Hobbies and Crafts

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

Can it be true? I just heard a cuckoo.

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))

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!!

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.

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

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?.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

PMd you Jude.

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

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.