Hobbies and Crafts

Oh yes do take your camera Dizzie, hopefully you can get one to pose for you. :-D

Not seen anything different in the birdie line the past few days, but I did feed our regular swan parents at the bottom of the garden the other day. Wonder how many they'll have this year? Both looking in fine fettle. What I have been seeing on my walks with hound dog are hares. Gosh they go fast and when they run they look like something completely different with their long legs. Seen them on a few occasions the past couple of weeks. It wasn't until the first one I saw stopped and bobbed up to look round that I knew what it was. I remember last year we were lucky to see a couple of mad March hares having one of their boxing matches. It would be good to see that again. I really must start taking my bag with me again so I can have my camera with me. The hare I saw yesterday stopped in the next field and looked back at me for ages.

Linda, sounds as if you had a lovely day.

Lesley, I will look that up and show himself the picture, Unfortunately I just missed it. :-)

Ann could it be a Brambling that's just a guess.

Hi All
Been to Savil Gardens this afternoon near Windsor. The bulbs are just about out, snowdrops finishing, crocuses still OK, Hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, scilla and others just showing colour. The Temperate Greenhouse was pretty too. Some camelia are finished, many OK, Magnolia just bursting, Rhododendrons begining to openand we saw one azelia open too.
There were some of the green ring necked parrots in the trees enjoying the sun and getting ready to roost. Also saw pheasants, squirrels and some birds. There were traps set for the moles but we didn't see any just evidence of mole hills(maybe mountains in their eyes).

Have a nice evening everyone

Linda xxx <3 <3 <3

OH saw a bird this morning when we were in the local industrial park (backs onto farmland). about the size of a female chaffinch, brown with light (maybe white) flashes back wings) black on head and a white 'beard'.

Any ideas?

Spring is here :-D

At 7.45 this morning the Blue tits were popping in and out of the nest box. It was the first time I had seen them this year.

The Robins nesting in the Ivy have been busy soting out thier nest for the last week.

Teresa

Just been out to put up a new nest box on the wall outside the kitchen window. There was a blue tit looking into it by the time I'd got back in the house and into the kitchen!

Had a male blackcap eating from a fat-ball yesterday...

Pair of buzzards over wood at back of garden and red kites getting to be regular visitors.

Glorious sunshine here today - rain forecast for all day tomorrow

Simon - just south of Newbury :-)

Wish a few of the long tailed would come our way. Not getting many birds at all at the moment.

Great pic of the Goshawk and your pic Jude of the Moon and planet :-D.
My family of Long Tail Tits are just lovely.They are so busy ,feeding and collecting bits (I assume for nesting).I bought a big pack of coconuts today,as I can hardly keep up with the rate they are being eaten.One shell lasts 3 days !!
I pay more out in bird food than I do for the dog :-0

They may get a shock if the weather turns again though!!

I've just been watching two cock blackbirds having a ding dong battle in the garden, I guess they were fighting for their territory.
Does this mean spring has sprung.
:-D :-D :-D

Just read your poem Shaun and then noticed that your profile picture shows what looked to me like St David's Cathedral. I was just about to ask you when I noticed your "researching" topics. Answered me own question. Hoping to get there again this year, whilst digging for a bit more Pembrokeshire family history myself.

Dizzie, lovely to see you on here. What a treat to see a Goshawk, and more than once too.

Shaun thank you for that lovely little poem. :-) :-)

Spring his almost here so I though you would like a poem.


BIRD SONGS

Oh, there's music in the forests
And there's music in the glen,
As the birds are warbling greetings
To the spring that's come again.

All their piping is so merry
That the woodlands seem to ring,
With the praises of the birdsongs
For the coming of the spring.
Join the joyous woodland chorus
And raise high your voice in cheer,
Join the birdsongs in thanksgiving
For the springtime of the year!
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Shaun

Morning all, don't get in here very often these days, but have had a litle bit of a treat lately. On one of my walks with the dog I was just on my way home when I saw a bird of prey I'd never seen before perched on a telephone wire on a nearby farm. I had quite a good view of it so I stood and took note of it characteristics. I had seen it land there so I knew that in flight it was nigh on buzzard sized. Got home and discovered it is a goshawk. A few days later when I had some French students staying we saw another in Melksham as we were on our way to their drop off point in Trowbridge. It was just sitting perched on a fence post right by the side of the road, so again a good view. Then such luck as I opened the curtains one morning a week or so ago there is was on the farm out the back sitting in a tree just over the river. I managed to get a couple of photos, they're not great because even though I have a bit more zoom these days it was still a good long way away. I'll see if I can remember how to post them on Jude's blog.

Another couple of treats lately, I've been noticing that the owls - tawnies and barnies have been very active at night lately. Whenever I go to bed I can hear them really clearly so they must be quite close. No sightings though when I've got up to have a look out the window. And yesterday, again walking the dog, I passed a small area of woodland locally and the noise of the birds was deafening. They all sounded like the smaller songbirds. For once I was glad I wasn't walking in there as the number of them, I might well have emerged well and truly pooped on!

I heard a funny 'Peep Peep' sound this morning.Then realised where it was coming from.It was my little lonely Moorhen tripping along the top of our big Yew hedge.(10ft plus high).It amazes me to see a Water Bird up on the top of that hedge.I will keep an eye on it and see if I can get a piccie.

There do seem to suddenly be more blackbirds around in our garden, don't think any are paired yet as there are several males.

afternooon all
Have seen both blackbirds back and feeding, maybe we will have some chicks again soon. Lots of golfinch and the greenfinch are back regularly too after missing this winter. Have just heard a woodpecker but didn't see it.

Linda xxx <3 <3 <3

Thanks Jude, better go and check. :-)