Hobbies and Crafts

It's always sad when birds become victims of cats or other birds. I hate to see magpies watching out to raid nests for eggs or young chicks.

We seem to get quite a few magpies and they have an awful cackle sound at times.
One did amuse me last week though.
It had found a piece of bread somewhere and brought it into our garden and placed it on the edge of the bird bath. It then tore off a bite-size piece of bread and dipped it in the water, holding it there long enough just to soften a little. With that eaten, it tore of another piece and repeated the procedure until all the hardened bread was eaten.

Not so bird brained really !

Hope Jane has a good time wherever ahe is. We came back to a dead blackbird on the patio, victim of a cat while we were not there to protect it. Poor thing, probably the one that we were feeding on the patio table, he was so tame. I have put food out in case it wasn't him but too much of a coincidence for it not to be. Sad!! :-(

Wherever you are going Jane I hope you have a lovely time.

It sounds as though it is going to be quite lively in your neighbourhood Kandj. 5 children and 3 dogs sound quite a handful. I hope any baby birds had fledged before the trees came down.

Nothing much happening here - just the usual sparrows with a few blackbirds and starlings and an occasional bluetit. There seem to be a few frogs about and they always startle me when they jump out from behind a flower pot. Yesterday one particularly large one sat and looked at me while I watered him and the plants in the trough he was sitting on. I think he thought it was raining
:-D

Away now a little while .Back late next week :-D

Ann I think 18 years ago they would not have had the accommodation there then at Three Choirs.They have 9 chalet type rooms now and a few Lodges. We will be having a White and a Rosé tomorrow with Daughter and her Fiancé :-D

Oh Kandj I do hope there were no nesting birds when your new neighbours cut the trees down. It sounds a very lively household there ,with 5 children and 3 dogs :-D :-D

Just written a whole reply to you Jane when my IPad decided to switch off and demand a password. Yes we have been to 3 choirs about 18 years ago on a work outing. They win prizes with their wines and I quite like them although they are a bit expensive. When the awful road works at Over roundabout are not there, we visit the 3 Shires garden centre down the road from there and it takes about 20 minutes.

Kandj I hope they left it until after the nesting season before cutting the trees down. Goodness five children, it will be nice watching them grow up, hopefully they will be well behaved

Hello all

Much calmer today after Hurricane Hector's strong winds that blew over pots and took away the petals on a lovely Peace rose. Pottering in the garden and tidying up is planned for today.

A young couple who moved into the bungalow opposite in January have turned this into a 5bed large family house. They are very friendly and will make use of all the added space as they have 5 children and 3 dogs. It's very different to what it was.
They have taken down a huge conifer and a tree! All a little bit sad to see this happen as blackbirds, thrushes and pigeons all nested in these trees. Such a shame

A couple of blackbirds have taken cover in a large rhododendron bush in our front garden. I am keeping my eye on them and hoping that they will stay here in safety.

As much as I love our birds I could quite happily strangle the Male Blackbird at the moment.The noise it makes when Thomas is in the garden is just so ear piercing and it goes on for ever. He even stalks Thomas and follows him around the garden screeching at him. It must have a nest of babies up in the conifer just behind our summerhouse. The noise is just relentless :-S

A White Heron has just flown over the garden :-D

We have been away for a couple of nights and the first night we were at The Three Choirs Vineyard in Newent (must be near you Ann) It was wonderful and our room opened out with a view right over the Vines .It was so hot too ,it was almost like being in Italy of the South of France.We did the wine tasting and bought a few bottles but I have to say that English wine is not quite to my taste .Maybe because I haven't had it before and it is an aquired taste. Have you been there Ann? There is a restaurant and the food was brilliant.
I haven't seen the Jay today.The food is lasting longer in the feeder :-D :-D

yes Ann, 'tis a shame about the lack of a camera, at least, last time I was watching the decision-making, do I? should I? of the last few remaining chicks...

Bob

Pity you didn’t see them go Bob, early morning maybe?

Well, today,5th June...
yesterday was quite a busy one for my tenants in the nesting box....

however it MAY have been building up to that great Adventure of Life....
Fledging..??

there has been absolutely no sign, today of the parents, , so I assume that the Birds, as they say.....

have flown...


Bon Voyage, see some of you next year, Maybe...

Thank you so much everyone for your Anniversary wishes :-D We went out for lunch and then went to the cinema to see Chesil Beach. I did enjoy the film but never could get on with the book.

The Jay seems to be a permanent fixture here now on the window feeder. I have lost count how many times I have seen it just today. It is very greedy and loves the suet pellets.The way it lands on the feeder is very strange as it seems to almost fly in backwards !!!! It's very odd lol

Happy Anniversary Jane and hubby.
I hope you are enjoying your special day.

Happy anniversary Jane and Mr Jane. Hope you are having a lovely day <3

I have seen from another thread that it is Jane's anniversary today. So HAPPY 37TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY to you both Jane, hope you enjoyed lunch.

Bob, I hope your blue tits are doing well. Shame they didn't pick the box with the camera. Keep us up to date with the news from the blue tit house.

Great to hear that there are at least 2 little cygnets, Von. Let's hope the third egg has hatched as well and they all survive.

I have seen a few young sparrows in the garden and several young starlings, who are beginning to squawk as loudly as their parents :-| They are bold little things. I watched two fluffy little starlings pecking at a slice of wholemeal bread OH had thrown out when a collared dove flew down beside them and tried to take a bit. These two little things fluttered their wings and squawked and twittered at him until he gave up and flew away. Then together they dragged the remains of the bread under a garden bench and pecked away at it in peace there :-D

That is lovely Gwyn, do hope they survive.

That is great there are 2 little survivors :-D :-D. They will be fine now.
I hope your Baby Gt Tit managed to get off the ground Von . I always fret when I see a new fledgling on the ground ,but the Parents are always about and come down tot feed them. I sometimes think we worry as much as we do when having a new baby LOL .

The Jay is still visiting the window feeder :-D. It is a whopper.

A friend showed me a photo of 2 baby cygnets with Mum. I haven't been to check on them myself, because there's a strong cold wind blowing and they are likely to be snuggled under their Mum.
I was so pleased to hear that at least 2 have hatched.

Little cygnet was basking in the afternoon sunshine yesterday, from time to time snuggling it's head into Mum's feathers.- So cute. She was still sitting firm, but not in a position where I could see whether or not there were any other babies under her.
Dad was busy foraging in the water nearby.

I'll visit again in a few days.