Hobbies and Crafts

My OH usually feeds the birds, but is not well at the moment so I did it this morning. They all took off and havent been back!

Hi Jude
I have seen our Robin again, but he is playing at being shy at the moment. Plenty of greenfinch and various tits and blackbirds. The wood pigeons hoover up anything put out so are great at keeping the garden clean.
I have sent you an e-mail with the photo of us at The Usk Show, thought you might like to add it to the blog.

Linda :o) XxX

Jude ,I don't seem to know the tale about your Madoc,and all his troubles.I'd be interested to hear if you would like to pm me.
I took my Chester to the vets this afternoon to have his first nail clip ever(he is 12),It would have been cheaper to take him to the Beauty Salon for a full on manicure lol
The Robins and Tits have been back on the feeders today now that awful wind has gone.I was shocked this morning to see there was no water in the Bird Bath.I think it got blown out in the wind.
Off to have a look on the Blog.

Hello Ann...so you know the famous pub across the river then:o)))) have'nt been there since my b i l died in Aug. Well we did the weekend after he died but not since:o((

Yeh he loves rambling, some of his fellow ramblers are aged 81yrs one of whom comes from Cheltenham!!!!!!!

Just added a photo on me blog:o)) lol

jude
PS..thank you Ann:o)

Well done Madoc, so pleased he doesn't need the op, your loving care has cetainly paid off Jude and Vic.

Just seen about Vic's 8.5 ramble, he must be keeping fit, what are you feeding him? Lovely out that way, our friends live at Redbrook.

Dizzie what camera did you get. Have you tried using a tripod or a monopod to steady the camera?

Not many birds around at the moment, they don't like this wind.

Morning all:o)

Oh Dizzie your Goose sounds lovely bless her, l wonder where her mum is, do they get kicked out like swans to fend on their own??
Will look forward to your photo's. What camera did you get??

Jane....lucky thing having the woodpecker back and the red kite, we have'nt even heard our woodie for awhile.

Von...l know they must be noisy and a pain, l did read that link thank you, but l would still like to see them. My nephew has some in his garden, he lives in Bromley, but not too many to be a nuisance.

WELL.....great news this end. Madoc has just got back from vets and he DOES'NT need the op:o)))) Vet is so pleased at how Madoc has progressed from the day we had him, he keeps telling us this too. The swelling has gone on the joint and his movement is much better. When he lifted his leg and stretched it, madoc did'nt pull against it. His gained abit of weight mainly we/vet thinks because his exercise routine has changed, he's not off the lead as much, so we will decrease his food abit. His glands are'nt filling up as quickly either.....so all is brilliant with our precious Madoc:o)))

Take care
jude x

As you say Jane, complex, there's more than just split personality there. She still hisses and honks alarmin'. She really does not get it with the food, even bread which we thought she may be more used to people along the river giving them. The ducks and swans know immediately you throw some to them that it's food and get right down to business. If you throw to her she thinks you're attacking her and tells us what for. When she sees the others taking what we throw she may have a slight rethink and will have a try at bits that pass her in the water flow, so we tend to throw a little too much to the cob, who's mostly upstream of the others, so he misses a few bits that then go past him for her to try. If she doesn't get it the pen and cygnet will catch it anyway so it's not wasted. Actually it'll never be wasted - it floats and would carry on towards the next group of birds downstream. They don't come every day so maybe that's why she doesn't get the hang of it, but I've seen them in other places along the river where people take children to feed the birds regularly. We may have to face the fact she's just thick!

I have a new camera now and I have been practising with it. I think I tried to take a few of the "family" a week or so ago so now I have to try to get them onto the puter. When I do, if any are good enough I'll send some to Jude's blog. The camera has much better zoom than before but is a little heavier than my previous one so I seem to have a bit of trouble with camera shake which has always been a problem for me. I'm glad I didn't try for one of the serious cameras - it would have been a waste of a camera and the money.

I heard Woodpeckers this week too .We still see the one around in the garden ,but things sound like they are getting active again.It's funny how your 'Aunty Goose ' has stayed with the Swans.Obviously she has a complex problem lol
Split personality??
The Red Kites have been very active in the last few days.

I hadn't seen a woodpecker for ages but started to hear some last week, then this morning a greater spotted was on the peanut feeder. Auntie goose has started to get a bit above her station. She kept nipping at mummy swan when we were feeding them yesterday during their visit. Also, the morning before I went to London in the week we had a heron on the garden "stalking" fish in the river but it missed and splashed into the water in a rather ungainly fashion in the end.

Having said that I hadn't seen many birds the parakeets visited this afternoon. 15 of them!!!
Not quite a colony as that apparently contains 50 birds.
As it was milder today a lot more daffodils opened and my crocuses have come out so that lifted the spirits.
Take care
Von

It has been far too windy for the little birds to hang on to the feeders lol.They probably feel a bit seasick lol.I have only seen a few brave ones today.Hopefully it will calm down soon.They will all be hanging on to their nests and perches for grim death.

Filled all the feedrs this morning and the water bath etc
Heard what sounded like starlings but the only birds in the garden were green finches? Also had the wood pigeons and blackbirds. Like others not many around

Linda :o) XxX

No activity in the garden = no activity on here Von. Poor birds they don't like the wind.

Oh dear seems like I've killed the thread. I do hope not.
There hasn't been much activity in the garden for the last couple of days only the wood pidgeons and jackdaws.
I think the little birds are lying low for fear of been blown away, it is so windy.
Take care
Von

Hi all
Well I heard the dawn chorus this morning which is unusual for me. Not an early bird!! Excuse the pun!
Reason I was up so early was to have a look at Saturn. It was brilliant to see the ringsand the moons as well. OH has a new telescope and we've been waiting for a clear sky.
Have just been watching next doors cat trying to stalk a wood pidgeon. Luckily it didn't succeed and gave up and walked away. Pidgeon eventually flew off.
Take care
Von

As I said on another thread. I think the word goes out amongst our feathered friend just before the birdwatch. "Hey guys, it is birdwatch weekend, spread yourselves around, make them work for it!"

Just to let you all know that l have put DIZZI'S painting on the blog.
They are brilliant, very talanted lady:o)

jude :o)

Yesterday we had a flock of twenty sparrows sitting on the fence between the houses, why could they not have been there on Saturday!

Yes it's about assessing the state of the current populations really, but it is nice to get a better look at what does appear in your garden for an hour. Would you Adam'n'Eve it though - yesterday just as the light was going around 4.30 - 5pm I went to close the lounge curtains and there was a pair of egret standing in the river at the bottom of the garden. Such a treat. Since we've been here we've seen them for a few days about this time of year. Why couldn't they have arrived a day earlier? My little Jenny Wren made a brief appearance yesterday too, but had been hiding at my birdwatch time. Never mind.

Sounds as if you had a good lot Dizzy and Jean you had a good variety. Actually I don't think it matters if you only have one or two because they need to know what isn't around as much as what is.