Hobbies and Crafts

Morning...brrr its wet,damp and cold this morning. Vics just gone out with madoc, bit later tham usual, we did'nt get up til 9.15am...can't believe it...lol

Last week (l think it was) vic said he'd seen an Otter, yesterday he saw 3!!!l rang Gwent wild life and they say they have re-established themselves in the Wye now, so thats great but asked me to fill in a report form via the trust, they like to have these things reported especially an unusual animal or bird sighting!!
Here is the link for reporting sightings for South East Wales....

http://www.sewbrec.org.uk/recording-form.page

Persey...are'nt they fascinating, (owls droppings)?? and such strange names you have!!

Dizzie.....no good telling us about them, we want photo's:o)) lol....l will try and get the otters, thats if vic can get me out this afternoon.

jude

Right, now my empty coconut half is dry again I'll make another, 'nother filling for it. This is getting quite repetitive now. I think I'm going to hang it with a bit of old metal hanger now. But instead of putting it on one of the hooks under the bird table I think I'll bend it round one of the corner posts that holds the table cover on. I can just see they'll knaw through the bit of coconut shell near the hole that's drilled to thread the wire through. But we'll see.

The one up by the house is fine as it's on one of those poles with a baffle to stop the squirrels climbing and we've managed to find the optimum distance from the rose arch and the buddleia so that the birds have quick cover but the squirrels can't use either of them as launch pads.

They are called Moreporks because when they hoot it sounds like they are saying more pork.
The Tuis imitate other birds and some will copy humans as well, they can be quite distracting. Two come (like nuns they travel in pairs) and chat to me occasionally when I am hanging out the washing - they eat the flax berries and Totara berries and anything else they can get their little beaks around.

Persey

I don't think I have heard of Moreporks.Love those names lol
The Barn Owl that was around has definitely gone now.I am just so glad I got to see it up so close in the 'wild'.
I put a Fat Cake out today.The poor Dogs nose was in overdrive on the twitching.It must smell soooooo good lol.He will be mooching around underneath it tomorrow to see if he can snaffle up any little crumbs !

Jane,

I love owls but all we have here is moreporks (small brown owls) and I have touched them and been up close at the sanctuary, they have names for them all there is Owlton John, Owlvis Presley, Owl Mcpherson, Owl Capone a few others and one called Owl Owlfa. And yes Jude one of the care givers handed me a pellet that the wee owl had regurgitated and that was made up of the bits of the mouse that it doesn't digest.

My daughter was on the tube in London and there was a passenger with a live owl on his arm, she was amazed.
She also sent me some photos of an owl that rides a skateboard, its owner had been at a fair with his owl and the owl took a shine to this skateboard.

Persey

Wet and quite a cold wind here today. This morning as I looked out of the bedroom window I saw a large Heron fly past, obviously on the look out for somebody's fish pond. Such graceful birds aren't they.

Much milder today and no frost or fog. I'd thought we might get another frost because it was such a clear day yesterday after a very sparkly frost that lasted most of the morning. But last night on the way back from the pub quiz we realised it was much warmer than the previous night as next door's red car was not all white as it had been the night before.

Still whilst escaping upstairs to where it was quiet to speak to daughter on the phone I saw another deer arrive in the garden. Only thing was next door's dog was out to play and although it didn't seem as easily bothered as I'd thought it did decide it was policy to nab one of the windfalls and take it away rather than stop and eat it.

Meanwhile I spotted the neighbour pick something up from the lawn - it was my coconut half fat feeder that the squirrels had half inched again... So will have to work harder on the defences on that front.

It's been a lovely autumn day here today. Misty but with the sun breaking through too. Spent some time in the garden today and before I came in I made sure the bird tables and feeders are all topped up. I've had the ducks following me around reminding me they're there and there was some lovely birdsong to listen to around me. Also a couple of squabbling robins - territory I suppose.

When I popped out in the car earlier it reminded me with a bing that the temperature was quite low - about 1 degree at noon. Brrrr! Out tonight at choir so I'll need to make sure I've got me woolies on.

Just seen Annie G's post about loads of coal tits on her feeders. How wonderful that must have been to see.

The birds are definitely returning with the colder weather.

Hi
I was beginning to get a bit despondant as there didn't seem to be many birds using my feeders.
However yesterday there were two jackdaws eating the fatballs and this morning they were back together with starlings,other small birds and would you believe parakeets.
The parakeets are often about but this is the first they have eaten at the feeders.

As to my plants despite the frost earlier in the week I still have a nicotiana in bloom together with antirhinums. These plants have seeded themselves in my patio so have chosen really protected sites.
Take care
Yvonne

Those photo's are gorgeous:o) That a shame they did'nt phone back:o(

Nite nite

jude

Jude ,The Owl seems to have disappeared .I haven't seen it now since Sunday.I was very surprised that I never had a call back from the Bird Sanctuary.I just hope it is alright.I will still keep my eyes open for it when I take Chester for his walks.But I think it has gone.I am so glad that I got the photos of it.I will probably never see one like that again.

lol lol....they're not daft are they????

My crow is back, but he's the same, is off at the slightest movement.
We've also had some chaffinches, about 3 l think.

Jane...hows the owl? did you hear back from the bird place?

jude

I'm thinking my dickie birds are camera shy!
I've got coaltits, blueys and greats flitting to and fro of the feeders outside my window. I wait until they are on a 'fro' to pick up my camera. I sit poised and focussed......waiting.....after a while my arms ache so I put the camera down. Hey presto! it's busy out there again!

Hello Jane....if it has been released it may well have been ringed/chipped, but then l spose it depends on who released it. l do hope you hear from the charity you rang.

Aw yes we enjoyed ourselves alright:o) lol
jude

Well the owl is still there .OH was speaking to a chap from the stables down the lane and he wonders if it has been released back into the wild.
I contacted a local Bird Sanctuary yesterday just to see if they may have had a call from anyone who may have lost a Barn Owl.But they haven't got back to me.

Enjoy your evening Jude.

Photo of badger racks is on too. To enlarge photo click on your bottom browser, there should be a magnifying glass with + 100% and an arrow, click the arrow and enlarge:o)

Off out now to see Julian Clary:o))

jude :o)

lol...it probably was:o)

Hello Von:o)