Hobbies and Crafts

Thankyou Ann..........

I can't find anything like that locally, but am hoping to get over to Shrewsbury shortly, so I may find something like you describe there.

Regards
Tec.

Tec........l have the same sort of thing as Ann:o))

jude

Cooee everyone, where are you?? ....:o)

Wellll we now have a thrush visiting again, he's been around the past couple of days, needless to say l have'nt seen him though. The nuthatch is back, could be a youngster and 2 woodpeckers, apparently 6 have been seen in garden at bottom of ours and another neighbour had 4....lucky people. The chaffinches and greenfinches are also back. Aww and a baby bluetit (l think) got shut in the green house, when he flew out it sat on fence for a good 5 mins getting his breath back bless him, it must have been boiling in there:o((((

My sister could'nt stand it today and did some weeding in my garden, l knew she would'nt last much longer!!! lol

Dog sitter here tomorrow as we're away for a few days:o)
Take care:o)

jude :o)

Hi Jude,
I don't know where everyone's gone , but is is very quiet on this thread.
Could you send some of your Woodpeckers up here, I would love to see one. We've had the usual sparrows, chaffinches, young robins, and the blackbirds have reappeared, doves, and this morning I counted 15 jackdaws after I'd filled the feeders. They drive me mad.
We get lots of seagulls on the roof, but they never land in the garden, but if I throw bread etc over the stone wall into the field they come down then. It is an offence to feed seagulls here, and you can be fined if caught. I find that so ridiculous - if you live at the coast you expect seagulls - they were here first.
Just been on the beach with Ianto, deserted as usual, but the oystercatchers are back I see.
If your sister is desparate todo some weeding, there are plenty here!

Regards
Tec.

Hi Jude,
Sorry I didn't reply earlier,
Black mountains a picturesque area to walk with loads of wildlife and birds.
I'm in North Gwent half a mile from the border with Powys, near Ebbw Vale.
Hope you enjoy your few days away :)
Sandie.x

Sandie, what a lovely area to live.

It is Ann,
but not as beautiful as where I was brought up , Clydach a village 6 miles west of Abergavenny. Google Clydach Gorge.
The gorge is full of huge beech tree and tumbling streams and waterfalls. Fields of bluebells.All types of birds and wildlife in abundance, magnificent Jays( but they play havoc with the veg crops ).I remember going on Nature walks with my teachers whilst in junior school ( I lived next to the school) and I could probably have told the teachers more than they told me, cos they were townies.lol.and had heard or learnt it all before from my parents:)

l'm back:o))) exhausted, grandson has worn us both out:o)))
Nite nite....lol
jude:o)

Sounds an idyllic childhood Sandie.

Jude, you have the weekend to recover now!

Hello Sandie....me and Vic must go and see Clydach one day it sound lovely. Crickhowell is lovely too, the old church and the monestry,(tis a monestry is'nt it?) we walked all round there some yrs ago.

Vic loved his walk last week on the Black Mountains:o)

He's at Fairford today so it was my job to feed the birds.....as soon as l got to the bird tables 2 blackbirds landed on the fence, bless em, l was abit late and l could hear them having a right go at me!! lol

Since then there have been quite alot of the usual flitting about everywhere. Got home from shopping about an hr ago to see blackbird washing in the bath. Still got loads of collared doves.
The woodpecker landed on the bigger table aswell, he usually just feeds off the nut.

l wrote this about 2 hrs ago, neighbour called in so only just finished it.

jude :o)

Afternoon all:o)

We have been inundated with young sparrows this morning, loads of em, approx 20 or more, l think they have heard there is loads of seed here, bought some new stuff in Webbs near Halesowen on Fri, its for Gold Finches has all sorts in (hang on l'll go and look).........rite it has:
Black sunflower, Niger, Red Dari, Black Rapeseed, Yellow millet, Red Millet, Linseed, Naked oats and other small seeds.....not heard of Red Dari before. Can't see the make as Vic has cut the top off't!!!

The Crow was in the bath this morning did'nt see if he bathed or not though, would it be great if he had:o))

Ok must go, have a good day everyone. Been raining here but stopped for now!!

jude :o)

OOoops me again....forgot to say Jean has sent me more photo's will get them plus others on blog asap :o)))

jude

Hi,

Sandie.......Clydach sounds wonderful, and if I'm ever in the area I shall make a point of visiting. You were also fortunate in that your parents took time to teach you the ways of nature and the countryside.
I was also fortunate in that way, as my grandfather, who was a real countryman, spent endless hours teaching me about birds, animals, all wildlife, trees, wild flowers etc. Consequently,I've had a lifelong interest in these things. I do sometimes wonder if anyone bothers, or has time, to teach todays children about such things. I do hope so.

Jude.........That wild bird food you bought sounds good. The one I buy is called "Feathered Friends" it costs £8-50p for a 12.5 kg bag. Contains - Whole Wheat, Black Sunflower, Striped Sunflower, Kibbled Maize, Red & White Millet, Black Rape Seed, Canary Seed, Hemp, Naked Oats,
Doesn't have Niger, or the Dari Seed you mentioned.

Regards
Tec.

Over the last few days we have had a young robin visiting, he is a scruffy little soul, always looks bedraggled but he is very friendly and very inquisitive. This evening he was perched on the back of one of the chairs at the little garden table right outside our lounge window looking in at me.

hi folks
Especially Ann, Jude and Techwyn who replied personally :)
Please excuse any typo errors as I am on hubby's laptop!

Jude I don't think thre is a monestery in Crickhowell !
I went to pay my newspaper bill this morning and noticed that they were selling a small paperback book on Clydach Gorge for £9,i,m sure you'd find more on the net that was in there.

Ann we still have my dads house in Clydach and did think of moving back there when he died , but my children were young and we didn,t want to move then from their friends,and it is 3 miles from the nearest town, the village school sadly closed quite a few yrs ago.yes it was an iddilc childhood,
We (just friends) useed to go for picnics on the moutains on both sides of the valley,goodness I wouldn't have left my children that far away from the house and for so long !We would be out all day !! and have the time of our lives,

Tecwyn, I don't know how far you live from Clydach,but it is well worth a visit, I am biased I know,but the walks and scenery are beautiful
There are loads of tourist guides about the walks around Clydach,
Shakespeare was supposrdly wriiten many of his works,while living in one of the many caves in the valley.

H

Hi Folks,

Lots of birds in the garden today, perhaps because the weather was so nasty this morning, but has cleared now. The greenfinches are also back.

Jude......It's brilliant that you have lots of sparrows around. We have had more baby sparrows this year than ever - pleased about that.

Ann.........We had an "ugly duckling" of a robin turn up a few weeks ago, but
now is quite smart - he is also very tame - I am hoping to get to hand feed him in time, as I have with several robins over the years.

Sandie...........I live in North West Wales, so am quite a way from Clydach.
All my maternal ancestors were farmers in the Vale of Glamorgan. I am hoping that one day I can get to that area to find some of the farms. Maybe I could do a detour then to Clydach. However, as my wife is very unwell, it won't be any time soon.........it sounds beautiful

Regards
Tec.

Hi all
We always have robins always very cheeky but often quite tame , hubby plants the garden and they usually land on his spade or fork, left there whilst he's away, but soon come back and are around him when he's digging.
Haven't managed to hand feed them yet.
Tecwyn there are 2 Clydachs in South Wales ( I suppose you know this , but lots don't )
Where I lived was a village in South East Wales in the Brecon Beacons National Park,cos of boundary changes it is now in the county of Monmouthshire, but still in the BBNP , the other Clydach is in the Swansea Valley, South West.
Sorry that you wife is unwell, I hope with time you will both be able visit Glamorgan and possible Clydach.
Coincidence my son is in Glamorgan Uni:)

Hi Folks,
Every time I go into the garden over the past week or so, a dunnock has followed me around, much like a robin does. It is constantly making a "peep peep" at me. Today it did the same but within a few minutes four others turned up - how odd?

Sandie.........Yes I know which Clydach you mean in the BBNP. My area is in the Snowdonia National Park, which is wonderful, until you want to make alterations to your property, then the Planning Dept are most particular - which is understandable sometimes I suppose. Small price to pay for being here. I spent many years all over the world, but would not wish to live anywhere else.

Regards
Tec.

Sitting here watching the birds..............

But.........Where have all the twitchers disappeared too?

Was it something I said?

Regards
Tec.

Still here tec, not got many birds at the moment, one lone goldfinch, scruffy little robin, lots od sparrows and starling, about 4 blackbirds M&F, 2 wood pigeons and 2 Collard Doves are our daily visitors.

Ann