Hobbies and Crafts

We had the Rooster from next door strutting his stuff in our back garden earlier.Luckily its owner managed to shoo it back.I hope it doesn't make a habit of this as I will worry about Chester chasing it or worse!!

Morning all:o)
Beautiful day today and Vic's gone another walk, l think in the Breacon area again, he's taken the camera too:o)

DizzieLizzie....What is the name of the swan feed? We used to belong to rspb, we help in other ways though.

Not much happenng in our garden, the usual birds are in and out.
Oh yeh the birds nest we put up a couple of yrs ago right outside our patio doors is atlast being used, there are feathers at the entrance, l would think for shelter in the cold:o)))
l think an owl has been prowling but not heard anything, just seen the mess but no pellets.

Madoc is doing fine, still abit jittery at certain noises and movements and still will not go anywhere near the electric fences!

jude
PS....lucky you to hear a cuckoo:o))

Can it be true? I just heard a cuckoo.

The swans came by today. Last time I saw them I decided to get them some of the food pellets designed for them and the ducks etc. They float on the water so if they miss them as they get carried downstream something will get them somewhere along the way. But the only times we saw them from the window we weren't quick enough to get down there. Today from the bedroom window I saw them going past more slowly than of late and I ran down to the shed and down the garden in me jim jams. They very definitely liked the food. I think they're already used to it from the lady upstream who feeds them. Her garden borders onto the A4 and the river comes to her under a bridge in the road where children lean over and feed them too. So particularly in the winter when they want all they can get they spend most of their time there. It's on the way to the village post office and shop where the children get their own sweeties so it's really prime position for them.

Thursday night at bedtime OH was sitting at his computer in the dining room and as I went to say goodnight I heard an owl so clearly I asked him what site he was on. Then he realised I thought the owl call was coming from the computer, but it wasn't. It must have been on the garage (our garage is higher than the house because of our steep site) or neighbours roof it was so loud and clear. It was the twooo call. I love hearing them - best is when you're camping and you hear them when you're out in the open too.

Decided once and for all we're going to join RSPB. Not done it before because although we've always liked birds we hadn't had the time to get as interested as we are now. Though we have supported them on various things in the past. Direct debit offer at the moment of 15 months for the price of 12 and various other benefits so we'll add them to our list and maybe later in the year we'll take advantage of entry into some of the reserves.

Hi there:o)

Just a quickie to say Ann's photo of Hawk is on the blog:o))

jude

PS...we're off to Dorset on 15th March to daughters:o) yes it is abit of a twisty turny journey, we avoid Bath!! but its so nice when we get there:o)

Hi Jane, Glos to Dorset is not too bad, it is an awkward place to get to though, the road system is not good is it? Not sure where you come from but Suffolk for us would not be that easy.

Ann we are going to Suffolk.Mole End Cottage lol.I loved Dorset but OH prefers Suffolk.It was a heck of a journey to Dorset last year.I think that is what has put him off going back.

Poor little moorhen.

Glad you had a good time Jude, look forward to seeing the pics.

Jane, just booked to go to Dorset again in June, same area different cottage, looking forward to it.

Hello Everyone:o)

Jane...l spose the Moorhen youngsters get chased off like the swans do.
Talking of that sort of thing....did anyone watch Simon King last week or was it the week before...he was watching the Otters and the female kept chasing her youngsters off, but they kept coming back. l think they got the message in the end...bless:o((
Just got back from Derbyshire (yesterday), had a lovely time, will put some photo's on the blog asap, plus one Ann Glos sent of a Hawk:o))

jude

One of the Moorhens is being chased away by another Moorhen.I watched earlier and the younger looking one was pottering around quite happily up near the house and the bully walked very slowly up the lawn and then when it got near it just ran at the other and made it take flight.They both disappeared over the hedge.!!!

The birds were very busy in the garden this morning, we had a male black cap on the fat balls near the house, which then went to the Mahonia bush at the end of the garden, we had a little wren fussing around the pond, a Robin and three female blackbirds one of which seemed to be collecting nesting material.

I've been hearing geese go over the house for a couple of days now and saw them do a fly past this morning. Another beautiful day today - hope the tide's changing with the weather now.

Thanks Jude I do have the blog again. For some reason it was only showing to the end of December but it's ok again now. We had a LOT of rain yesterday and it's still raining. David my son said the roads started flooding in Devizes because the drains couldn't cope. Our river is very high and running very fast and muddy so I reckon the water birds are mostly in their favourite refuges. It would be a dismal view except for the snowdrops outside the window in the wall garden by the steps down to our door. Previous owners planted loads and they do well here so I've started adding winte aconites to them, can't afford the numbers I'd need to fill the whole garden so I'll add a few more and split and spread what I've got over the years. After that there'll be daffs and bluebells. Some, in some areas of the garden are the natural sort, but some are the spanish sort and I know I'll have to keep them under control if I don't want them to overwhelm the naturals. Then after that grape hyacinths and tulips and everything else will be in full swing. Keep trying to tell myself not long now but equally don't want to be wishing my days away.

Hiya

Aw bless...thanks Jean:o)
Just popped in from Derbyshire....we were in the Peak District National Park today(Windy Knoll) and got caught in a snow blizzard, although we were very near a road,it could also have been in the middle of nowhere, took some photo's which l will put on blog when we get home Tuesday. We had gorgeous soup in the Bulls Head in Castleton:o)))
l have the photo's from Ann....thank you:o)

DizzieLizzie...hope you have the blog now, l can't remember it myself, if you have'nt got it perhaps someone else can sort it??

jude:o)

Jude is away for a few days, but will be back by Tuesday as Vic has an appointment.
The birds do not seem to be hungry today, just a little bit warmer so may be finding some insects.

The Moorhens seem to spending more time back next door now.I think it is because the small lake has thawed out and so they have their water back again.Although the one on it's own has been here eating the seeds today.

Looking out of the window yesterday we were surprised to see a small hawk sitting on the lower fence across the gardens, it sat there for ages, long enough to get a photo, he or she was a long way away and the photo taken from an upstairs window but I have sent it to Jude for the blog. I think she may be away at the moment though. We are not sure if it was a Kestrel or a male sparrow hawk as we were not really near enough to see and when it flew it flew away from us.

Sorry to ask again Jude - can you give me the blog address again. I wanted to have a look at the photos you've been talking about and I have it on my favourites but it doesn't seem to want to link up anymore. I tried typing the address in by hand and that wouldn't work either.

I'm glad I didn't see that programme earlier. It really doesn't bear thinking about what some people will do to others and animals.

It could have been a Buzzard Ann .I saw one sat on a hedge last week.I haven't seen so many flying around here since we have had the snow though.
Loads of crows !!,and the Pidgeons flirting with eachother on the top of the trellis fence lol

Looked out the window this afternoon and saw what looked like a small buzzard sat on the hedge next door. I thought at first, sparrow hawk, but it had a very squared off tail.