Hobbies and Crafts

Not a lot of birds here at daughters too cold and wet I think. And now, after being let out for the first time since moving, one day after, male cat has gone missing, not been seen since Thursday night. :-(

I was very impressed by the swallows as well and quite disappointed to learn they were starlings after all.

Not much in the way of bird life today except for 4 silly blackbirds who were perched on the top of the fence in the pouring rain looking very miserable. They didn't seem to have the sense to go and shelter somewhere :-S

We went into town yesterday and parked in the car park with some high laurel bushes directly in front of us. Sitting in the car we could see, just at eye level, in amongst the laurel leaves was a bird nest and it looked newly constructed. There was a little robin hopping around and the nest was like a robin's nest but it looked a bit big. I hope the mild weather we have had hasn't confused it into thinking it's OK to raise a family now.

Awh Kandj ...Just the blooming Starlings :-S...I thought you were so lucky to have all those Swallows this late in the year too LOL

A really happy year for you Maryanna and more happy times and fun ahead! Brilliant.

Quite mild here again today but blustery. Kept twisting clothes around the line. I was just pleased that they dried and I didn't have to retrieve any items from next door.

Ooops! Sorry, I meant to type Starlings and not Swallows here in our garden. We only have boring/aggressive Starling in abundance here. Apologies to everyone.

You have had a few parties this year Maryanna, this one will be lovely with the newest editions there. <3

That is going to be some party Maryanna :-D :-D Is this the family complete now ..or might there be more babies to come??? :-D..

Thank you Vera and kandj. We are having a big family get together to celebrate three birthdays in a couple of weeks.

Everyone can meet everyone else then !!

M.

That's lovely news Maryanna.

I had a granddaughter and a grandson born within two months of each other. They are now 15 and live at opposite ends of the country but are real pals. I hope your two little ones grow up to be great friends too.

Oh Maryanna, that is such good news.

Many congratulations to the new parents and welcome to baby.

A granddaughter and now a grandson so close together. Such happy news indeed.

I have posted on General and Garden threads but just in case you haven't seen them, my daughter gave birth at 10.30 yesterday evening. They were all home by 2.30 am this morning. It was a very quick and easy delivery, not like last time.

Despite the gestational diabetes he weighed only 7lb 3oz and is doing fine, daughter is looking very well, is full of beans and has only put on a few pounds.

Baby has been given the same name as my grandad who was named after his uncle who won a VC, I am over the moon.

M.

I haven't ever seen swallows on the feeders, and like Jane, not seen any for ages.

Crumbs Kandj
I haven't seen Swallows here for a while now.I thought they had all gone !!!!

It's been blowing a hoolie here today with things going over in the garden.Luckily the washing stayed on the line and actually dried :-D.I had visions of it flying off over the hedge into next doors garden lol

Hello all

We have just had the biggest crowd of Swallows here for less than 5 minutes, who have eaten everything on the ground feeder and managed to knock the window feeder on to the floor with their aggressive ways....... I am not a happy bunny!!

Poor Thomas. He probably hid under a bush somewhere until he was sure it was safe to come out. Our Mitzi, who is normally very calm, spent the evening cowering under the kitchen table but at least I knew she was safe.

Very few birds yesterday. They were probably too waterlogged to fly and if they had got off the ground they would have been blown off course. There was a bit of a kerfuffle this morning and when I looked out there were about a dozen collared doves in the garden. We don't usually get that many at a time. Haven't seen many other birds at all.

Worrying time last night when Thomas didn't come home :-S.I tried calling him in from 5pm on and there was no sign.The fireworks were very loud and some very nearby.
I gave up just after 11 and went to bed but got up at 3am and went out to call again.He came running
:-D.Poor thing must have been petrified. :-(

I have decided now to keep him in for the rest of today as I am sure there will be more bangs going off tonight.He won't be happy but at least I will have peace of mind.

Hardly any birds about today here.The window feeder is still half full from being filled this morning.

Bird Over load at Maryannas !!!!....That was an incredible amount :-D :-D

It's been quiet here today.Probably because it has been so wet.
Vera our birds have to use a very mucky birdbath sometimes. and I don't think they give two hoots :-).As long as there is water in there they are quite happy :-D..It's the dirty birds that poop in there that are the problem .Have they no shame??

Poor Cat is freaking out.He got really spooked last night with fireworks. I hadn't got him in before next door kicked off with loud bangs and whizzes .He hid for ages under the bed.But he has just now heard some bangs and is not happy.
Tomorrow night the big park is having their Firework Display.It is about 1 mile from us but if the wind is blowing in the right direction it sounds like it is all in the back garden :-S :-S.So the TV will be turned up as loud as we can stand it.
He has now legged it up the stairs :-(

Oh no Vera, the birds enjoy a clean bath (I think), the fact that they sometimes dip in our water feature even when it has not been cleaned out is neither here nor there. :-D :-D

I'm very jealous of all the bird activity you and Jane get Maryanna. I get excited and rush to post if I see one bluetit in the garden!

Another very wet day here. Yesterday I stood out in the pouring rain cleaning the bird bath and filling all the feeders. OH thought I was mad. Perhaps he is right :-D

Hope your little one arrives soon.

yes maybe they are looking for a new roosting site Maryanna. How strange though to get all those birds at once.

Hinkley point sounds interesting, may have to think about a visit.

glad little one is doing well and hope your daughter doesn't have to wait too much longer. :-) <3

On Sunday we visited a new Wild fowl and wetlands place just up the coast near Hinkley Point. It is very new still but it will be interesting to see how the birds take to it.

It was very foggy which turned to drizzle but there were. Swans, Shellduck, Mallards, Herons and some Waders and other things I couldn't identify.

We are back in Surrey at present awaiting the new baby. Sitting in bed earlier loads of Gulls were circling. Then, in the time it took Himself to shave, I looked out of the window, mainly because the Blackbird was getting in a tizz.

First a flock of about a dozen blue tits appeared and around half of them got in the bird bath. One flew up to the window, sat on the sill and looked in at me. They were followed by about eight great tits. At the same time a pair of Wood Pigeons and a Squirrel appeared on the lawn, only the 4th time in thirty years I have seen one in the garden.

There were three male and two female Blackbirds, who are all still squabbling, then the Robin arrived followed by a pair of Collared Doves then a load of Jackdaws.

A few moments ago a crowd of Starlings flew into the Sparrows tree so they are all shouting at each other, there is a right commotion going on out there.

I can see about five Magpies in the big tree in the field behind and a flock of fancy pigeons just flew over.

By the time Himself came out of the bathroom most of them had gone. I don't know what is going on, in ten minutes there was more bird activity than for most of the Summer and there's not even very much in the way of food out there.

Think I might shut the windows !!!!.

M.