Hobbies and Crafts

For some reason best known to them our fat balls have not been eaten by the birds for ages.

Morning All:o)

Brrrr a very cold Monmouth today....
they're are'nt as many birds in the garden today, don't know why. Dont think they have touched the fats balls yet.

Dizzi...l think l still have photo's fromyou to put on blog, will do asap:o))

jude x

Lots of the smaller tits and finches here at the moment and the peanuts are dropping fast. They weren't touched for ages now they are going in favour to the sunflower seeds

Must get some fat balls when I am out.

Linda :o) XxX

Susan-nz....l kept the link in my favourites and will look at it later.Loads of wonderful you have in NZ, some which are as common to you as ours are to us...gawd did that make sense?? lol

Jean ... is that order from where we got the plants from?? l saw the advert it looked good. Let me know how well the birds take to it.

We bought some fat balls today and a f/ball feeder. Not used fatballs at all this year as the birds were'nt using them, but thought the metal feeder might help.

Our peg leg wood pigeon is back, atleast l think its the same one, if so he's been about for 2- 3 yrs now.

jude

Bought some seed feed from the channel isles which arrived today. It looks a really great mix with no wheat in it, but fruit, suet, mealie worms and lots of different seed. Wish now that we had ordered a new feeder with it.

Ooh those pesky squirrels!!!!.They are scoffing up all the fat balls /cakes,seeds .Poor little birdies are hardly getting a look in down the bottom of the garden.

The cold weather's a mixed blessing isn't it Island. I think it's that which is bringing some of the birds closer to us than usual. As you know I've also had the grey wagtail much closer than usual on a regular basis. And when it was particularly cold even the goldcrest was up at the top of the garden where I could see it. It's lovely to see them at closer hand than usual, but I think it's a measure of how some of them are struggling. It means we have to keep making sure there's extra energy rich food out there for them to help them keep going. I've kept up the stocks even though it's a bit milder again as another onslaught it forecast and I want as many as possible of them to be well stoked up beforehand to help them cope.

Hello all,

I do read with interest your thread. If you care to google Tiritiri Matangi, you will find information about Tiri (for short) an Island that has been cleared of pests to help provide a safe enviroment for some of our endangered birds and not so endangered, We have alot of birds here that you may not know - as I don't recognise some of the names you mention.

In my garden here at home, I get amonst other birds, Fantails , Tui's (who have a beautiful song) and Bellbirds who also sing beautifully.

Happy googling,

Susan

Jays are very pretty but are extremely distrucive in the garden.

Dad used to have them regularly.

We don't , must be too cold higher up for them!!

Mmmmm...lol

Hi Linda

Yes, jays are a very pretty bird.

I was just looking at our pyracantha and it is still laden. We had redwings come into the city the last two winters when it was very cold and they stripped off the berries in no time. I'd like to see them again but do I want it to be that cold? mmmm...

I was cross with myself for not having my camera with me on a trip to the corner shop one cold day. The branches on trees and shrubs were heavy with snow and I noticed a few redwings feasting on berries just above my head. Just goes to show - don't go anywhere without a camera in your pocket!

Hi IslandInTheSnow

I was just going to add that our Jay has been back inside the feeder table. Very choosy though only takes the peanuts !!!
They are a beautiful bird, will try to get a photo if I can open the patio door before he comes down else it'll all be flash on the glass.

Keep topping up the feeders ladies.

I noticed that the birds have eaten a lot of the pyrocantha this winter, usually that gets left and just drops on the ground. Must be hard out there.

Linda :o) XxX

Morning all

I spotted the local GS woodpecker this morning, jumping around the top of a pollarded tree. I think I'll call him Pollard lol.
We had a pair of GSWs nesting in a tree very close to our window and raising young two years running about 5/6 years ago which was fascinating o watch from hole excavation to fledging young.
They've been in our area ever since but not nesting where we can see them.

We also have jays. On Saturday one landed on our balcony rail, I wasn't sure what it was for a second as it seemed much smaller an sleeker at close range than at a distance through bins. Definitely a jay though, first time one has come this close.

Photo's are on the blog now.....lovely:o))

jude x

Everything stops for Strictly... here. Lol

Ooops sorry l been watching Xfactor....do it later now:o)

jude

Island.....wow beautiful pictures from gigrin....heres a link for anyone to see:o))

http://redkitenews.blogspot.com/

Dizzie...got your email, just about to put the pics onthe blog...just love the ducks...lol:o)

We had a Gold finch in back garden this morning...yehh:o))
AND yesterday Vic saw about 12 Lapwings and 4 this morning whilst walking the mad dog:o))
Have sent me report in:o)

jude x

Was able to go down the steps into the garden today. It was lovely out there the birds were singing a treat.

Hi Anne in Glos, you are right about the wagtails. We are having a grey one come up from the river to the patio and actually occasionally onto the tray on the feeder pole sometimes since the bad weather hit. We've only ever seen it at a distance before, and we did used to have a pied wagtail visit the garden but we're not seeing that one lately.

I have at last got one, not brilliant, picture out of a lot of attempts of me little grey wagtail. You need to see it large on screen and if you have a way to do it maybe zoom in on him to see his colour a bit better. I'll forward it to your blog Jude.

I have also found out that there is a much rarer wagtail that is actually called a yellow wagtail (these birdies do like to confuse don't they?), but that one's only a summer visitor to damp, marshy areas.

Hi Jude
There's a beautiful new pic of snow/frost on the hillside at gigrin today - and one of kites of course!

My tally today has been one coaltit and one bluetit on the feeders :-( and one carrion crow and a couple of black headed gulls in flight. We might get a chance for a spot of outdoor birding the weekend after next out of the city.