Hobbies and Crafts

Hi all

This starling story (I read it on msn yesterday) is quite bizarre - as they landed in such a small area (12') they can't have fallen from very high. Any physics geeks here? How on earth were 75 seen to drop in without anyone noticing where from? Just goes to show how many folk walk round looking at the ground! Birders look up. :- )

Morning all:o)
Hello Island:o)

That is so sad, we did'nt have anything on our news either, and yes what a shcok for the poeple who lived there!!

We have a crow who eats the seed off the lawn now, he's got quite cheeky, but l don't mind him at the moment.

We were watching a blackbird bathing the other day, he was having a lovely time:o)

Madoc is still ok at the moment, but l will definately get some antistatic stuff, we'll go down tomorrow. l have washed all his bedding now. Still won't get on the bed though:o((

Vics off out to do some more creosoting in the back garden, long old job!! He bought some paint that came with a free sprayer....the sprayer is useless!!

Have a nice day:o)
jude

Poor Birds ...and poor people whose driveway they landed on.What a shock!!.
I am starting to cut down the amount of food I am putting out now.I also need to stop hanging the coconut shells on my whirley washing line as I need to start hanging washing out lol,and I don't want bird poo on my washing.I have noticed over the last week that the seed I put out seems to be snaffled up by the big birds,like the magpies and pidgeons,also crows seem to be coming and `i really don't want them.I think I will just keep food at the bottom of the garden now.Also my dog Chester has started to eat the `moorhens poo!!!!

Can only find this, the basic story.

The deaths of 75 starlings which appeared to fall from the sky and crash land on to a driveway in Somerset has mystified the RSPCA animal charity.

The birds were spotted falling onto the entrance of a house in Coxley in Somerset on Sunday 7 March.

Animal welfare officer Alison Sparkes, who was called by police, said: "It was a remarkable sight, I've never seen anything like it."

There is no evidence the birds were ill or poisoned before they hit the ground.

Predator theory

Ms Sparkes said: "Onlookers said they heard a whooshing sound and then the birds just hit the ground.

"They had fallen on to the ground in quite a small area, about 12ft (3.6m) in diameter.

"They appeared to be in good condition other than injuries that they appear to have suffered when they hit they ground.

"Our best guess is that this happened because the starlings were trying to escape a predator such as a sparrow hawk and ended up crash landing."

She said that the birds had suffered broken beaks, broken legs and wings and abdominal injuries.

Five of the birds survived the fall but had to be put down because of their severe injuries.

Dizzie, my Mum hated them, used to chase them off the bird table for the same reason. There wasn't anything on our news which covers Somerset, or in the local paper.

That's sad, particularly since I understand starling numbers are down anyway. I can't say I've seen many about and they used to be so common when I was younger. My aunt wouldn't put anything out for the birds if there were too many starlings about as she said they bullied the others. Strange how situations change.

Hi Ann

That's all the article says. It is on msn.
I hope we get to hear an explanation.

does it say if it was when they were roosting? Great numbers roost somewhere in Somerset. I wonder if they were following each other and went down instead of up. Very strange though, poor things.

Morning Jude and all - (not quite midday I think)

Has anyone seen this?

"75 starlings crashed to death
Mystery surrounds the death of 75 starlings after they crashed on to a driveway, an animal charity said.
The birds were spotted falling from the sky and on to the driveway of a house in Coxley, Somerset, on Sunday March 7.
RSPCA animal welfare officer Alison Sparkes was alerted to the unusual incident by the police and went to help."

Any thoughts? I remember, years ago, there was a disease among ferral pigeons and they just dropped 'out of the sky' - more likely from a rooftop perch I think.

Morning all:o)

Thanks Ann, have replied to you. l had'nt even googled:o(( Thanks again:o)

He is better this morning and actually got into bed this morning for 2 mins, he would'nt last night though. He did sit on the bed for about 5mins. l washed his cotton quilt that we put on his bed (bed is part nylon). He actually greeted me properly this morning at the bottom of the starirs too....yehhh:o))

Thanks again
jude x

PMd you Jude.

found this by googling anti static for dog.

Reduce static electricity with Groomers’ gels, sprays and balms
You can reduce a ‘shocking’ relationship with your pet dog if you regularly use any of the effective anti-static gels, sprays and balms that our canine experts at Groomers have selected. Before brushing your dog’s coat use an anti-static spray first to slightly wet the hair. Adding moisture to the coat before brushing will reduce friction and help to reduce static shocks during the grooming process.

The anti-static products on offer are highly effective after bathing as the conditioners help to retain moisture which in turn helps prevent the accumulation of static electricity. Use the anti-static spray just before going into the show-ring to ensure ‘fly-away’ hair does not spoil your dog’s chances of success.

Hiya
He had his bath this morning and he's a tiny bit better, but not right. l think it could be the build up of static on carpets etc, but why after 6 months to a year. The fence situation definately started all this, poor thing:o((
Its definately worse if my hands are very dry. Will leave it now for a few days and if no better just check again with the vet.
l wonder if he'll get on the bed later??
Ann...l mght put it on the general if no joy in next week or so!!
jude

If you've been having the particularly bright sunny but cold days we've been having lately that one help the poor old chap either. I've had handrails "bite" me too and various other things like the car door sometimes and it can be quite a sharp pain sometimes so no wonder he's feeling a bit down in the mouth/tail.

In the past when I used to get badly static hair i just used to run my hand under the tap and smooth it down and the effect went away. I wonder if a gentle water spray on his fur might help from time to time? Nothing that would make him jump though or think he's being punished in another way.

I wonder if you can get a dog shampoo with anti static in it? Maybe put up a separate thread with a query as not everyone reads this thread.

Jean......You mean l have to attach a light chain to MY ankle and see if l get an electric shock...cheers:o)) lol. Its not all wool.

He's got up on the sofa tonight so thats a relief, l wonder if he'll get on the bed later.

Ann....he looks so sad bless him, l agree, he does think he's been told off.

jude

I was going to ask what the carpet is made of. In some shops if they have certain carpeting and I walk down stairs holding on to a metal rail I get a sharp tingle in my hand. Could the chip attract static from the carpet. It may be that the carpet had to be walked on a while before it became static. His tail is down because he thinks he has been punished I suspect.

Jude, didnt notice, but is your carpet manmade fibre? That produces static, as you see in thermal tops and nylon clothes. He probably didnt notice it before he had that electric shock, but he has become sensetive to it. As an experiment, you could try a light chain trailing like an earth wire from an ankle and see if it worked. Remember people used to do it with cars?.

Thanks DizzieLizzie.

Anyone any idea's about our Madoc....remember l said he was acting abit strange and standing by the back door with tail down etc (for about the last 4 - 6 wks), well it seems its to do with static!! If l stroke him l can sometimes feel the static (only recently have l felt it) and he moves away fast,and won't come back to me, also at night he won't get on our bed, if he does he's straight off the other side and goes back downstairs!!
The vet checked his micro chip this morning incase the electric shock (fence) from about 6 months ago had damaged it, but thats ok. He says to bath him, perhaps his fur is too dry!! so we will!!
We had a new carpet down about 6mths ago and mats in the hall about a yr ago, but l would have thought he would have reacted before now.

Any ideas greatfully received :o))

jude

Edited....here's a link for Swan food...
.
http://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/acatalog/Bird_Food_Ark_Duck___Swan_Floating_Discs_26.html

The swan food I have is called Wild Things swan and duck food. It's pellets. It says it will continue to float on the water so it doesn't get wasted if "my" swans miss it as it bobs on the water - it will float downstream to the next lucky candidate.

On my way to work today I saw a pair of sparrowhawks in a tree. It's obviously coming to "that time of year" as I've only ever notice singles perched or in flight before.

Jane - one of our neighbours has chickens too and last summer they formed an escape committee. Two or three times we had them in the front garden and up and down the road. Luckily we are a short no through road where nothing moves fast. It was very disconcerting one day when one was on the wall at the front looking in at me in the office right where one of the cats usually goes to stare at me to make me open the front door.