Hobbies and Crafts

PM'd you Glenys:o)

jude :o)

Hi Everyone,
I haven't fallen off my perch - I've been to Shropshire working in my daughters garden - now have to catch up with my own.

Her garden backs onto open fields with a view over the Shropshire Union Canal. A flock of Canada Geese arrived in the field in February. Most of them left in April, but one pair remained, and have raised a family of four goslings. The young ones have left the nest, and are covered in grey down. The family march about the field all day in single file. It is very amusing watching them emerge from the long grass, when they all become visible.
I also watched a Kestral hovering over the field most days.

Jude...........I see on the thread that Madoc is better, pleased about that.

Y/Caz..........While looking for this thread, I notice that you have been in the wars. I hope very much that you are better now.

Regards to all.
Tec.

glad you are OK Tec.

Jude, just sent you a photo of the baby hawks, was so surprised when I cropped it to 'find' the little hawk I knew was there somewhere, there were two. Couldn't see the other one when taking the photo as it was a long way down the cliff.

Evening:o))

l think it has stopped raining now....should think so too!!

Tec.... Sounds like a twitchers heaven at your daughters :o)

More pics on the blog:o))

jude

PS won't be on here for a few days, baby sitting:o))

Enjoy it Jude.

Oooo l will :o)))

jude :o) x

Hi Everyone,
Had a busy few days in the garden trying to catch up, but it looks good. Seems to be an exceptionally good year for the roses.
Usual birds about - sparrows, chaffinches, greenfinches, blackbird, doves, and juvenile jackdaws and magpies being noisy.
Still no sign of the red kites - must be nesting higher up.

A dove got into the conservatory yesterday causing chaos, tipping over plant pots, and terrorising the pair of masked lovebirds that I reluctantly inherited from my mother. I do not approve of birds in cages really. The robin has a habit of visiting them, but he behaves in a civilised manner, mopping up spilt seed around their cage.

There were seals basking in the sun on the beach today. Three adults and two pups. I haven't seen them for a while, and I've had no sightings of the dolphins that usually come into the bay around this time. The best time to spot them inshore, is early in the morning - so I must try to get up earlier.

Regards
Tec.

Did you get any photos of the seals Tec?

It said in the paper today that this year was a good one for roses.

Morning:o)

Got back from a few days at son's yesterday afternoon. Lovely time with grandson:o)

l still have some photo's to put on blog, one of young woodpecker drinking from bird bath:o))

Yes Tec......did you take any photo's of seals??

We went to Nature Park at Cannon Hill Birmingham Friday, great for kids:o)) l lost count of the amount of Magpies, they were everywhere especially as it was feeding time, they were pinching the food before the park animals got a look in (dead baby chicks etc).
Watched a pair of Lemur with their baby, gawd how cute was that:o)
A deer and 2 young beautiful, they all had darts in their rears with red tags on, wonder why that was!! Took pics not that good though. Porcu[pine were feeding on fruit, fascinating creatures, took pics last time we went.

Madoc is fine, he had to spend 2 nights at the kennels this time, but he just loves going anywhere and is so happy:o)) went berlistic when he got home though so he obviously loves US:o))))

Off to a car boot sale now. Have a good day everyone.

jude :o)

Hi Jude........

Sorry............no photo's of the seals.........yes, I know........
hopeless. Didn't have camera with me. One of those times when you just wish you did.
But.......I will try harder. Actually, it will be difficult to get a good shot - they are so well camouflaged on those rocks - sometimes it's only when one moves or rolls over you see them. Really you need a camera with a good zoom lens - or I will have to crawl over the rocks on my belly, commando style............bit past that really. I will keep a lookout this week.

Sounds like you had a wonderful time at the Nature Park, seeing all those exotic animals - bet your grand son just loved it.

It's good that Madoc likes the kennels - we have a problem with Ianto - if I am not around, he simply refuses to eat. Which means that we can only go on holiday if we can take him - no trips abroad.
If I have to go away for the day, he sits in the bay window all day watching - won't move for anything - must keep his legs crossed?
It is a real problem - but he's my dog, and worth it.

Pics on the blog are brilliant.
Regards
Tec

Hi all ~~~ just back from a week in Scotland, seen loads of wildlife, and midges !
Such a beautiful place. Saw a golden eagle but my camera is just not powerful enough to photograph so high up, such a shame. Took a pic of a young chaffinch in some castle grounds. It was obviously used to people as it just sat there on the fence twittering away..lol
Will email Jude with some other pics though and see if she can use them on her blog.

Maggie

Hi Magnolia......yes please, l'm sure l can use them.

l had a gorgeous one from Jean (Monmouth) yesterday of a butterfly, she thinks its a Painted Lady, must look it up on google.

Tec....your dog sounds so faithfull bless him, Madoc won't drink whilst we are out, but if anyone comes in to let him out or walk him he will then. He's been very restless this afternoon cause we had a thunder storm, lightening the lot:o(((

Doves been bathing in my little b/bath this afternoon, camera was up here waiting to have photo's downloaded so no photo of that l'm afraid. It would have been cute too as he had his wing up in the air so he could wash that side of his body, atleast thats what it looked like, and the rain was washing under the wing:o)))

Off to the Zoo on Wednesday for my Zoo keeper day:o))), can't wait:o))

jude :o)

More photo's on blog:o)

jude

No seals today - but it was wet and windy most of the day, and the sea was quite rough.
Does anyone see Bullfinches in their area? and does anyone know what seed I can use to attract them?
Also........Several shrubs in my garden are infested with green/blackfly, and it occurred to me that I haven't seen a single ladybird this year - and very few last year.
Has anyone else noticed this?

Regards
Tec.

Hi Tecwyn, strange you should mention Bullfinches. I have never seen one in my life until yesterday when one flew onto my fence.I chatted with my next door neighbour and she said she saw it last week while I was in Scotland. So my eyes are glued now. In my bird book it says they feed on fruit tree buds in spring(whatever that means..lol) But we have an apple tree nearby, so maybe that has drawn it here.
We too have have greenfly, the roses and my miniature Buddlia tree is coated with them...and you are right, no ladybirds anywhere...

Maggie

Hi Maggie,
It's good that you got to see a Bullfinch - maybe he will be back!
In all the years I've lived here, I've only ever seen one, for a fleeting few moments. If they eat fruit tree buds in Spring - I wonder what they eat the rest of the time?

How fortunate you were to see the Golden Eagle in Scotland - my daughter was on the Isle of Mull last summer and she saw a Sea Eagle.

This has been a very strange year for insects and things. I haven't seen so many butterflies, and different varieties for years. Also my garden has been actually "buzzing" with bumble bees, hundreds of them all over the honeysuckle until dusk on warm days.
Regards
Tec

Evening all:o)

This was way down, last post 17th june:o(

We had a ladybird indoors yesterday on Vic's t-shirt:o) A few bee's about not alot though, we have a bee house on the wall which has been used in the past but don't think so recently!
We also had tiny minisscule(sp) green caterpillers on one of our trees (in pot) eating the leaves, l sprayed it with house plant fingy and they've gone:o))

Isle of Mull what a lovely place for birds of prey....we went there as a family about 12yrs ago on safari and saw the Sea Eagle, amazing. Our daughter loved it so much she had her 30th birthday there on safari:o))

Have only seen a Bulfinch once and that was in the backgarden a couple of years ago here.

The woodpeckers are here nearlt everyday now and 5 or 6 times aday. The man in big house at the bottom of our garden has seen upto 6 at one time:o))))

Madoc has had a brilliant weekend with his pal Binky from Whitwell, they get on very well, although she did tell him off once.

We went to Hay-on-Wye today, Symonds Yat yesterday so have been quite busy. Whilst sitting drinking coffee and eating coffee cake (gorgeous) a young Nuthatch settled on the table next to us eating crumbs:o)

C yeh:o)

jude :o)

Hi Jude, thanks for putting my photos on your blog. I was so lucky to get them all. Just wish my camera was powerful enough to have filmed the eagle.......must invest in a better one.

We went to the isle of Mull while we were in Scotland and visited Tobermory (Ballamory) I was expecting it to be very commercialised and tacky, but it was a lovely village with a pretty harbour....The Spar shop was inside an old chapel complete with stained glass window. What a fantastic thing to do ! In fact the chaffinch photograph was taken in a castle grounds on Mull.

Ahh woodpeckers. We had one about 2 years ago and never seen it since, beautiful bird...

Maggie

When we lived in Bedfordshire we used to get Bullfinches in the garden, they were on the hawthorne hedge.

In the Lake District at the time share we have a welcome meeting (free wine and crisps, what's on etc. A young lady came to promote their predators experience, we didn't go as it was £35 each, it was to fly hawks etc. However the best bit was her companion at the meeting. he was the most beautiful Golden Eagle, tethered to her wrist like a hawk. He was very tame with her. When they walked out of the room he spread his wings wide, what a beautiful bird.

Zoo Keeper photo's on blog, (atlast) more tomorrow:o))

jude :o)