Hobbies and Crafts

It’s a while since anyone posted on here. We have been a bird free zone for a month or two, apart from a few blackbirds and pigeons but I think the harsh weather has suddenly brought them back to the garden. This morning I’ve seen lots of blackbirds but also blue tits, great tits, a couple of sparrows, a few starlings and, what really pleased me, 4 goldfinches :-)

Yes she was and her first grandchild due in a few weeks too <3

I'm so sad to read this Ann. Jane was a lovely lady <3

Jane was in 2019 a member of this thread and most of you will know from other threads that she has been very ill ver the past year. We have received the following message from Jane's daughter. I am putting it here so that as many of her friends as possible get to know the news.

It’s Hannah here, Jane's daughter.

I am sorry to have to share the news that mum died yesterday evening. When the time came it was very quick and she was comfortable. Her sister Janice and brother in-law Larry had visited her that same day. Me, Dad, James, Gareth and even Thomas the cat were all with her in those final moments at home - just how she wanted.

She leaves a huge void in her passing some of which we will fill with lovely memories of her. The world we find ourselves in currently means that we may have to find ways to grieve and remember her in ways that feel different to what we are used to being able to do. I hope you can cherish those fond memories or moments you had with her and if there were any you would like to share with me I would love to hear them if you felt able to.

All of your messages and photo’s were such a comfort to her - and knowing that she was getting them was such a comfort for us all as we could see how much they meant to her.

I have been able to find a few emails for people I knew mum spoke with online but if you could let others know I would be very grateful.

Not many birds around at all Vera. Maybe it is because there are so many berries on the trees and other natural foods for them.

I saw a couple of sparrows on the feeders this morning. I know that doesn’t sound much but we used to get lots of them all the time, then a year or two back they just disappeared, so I am pleased to see even a couple. Otherwise, apart from the pigeons and collared doves, there are only a few bluetits at the moment.

Not many birds here Vera and our goldfinches have disappeared I wonder if it is because there are teasels, thistles, sunflowers and other grasses with lots of natural seeds for them to eat

Lucky you Ann. I haven’t seen any woodpeckers round here though I expect there are some. I’m also wondering where our goldfinches have gone. We didn’t have loads but we had a couple of adults who were around every day and then in the summer we saw two young ones as well. A couple of weeks ago they just suddenly disappeared :-(. In fact there don’t seem to be many birds around at all, just a few bluetits, an occasional robin and starlings that come and go.

For the first time in the 28 years we have lived here we had a spotted woodpecker in the garden this morning. It was hanging upside down on the fat cake that is in a container on the apple tree and stayed quite a while having a good feed before roaming around on the trunk of the tree and then flew off. Lovely to watch it but of course no camera to hand.

The bee eaters are really colourful, Pat.

I don't remember seeing them when we lived in Cyprus.

We did have a lot of swifts swooping in from the nearby wadi.
They nested in the eaves of our rented house. I didn't know they were there until contractors were renewing the wood and disturbed the nests. Presumably there was no legislation back then regarding timing of such work.
A poor little baby bird, bald except for a few tufts on each wing was on the ground. We had to give it a chance, so took it indoors, out of the summer heat to try to help it. The workmen must have seen us because soon there was a knock at the door and before we could answer, they left 2 more babies for us. We fed them on flies and other insects and managed to rear them to a decent size before handing them on to another UK couple, when we had to move.

I didn't see one swift, swallow or martin this summer, when out for my walks. House martins used to regularly nest on the house opposite us and I used to enjoy watching their busy nest-building and feeding.

Although still hot I know it autumn due to the birds. About a month ago I noticed the swallows, swifts and house martins collecting together and then there was none.

Today I'm watching the bee eaters gathering so they'll be gone soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMmfrUD98SM

Interesting trip the Gwyn, reading about it I wondered what I was going to read next??

Daughter and I went shopping, this evening.
I have to wait for her to drive the car away from near the front door, before I can get in and just as I was about to do that, a frog hopped under the car. Out came the torch and eventually we noticed it had hopped out the other side of the car, so I ushered it further onto the neighbour's garden and we set off.
We had just gone a short distance on the next road, when we saw 3 young fox clubs on the side of the road. Luckily, 2 of them didn't decide to make a dash and join the one on the other side.
After a quick shop, we noticed we'd had a brief light shower of rain, so thought we'd better watch out for the frog at home. Sure enough, it was there on the edge of the driveway, but we managed to park without mishap. It was probably eyeing up the large collection of snails on our grass, out enjoying the much-needed rainfall.
Quite a 'wildlife' evening for our brief shopping trip.

After reading about bees needing a drink I followed instructions and filled a plant pot saucer with large pebbles and keep this topped up with water for bees to drink from. Not actually seen them drinking but it is there if they need it. Apparently they can drown if the drinking water is too deep, seems they don’t know to avoid deep water.

We put up a bee box last year and it was ignored but this year the bees have discovered it and I’ve been fascinated watching them flying in and out and filling the holes. I think that a couple of holes have been filled by the red mason bee but it’s mostly leaf cutter bees. They seem to have decided that one of my hostas makes good nesting material so all its leaves now have very neatly scalloped edges. It’s worth putting up with a few chewed leaves for the pleasure of watching them and knowing that we’re doing our tiny bit for our pollinators.

I’ve also been watching bees and wasps drinking from the bird bath. It’s a wonder to me that they don’t slip in and drown.

Re: the birdbath. From an upstairs window I saw what looked like a layer of scum on the water. When I checked the whole surface was covered in tiny bubbles. I’ve never seen anything like it nor had OH. To be on the safe side he gave it all a good flush out with the hosepipe and then refilled the bath. I’ll check on it in the morning.

I didn't see it but it made OH jump as they flew over his head. We do get the occasional sparrow hawk call in but not usually as dramatically as that. We get lots of calls circling overhead and calling but they don't often land in the garden.

Gosh Ann. That must have been dramatic to watch.
I know it's only nature, but a catch wouldn't have been pleasant so close to you.

Nothing much happening here in the way of bird sightings, but plenty of noise from the family of seagulls nesting on the kitchen roof. Unfortunately, the 3 young still have a lot of down covering, so we've got our lodgers for a lot longer yet.
I wish they weren't so vocal so early in the morning. As soon as it's light, they start calling some mornings.

When OH was siting outside with his coffee there was a lot of noise behind him suddenly a bird flew really fast down the garden and through the apple tree followed by another bird going even faster which didn't manage to turn through the apple tree, shot off to the left and landed at speed among the wild flowers. OH thought it would have been hurt but no the bird emerged and shook its head and flew off, it was a sparrow hawk obviously outwitted that time.

Lots of Peacock butterflies on the Buddleia today plus a few small Tortoise shell.

A few weeks back we had loads of birds, lots of blue and great tits feeding and several blackbirds. They all seem to have deserted us now. We wonder if they were feeding young before but now only having themselves to feed they can find enough bugs. We do have a lot of bees but only one or two butterflies so far.