Hobbies and Crafts

Yes Von, send Jude your pics. I for one would love to see them. Amazing again today, never seen so many starlings. They have doubled in number.Something disturbed them and one lot flew off, then the other and they met in flight, looking like a cloud in the sky. There must be hundreds. Can't wait for tomorrow ..lol

Maggie

Don't the starlings get ready to fly off to Spain this time of year? Well the ones that came here from Spain for the summer.

This morning in the hedge outside our window were the tiniest little birds, a bit smaller than a blue tit, they were greyish with yellow chests and heads much like a wren with a tiny pointed beak, must look them up in the bird book in the car.

I don't think I have seen starlings here.Some years ago there were hundreds and they would all fly together into our fir trees for the night.They made such a racket too.
Saying that ,I think they were starlings.Could they have been sparrows???? I'm not sure now lol

Ann I think those tiny birds would be Goldcrests, along with the Firecrest it is the smallest British bird, not sure if it's the european one as well.
They are quarter of an inch shorter than the wren, we used to watch them a lot in a place we went birdwatching.
Hope you are enjoying your holiday.

Caz xx

Just read your post again and not sure now I've seen yellow chest.

Hi
I will send the photos if someone will be kind enough to pm me and tell me how to upload the pictures.
Thanks
Von

Hello Everyone,

Talking of starlings, one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen was in Aberystwyth last October. I first heard them, then a cloud of thousands of starlings came into view. The varying flight patterns were fascinating as they changed direction wheeling and whirling around the sky in unison, as if obeying a central command. They came over in three waves, following the coast from south to north. That was a sight I shall never forget - spectacular.
My garden birds are slowly returning here. Today we had the usual sparrows, chaffinches, doves, and of course jackdaws. Also bluetits, a great tit, robin who sang all day in the apple tree, and greenfinches.

Yesterday I spotted a raven. He wheeled about above me for a while, and I couldn't make out what it was, then he landed on the roof of a stone barn, making the characteristic kind of croaking noise they make.
The buzzards and red kites are also back.

Regards to everyone,
Tec

Hello Everyone....just flew in to say more photo's on blog:o)

jude :o)

Hi all I'm back again. Had a lovely holiday in Cornwall and even got a better tan than I did in Spain earlier in the year.

I've read back over the days I've missed to catch up. Tec we used to see low flying aircraft over OH's parents' farm in Devon. You felt you could touch them if you were walking down the field. One of the dogs used to think she could chase them like she did the crows. Not sure what they were - some kind of jet fighter. As far as the garden goes I think I may have enough to be going on with here. We had the tree surgeon in to take lots of dead wood, too high to reach safely, out of the weeping willow so a lot of weight was taken out. We need to look after that as it provides a lot of cover, roosting and perching for the birds.

We visited some lovely places in Cornwall. We went to the Eden Project to see what it was like and I thought it would be over-hyped but it's not, it's fascinating and very good value for money even for a day ticket, but just by gift aiding the price they give you an annual ticket for the same price so we can go back and see it in another season. In the mediterranean biome there was a little robin posing for all the visitors who wanted to snap it. It certainly knew what it was doing.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan are fantastic too. 200 acres of formal garden, woodland, farmland and "jungle" to explore. They have a wonderful wildlife project area with a hide and cameras to see more of what's going on. But we were lucky the day we went as there was plenty happening in front of our eyes. So many lovely birds to see and lots of good information provided too.

We walked a bit of the South West Coastal Path one day from Cape Cornwall to Lands End which is of course beautifully rugged. We saw gulls feeding their young right in front of us. And back in St Ives harbour we saw storm petrels too.

Magnolia, when I was young we used to have the clouds and wires of starlings where we lived then too. I agree it is an amazing sight. Dad managed to capture a bit of it one evening at sunset on his now old fashioned, but then all the rage Super 8 Cine camera - out of the toilet window would you believe. My brother has that now, but I'll never forget it.

YCaz I'm not sure those birds were goldcrests. They have a little golden stripe from the top of their beak to the nape of their neck. We had a few last year but I haven't seen them since the heavy snow last winter. I hope they come back - they look for all the world like the snitch in Harry Potter films when they fly about, they're so small, or maybe flying ping pong balls.

The birds seem to be more evident again in the garden after having to concentrate on their babies - they must try and hide a bit then I suppose. Earlier this week we had a couple of coal tits back on the feeder. Their tails are longer than they are. And today it was sunny and still enough to go back down the garden and just enjoy sitting by the river and watching. There's a wild area on the other side and a couple of the larger trees reach over and meet ours so it feels quite secluded. A little robin came and sat by us for a chat. And we could see more birds going to the feeder at the top of the garden. We were even lucky enough to see a green woodpecker while we were down there. He flew over and stopped in our alder tree right above us very briefly until he realised we and two of our cats were down below - not that they were concerned, lazy bones. The canada geese still seem to head north-south at about 8.30 in the morning and back again just before dusk. I wonder how much longer that will be? We also saw a buzzard wheeling high on a thermal in the distance looking for lunch.

We've got quite bumper crops of berries round here this year too. The sloes are like bunches of grapes! There are also lots of hips, haws and elderberries. So I was wondering about a hard winter too. But for myself I shall enjoy the gin I'm making. I made sloe gin for the first time last year having moved to the countryside and decided to make use of some of nature's bounty. It was only a small amount but it sure hit the spot! I know I'm not supposed to make it until there's been a frost but because of the huge harvest I'm experimenting. I couldn't resist picking some in late August so I have a brew going already. Then according to the website I'm using for advice September is really the earliest you should make it and I have a nice haul to start off tonight during a little fun family activity. Then we went on another sloe hunt to check where I might find some more if other people have the same idea for after the first frost. So I'll have three batches to try and that should mean I can do the best thing and have enough to save for next year too after I've used some for gifts. Then from next year I'll be making it a year in advance for best results as they say.

Lor lumme, that's an essay. I've used up nearly all my space.

I am pretty certain they were not goldcrests Caz. Can't find them in the bird books either but I think that is because they were juvenile 'something's' one of the warblers we think maybe! Pity we couldn't get photos

When I woke at 6 this morning I decided to look out of the window as it was not fully light. The other day when I woke then I could still hear owls calling so I thought maybe I'd be lucky to see one. I wasn't but the heron flew across all the neighbouring gardens looking for his breakfast stop. That was quite a sight in the half light.

Also yesterday my son and I could hear a knocking on wood half way down the garden. We went to investigate and it was coming from one remaining fence panel between us and a neighbour. Over the years trees and hedge have grown up so the fence became redundant and not replaced as it gave up. Son was tall enough to lean right over and look. Somehow he didn't disturb a little lesser spotted woodpecker having a go at the fence for some reason - perhaps he was practising. He could even put his finger on our side of the fence in the corresponding place and feel the knocking on the other side. Little thing must have been concentrating so hard it didn't fly away even though we were both so close.

It's quite a sight to see the Heron flying in isn't it DizzieLizzie, although we always saw it in daylight when it visited our pond.
I realised they were not Goldcrests when I read Anns post again and added an edit on.
Last few weeks we have the Rooks back, they make a racket twice a day both going and coming home. We used to hear them on their way home at other house, now they must live close to us as they fly round for quite a long time before all going off together for the night.

Caz

I am surprised the woodpecker didn't scarper,they are easily scared off.I still haven't managed to get a decent photo of our one.It just needs to spot a slight movement and it is gone.
Our one was hopping around merrily on the lawn yesterday for a while.It does make me smile as I think it is quite comical.

I don't know what going on here this morning!! All the birds are going a bit crazy.My roof was covered in starlings and they have flicked lots of bits of moss down on the drive and patio.Now there seem to be a few wagtails up there doing the same thing,and finches are flying around like they have the wind up their tails lol
Also lots of purple bird poo lol

I started a new job on Tuesday for 2 and a half days a week which I'm enjoying but yesterday morning as I was going round shutting windows and locking up I saw the swans go by on the river from my bedroom window and I just didn't have time to go out and say hello. They still have 6 cygnets - nearly as big as their parents now but still evenly grey. Soon they'll start to look scruffy as their feathers change. We haven't seen this family as regularly as last year's family but they are kind enough to pop by when we have guests - must put in a booking for tomorrow. I wonder if the kids will be ASBOs like last year's lot, they were so greedy when we were feeding them. While we shared out food they'd peck the toes of your shoes on the bankside if they thought they'd missed out.

And we haven't seen the coots and moorhens much since they had their chicks in early summer, although I saw one on its own this morning but it was being hooshed away by some ducks.

It's been gorgeous weather to spend time outside the past week so, hope it holds for my friends visiting tomorrow for their first time here.

There seems to be more birds at the feeder lately so the food's going quicker. I made a fat ball in a coconut shell only the other day and I already need to make another one. We had a lamb roast in our garden recently for a big celebration and I now have a huge tub of fat that ran off it in the shed that the man was going to get rid of.

I saw your picture of the starlings on the blog Von. That really took me back a few years. I think the Canada geese must have started their long journey as I haven't seen or heard them fly over the past few days.

Hello Everyone,
As the days get shorter, the birds seem to get hungrier, although there are still plenty of bugs about. Many of the regular birds are waiting for me to replenish the feeders in the mornings.
A squirrel visits most days, his acrobatics are most amusing, also a cute little field mouse has taken to mopping up spilt seed beneath the feeders.
The starlings that nested in the eaves are back roosting up there at night, I don't know if they are the parents, or the new brood, even all of them.

The resident flock of hooligan jackdaws continue to infuriate me, but the magpies seem to have disappeared. There are now three buzzards regularly overhead, they seem to come down off the mountain around midday, maybe a breeding pair with this years baby. I thought the red kites were back, but haven't seen one in over a week.
I heard three owls this evening, just after dusk, two were tawny owls, the other may have been a little owl, going by the call.

Haven't seen the swallows in over a week, maybe they have gone?

Yanto continues to get more geriatric, poor old chap. He is having increasing difficulty jumping into the back of the car. He no longer lifts his back legs high enough. I will try making a ramp for him to walk up, but I'm sure he won't use it - he is very suspicious of anything new.

I hope everyone is well. I read all your posts with great interest.

Regards to all,
Tec.

We are getting more birds again now, the sparrows are back and we have two or three male blackbirds in the garden at once, the goldfinches are around plus blue tits, Great tit, robin Dunnock and starlings, and, of course the doves. OH thought he saw a black cap yesterday as well on the feeder.

Poor Ianto, must be frustrating for him not being able to do what he used to do.

I heard the woodpecker having another go at the fence panel yesterday. I can't believe how bold it is as I was able to put my finger on our side of the fence like my son did the other day. But I'm not tall enough to lean over and see it. I think I'd make too much of a disturbance if I tried and I wouldn't have a hope. Son is 6'4" - he has at least 6" over me and he was able to lean his head very carefully and quietly into next door's bushes.

It was our first misty morning today but it's burnt off now to another gorgeous day. This morning when I got up I saw a deer in the farmers field over the back. I haven't seen any for months so that was a treat.

I saw a couple of robins having a bust up over territory in the wild area on the other side of the river a couple of days ago. And the ducks that come for feeding are 2 ducks and 6 drakes and one or two of the drakes are a bit aggressive with each other.

Having moved her just about a year ago it seems like now is the time to see the deer on the farmland the other side of the river as I've seen them most mornings this week when I've opened the curtains. I suppose once the houses this side of the river have all woken up there's too much human activity for them to be evident later in the day.

The birds are going through the food we put out much quicker again now, so I need to make another fat ball already. We had some kind of wagtail at the bottom of the garden this morning - we haven't noticed them before in the garden though we've seen them around when we've been out for walks.

It seems a good harvest for fruits and berries this year so I wonder if that's a clue that it's going to be another hard winter?

Lots of sparrows eating the suet, plus the usual starlings. Great tits and blue tits eating the seeds, blackbirds enjoying a bath in the water feature, certainly more activity now.

Ann
Glos