Hobbies and Crafts

Just browsed your Madeira photos Ann, loved the old decorated doors. Fascinating.
600+ photographs taken?? You were very busy there. Loving Luke and little Adam.

Cleaned out both birdbaths first thing. Now both pood up again. Not very happy!

A few photos of Madeira on the photo blog, not really got time to put more on at the moment but will do in a couple of weeks (I took over 600!)

Oh dear Kense.I hate it when I find a heap of feathers.
We were out yesterday and OH said that he had seen some Swifts/Swallows.I was facing the wrong way and missed them.
I rang my friend down in Devon to see if his Swallows had come back to the old farmhouse he lives in.He has always left a particular window open at the same time each year for them to come back in through to nest.But he said they haven't been back for 2 years now :-(
I can't see any nests in out garden.Not even in the Nest box on the tree.But as we have so many thick hedges I expect there will be plenty of nesting going on there.The Wood Pigeons are nesting in the Conifers.

Good new here is that the swifts are back in force. Always a relief that they have made it back.

Bad news is that there was a neat pile of dark grey feathers on the lawn this morning.

i haven't seen it but according to OH we have a great tit nesting in our sparrow box. Quite near to the house as well.

Pleased that you are home safely Ann after Madeira. You seem to have brought some sun home with you.... thanks for that.

We have been amused by a new robin.... bob bob bobbing along the wall and in full view of our lounge window. There are other birds flying about and enjoying the dry sunny day for a change too.

Glad you are home OK and had a good time Ann.

Lots of rain yesterday afternoon and evening but it's a lovely day here today.

Mum and Dad blackbird (assuming it's the same pair everytime) are in and out of the garden a lot but there's been no sign of baby bird. As for the other birds, they are around as we see them fly across the garden and occasionally stop off for a minute or two, but they aren't using the feeders. They are hung in trees but perhaps they are too near the house. The trouble is, with a small garden, everywhere is near the house. At the moment I fill the feeders, leave the stuff hanging for a couple of days, then when it has got wet and started to go yucky I throw the stuff away, clean the feeders and start again. Very frustrating.

Hi all, just to say we got home at 10.45 last night, roads very busy but thankfully no rain. Tired today but lots to do before the weekend. First wash load in. Holiday was good, liked madeira a lot and ,despite all the eating only put on a pound (all those hills I guess).

Airport was horrific due to early morning winds that meant some couldn't land. several flights, including all easy Jet flights were cancelled. we had to wait in the downstairs part, couldn't go to departures/security until our flight landed which was difficult, hundreds of people and not able to get food, which daughter needed being diabetic2. Luckily she always carried emergency food. Jet2, we couldn't fault, aborted first landing so was a bit late landing but took off more or less on time and landed Manchester on time. Now gearing up for the next one, better get some toast (no cooked breakie this morning!). :-D :-D

Safe Journey home Ann :-D

Lovely day for our last day. Sunny and very warm, shorts and sun top weather. Half packed flight at 3.15pm tomorrow so a morning to finish packing.

Hope you have been able to shed the jacket today Ann and have had some good weather :-D
Not bad here at all today.Lovely and warm (without the wind :-D ).Looks like it is going downhill now.Spots of rain just starting..It's not looking too clever for BH Monday :-S

A sheltered balcony and, yes a jacket Jane.

I love seeing the waves being whipped up Ann.Hope you have a nice warm cardi/jacket :-D

Sunny here with a coldish wind, a very strong wind whipping up the waves

The squirrel has pulled off the plastic bits on the side of the feeder now .There are lots of bits of green plastic on the ground.So that feeder is defunct now :-| :-|
The window feedr is being emptied almost as soon as I refill it.A lot of the birds are just filling their beaks as much as possible and flying off.They must be taking the food back to nests .I have been out this morning as my Sister told me they sold these Suet Pellets in Poundland.I am paying £2.25 a bag.So I thought GREAT .......But Poundland don't sell them here in our store :-S :-S.I am getting through a pack almost every day.It's costing a fortune lol.I might have to think about resorting back to seeds at this rate.

I am sure your Baby Blackbird must be safe Vera.Maybe the parents managed to entice it back to the nest.

Kandj it sounds awful weather with you.We had a lovely sunny morning and then a big hail shower about 1.30 .It now seems very still.Almost like the calm before a storm.
But still fairly bright and not cold.

It is raining hard. Might even be sleet?? Very very cold and few birds around now.

I hope your baby blackbird is safe Vera. Squirrels will eat most things Jane.

Hope you are enjoying the warm weather Ann. It is very cold back home.

We haven't seen our baby blackbird at all today, though there has been a pair of blackbirds, a male and a female, in and out of the garden all day. Hopefully baby is safe somewhere. There have also been a pair of bluetits doing acrobatics in a witch hazel and picking at something on the branches - insects of some sort maybe.

I think they go for anything but it doesn't,'t mean they actually eat them Jane. Greedy things

Any news on the Baby Blackbird Vera?
I now know why there is a heap of Nyger Seeds on the ground........It is the Squirrel !!
I just saw it hanging on the side of the feeder.Its weight was tipping the feeder so I guess that is how all the seeds are coming out of the little slots :-S.I didn't realise that Squirrels went for the Nyger Seed.

Male blackbirds do seem to take over looking after the young. One sad thing though is, if a baby is injured they seem to abandon it and concentrate on feeding the healthy ones.