.Is this a normal thing for them to do? Would it have been waiting for a little bunny to stick it's head out and then pounce?

Hi Kathleen, put your nest boxes facing NORTH as it stops the sun from cooking young one once they hatch, and dont put feeders to close to nest boxes either. Hoping that you get tenants its brilliant watching young ones leaving the nest.

Hi Daff.....Instead of buying a new set of binoculars. You could mount your current pair on a tripod. It would give a a much more stable image & be able to keep your hands free, to identify the birds in your book.

Steve
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Hiya Jude, We have dozens of squirrels.......... and Hermie thinks he is one, lol.... we have all the conker and oak trees at the side of us.... the squirrels plant the conkers and acorns all around our garden.... it is so funny watching them trying to remember where they left them.... bit of a nuisance when they dig up the spring bulbs and chomp on those, instead, though ;¬))

Bino's on my must have list, lol

Love

Daff xxxxx

Oooo new faces:o))

Daff....the male chaffinch has a pinkish chest aswell. The ones with the waggy tails are probably pied wagtails.
How lucky to have 3 types of owls:o)))
Mr Daff for goodness sake get her a light weight pair of bino's. Vic's got a telescope now:o)

This morning we've had 2 squirrels, but l'm sure these are'nt the usual ones, l think they are babies:i)) and so cheeky, the dog saw them off earlier and they were back before he got back indoors, good for them:o)

They like my baked potatoe's:o) lol

jude :o)

lol Ann.... Thank you........they all look the same blinking size from where I sit... they have to be at the border of the house, because of the cats..... they wouldn't stand a chance with Jethro, in particular, if they were closer to the house..... R gave me his dad's binoculors, but they are too heavy for me to hold.. that is why I can make out the bigger birds, in general, but not the smaller ones!! All I can see is a blur of colour, so get the species but not the specifics... and of course, treecreepers are distinctive, as are the wrens and robins.

We have black and white birds which waggle their tails and they rummage around on the ground.... haven't seen those for a while, so maybe they go elsewhere for the winter.

Maybe I need to suggest to R that I need a lightweight pair of bino's and a decent book, lol!!

Love

Daff xxxx

Daff, blue tits are very small, blue & yellow fairly pale colours, Great tits are bigger and the colours are brighter plus the male especially also has black on him. green finches have a finch beak (not pointed) and a green flash on their wing. Chaffinches, finch beak and white bits on their wings. sparrows have a finch type beak and dunnocks have a pointed beak. that is just the basics which help you pick them out quickly If you look at the birdwatch site and look at the form for filling in there are icons next to each bird which you can click on and see what is what.

Ann x

I don't have bird tables or anything..... I hang stuff from the trees and make sure they are out of the way of a marauding cat!!

Now... my problem is this... I recognise the owls... we have three who appear every so often, each is different, but not WHICH owl, lol... they darned well won't sit still long enough for me to compare them with my *I-spy garden birds* book... we have a few buzzards which circle on the thermals most days about tea time... the palava with the crows is an absolute delight to watch, lol! And of course I recognise the robins (I have a front garden one and a back garden one) Plus the 2 pairs of Jays, all the magpies, the wood pigeons, collared doves and the two types of woodpecker which don't actually come into my garden, Maude, but I can clearly see them... andhear them most days. Treecreepers, and wrens... fine... plus a heron, but only once in the garden... usually it is fishing in the rene at the back... ditto a pair of mallard. Oh, and we have a song thrush, too.... stunning!! Plus about six blackbirds at a time

But... here comes the rub... we have a huge selection of others.... I know they are *different* but cos they all have similar colouring... I can never tell which of the sub-species I am seeing!! You know... like the tits and the finches!! HOW does one pin -em down long enough to identify them????

Love

Daff xxxxx

Oh, ps, have seen a kingfisher 3 times at the rene, not really my garden, but next to my fence... and I am only able to see it from my bedroom window..... pure bliss!!

Ann its the way you cook your jacket potatoes lol

Not very healthy for the birds though Glenys!!!!

Kathleen, the birds were not too keen on my jacket potatoes either!!

Good morrow! Just looked in briefly, to read the latest postings. I read somewhere recently - probably in a bird book, lol - that if you see a sparrowhawk in your vicinity, it's a sign of a healthy bird community.

Gawd, isn't Nature cruel sometimes ...........
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