Hobbies and Crafts

Yesterday was amazing.

We rarely get goldfinches here, just the odd one occassionally. Yesterday I looked into the garden, and was amazed to see a whole flock of goldfinches around the feeders. I counted 15, but I think there were more in a nearby magnolia tree.

I wonder if anyone else has seen this many all at once - all the more strange as we don't normally see them often.

Identified a small tit that visits lately as a Marsh Tit. Still plenty of greenfinches around, and I think one pair are nesting nearby.

Ianto is fine, still plodding along steadily.

Regards everyone,
Tec.

Jean....that Jackdaw is breeding early is'nt it??

Hello Julia:o)

Jane...bet you had a brill time, sorry l still have'nt got that photo on the blog, infact when l emailed to say l had lost it.....l found l had it downloaded 4 times already!!!! thing is since changing my browser thingy to Mozella there is a different way to download photo's, which means l can't find the beggers, when l do l can't work out what to do next, l'll get there in the end. l have photos from Jean aswell........and l was thinking of doing a photography (open uni) course.....lol lol lol

We had a gaint queen bee in the bathroom the other day, she was a beauty too. l collected her into a glass and let her out the front door, she was making a hell of a din!!

jude:o)

The Greenfinches seem to be back feeding again, I was a bit worried as I had not seen them and had read a piece in the paper about cleaning bird tables etc to keep them clear of the disease that is killing Greenfinches. Apparently if they are 'fluffed up' and lethargic (how do you tell a lethargic bird?) they could have the disease.

Hi Daff

I had two sizes of bluetit on the feeder today - male & female? adult & juvenile?

definitely both blueys, not a bluey and a great.

LOL Ann,we never have the camera to hand at the right time.I get mine ,creep up behind the curtain and just as I'm about to click they B***** off

This morning there were a jackdaw and a young one on our pergola, and the adult was feeding the baby, but as soon as I got my camera they flew off.

Hello all.
I am back from Dubai.I only saw 2 different types of birds there.Very squawky they were too.
This morning in our garden there were 2 strange birds,running very fast across the lawn.I think they may have been French Partridge,but not sure.

I have had a strange bird in the garden today, too...... very small, about half the size of the blue tits, and a similar, but softer, colouring!

Oh..... and hubby got told off by a sparrow, it was sooooo funny!!

We have had a pair coming to feed from the fatballs on the arches for a couple of weeks now... but hubby has been out there today tidying up, lol.... and this sparrow was in my tree giving it rooty toot.... clearly cross, lol... so hubby moved out of the way, and down it swooped to feed! So funny.

I am hearing lots of different birds these mornings and evenings, too....

Love

Daff xxx

We have had a lot of bumble bees for the past month, they always seem to want to fly into our conservatory. have seen the odd one or two of smaller bees as well.

At last I've started to see a few bees around the garden, and some ladybirds too. We have a lot of violets in the garden and in the bit of hedgerow that is ours opposite that screens us from the playground I discovered white violets. I've never seen that before.

Also after a long while I saw a greenfinch at the feeder this morning.

Island, I thought you were up here, because of your interest in the Derby Peregrines.
They sometimes do a feature about them on Radio Derby, because there is alot of interest. I havn't heard mention of them lately, but will keep my ear cocked in future, and keep you posted.
All the Best
Julia in Derbyshire

Hi Julia
No, I'm not in Derbyshire, I'm 'dahn sarf'
A birding friend found the Derby peregrine cam and sent me the link about three years ago.

When we were in Spain last week we had a tiny bird on the lawn, no bigger than a blue tit but with the colouring of our Black Cap. Didn't have a Spanish bird book so not sure what it was. There was also a blackbird who sang beautifully to us each evening.

I have typed this out once, and when i went to post it, a notice came up on the screen that GR were doing mainenance, and it disappeared, so I'll have another go.
A couple of weeks ago, I was in hospital all week. When I got home, I noticed that a pair of Magpies had started building a nest in the trees that are at the back of my back garden. They were very industrious, and had built the 'bowl' of the nest already. I thought that was it, but last week I kept watching them. They then wove a 'lid' on the top of the nest. Now this week, all is quiet, so perhaps they are nesting.
I watched them one day, seeing off the squirrels and wood pidgeons. Very territorial are these pair.
Each time I stand at the kitchen sink, I look through the window, and watch for any activity.
All this nature to see, and just from my kitchen window.
Julia in Derbyshire

PS. Island, are you in my neck of the woods, so to speak, with your knowledge of the Derby Peregrines.

Hi Jude

The derby peregrine cam isn't a streaming video unfortunately, it updates still images every 15-30 seconds but is live (if that makes sense) It is more interesting when the chicks start to hatch and onwards.

We're off to see the Kites this weekend.

Me again:o)

DizzieLizzie....l have just put up the website you mentioned The Big Wildlife Garden, will check it out in a mo, Thanks for that:o)

Sorry to read about the pheasant. We hit a rabbit some years ago, then the deer last December, that wrecked the car!!

Mandarin ducks....are'nt they lovely looking birds, l still remember the first time l saw one at Arundel:o)

Daff....did the peregrine return?

jude:o) x

Hello Island

l went to the attached site, is there a video of the Peregrines??

We visited Symonds Yat ywice at the weekend and chatted the the rspb lads about the cormorant with a white chest!! he said they like others birds have different colour plumage just like us, fairer or darker etc. Buzzards can be darker or lighter in colour. Also some cormorants have white marks on their heads etc. Vic has been watching them most days, sometimes diving!!
We also told them about the Woodpigeon that got caught and eaten in garden opposite, he said it would have been a Sparrow Hawk and was so excited that we had such a bird flying around and catching their prey so close to us!!! He was almost jumping up and down with excitement, bless him:o)) l so wish the neighbour had phoned me!!!

Off now to read back a few posts....can't sleep!!

jude

Hi all, I hope you had a good Easters birding.

The Derby Cathedral peregrines are sitting on eggs. They're always worth following.

http://195.224.106.202/peregrine/webcam.htm

Morning all:o)

Not read through properly yet, will do later.
We have been watching the Cormorants that sit in the tall tree's along the river Wye:o) one had a white chest, which we have'nt seen here before, will look them up on a web site later. Off out now:o)

jude x

Don't think I've already said this on here. Have you seen the website The Big Wildlife Garden www.bwg.naturalengland.org.uk. I discovered it recently through a scouting newsletter I receive. It's set up by a primary school in conjunction with Natural England. The aim is to get as much of the country as possible signed up as caring for wildlife in addition to the official nature reserves. It's suitable for everyone, individuals or educational organisations, and you can put photos of your garden on there, make a diary, collect points towards certificates(which you print off yourself), connect to friends, and get ideas of new things to do to improve your garden for wildlife. It's written in a very clear way to help adults expain to children and there are a few activities on there with instructions you can print off but it seems to me there's content on there to take it to whatever level you are happy with.

I've past the children stage and not in the realms of grandchildren yet, but I reckon it would be a lovely thing to help pass a rainy holiday morning or afternoon with small people.

I printed my certificates off ( I think most of us birdie people will be straight to bronze and luckily due to our area, the size of our garden and the way previous owners have looked after it so that we could continue, I discovered I was up to silver too). I took them into work with me to show the owner of the nursery in our children's centre as they have been doing a lot of work in the nursery garden and plan to do more and of course they can tell parents too.

I started mine up a couple of weeks ago, but plan to do a bit more of my diary this weekend. The weather's quite changeable here, can be bright sunshine one minute, then drizzle, then sometimes torrential rain. (The river's quite high and fast flowing at the moment), so I'll use some of the rainy times to do a bit.

Have a look - you can see quite a bit of content without joining up.