Hobbies and Crafts

Jane I can't find anything to suggest they have more than one nest. But I did find that they chip away at the entrance to the nesting box.

Intriguing, isn't it?

If only we could be like Dr Dolittle at times............

Just saw this on the news link.......
A very big earthworm !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37861928

aaw but how sad that they had to kill him. Still I suppose he would have made a tasty meal for a large bird. He almost looks like a slow worm.

One would think that they could have kept him in a raised bed or similar, which had some sort of protective netting.

I thought it was a shame they killed him.

No birds seen visiting my block feeders yet.
I don't feed during the summer, but starlings especially eat me out of house and home, at times.
I guess they'll come back, when they are ready..........

Hi Gwyn the birds seem to be feeding more now that it has turned colder. We feed all year round as advised by RSPB.

I stopped feeding, when the birds stopped visiting after their young had flown. The food was out for weeks, so I thought I'd start again when the weather changed, which I did.

If RSPB recommend feeding all year, I'm happy to do so next summer.

Birds of all sizes like to use the birdbath all year for bathing or drinking.......seagulls to sparrows, which is why I was surprised when they stopped taking from the feeder.

Maybe there is sufficient natural food in your area, although we have food up the road. or maybe we have lazy birds. We don't get so many in the summer but still get blue and great tits and goldfinches and sparrows. :-)

It is all a bit quiet here bird wise. Lots of Blackbirds on the lawn at times getting worms.I think I counted 8 the other morning. The window feeder is mainly Chaffinch and Gt Tits. Chaffinch still being a bully :-S

I heard from Kandj and she is still not going to be posting on this thread for a while as her days are so busy looking after her OH. Thinking of you Kandj <3

Cold cold night again here .We had the first frozen Birdbath this morning and scraping of the windscreens on the cars.

<3 <3 <3 <3 Kandj

There seemed to be more birds around today Jane. We had a lot of blackbirds as well.

Apart from a blackbird or pigeon now and then, it is still mainly sparrows here. We usually see 5 or 6 at a time and they empty the seed feeder at a rate of knots. They seem to like the fat balls as well.

It's been very cold here for a few days and yesterday there was a bitter, very strong, wind. I watched 2 sparrows on the feeder trying to eat as the wind was blowing them around. They were probably fed up but they did look funny - just as though they were on a fairground swing boat. As one went up, the other came down. Eventually they gave up and flew away.

Thinking of Kandj <3

It always amazes me how these tiny little birds can hang on to feeders in high wind.They must have very strong little feet LOL
I have just noticed that the window feeder is almost empty,so it must have been a busy day.
There are still a lot of Magpies about .I hadn't really realised how big they are.The Wood pigeons seem to have vanished for now.I don't think I have seen any in the garden for a little while.

The hedgehog must have gone to hibernate now as there has been no mess on the patio for about a week.So I have stopped putting out the food now as it will be just the mice eating it.

Hi Everyone :-)

Ann reminded me of the Bird and Wildlife thread.

I have a privet hedge, which has been full of House Sparrows for years.
I came across feeders for small birds in our town's £1 shop, so I bought one with seeds and another with 3 fat balls.

I then made a "make-shift" feeding station using an old clothes line prop and a branch of a tree.
I forced the thinner end of the tree branch through the hook at the top of the prop, then pushed the line prop into the garden near the hedge, secured by some larger stones.
I then hooked the feeders, one each side of the pole onto the branch, secured tightly with shoe laces. Then I firmly pushed the thicker end of the branch into the hedge.

Well, it's been a huge success!
Having read on a website that the sparrow population is down by 80%, I am pleased to be helping them through the winter months.

So far, not only the sparrows have been feeding, but we now have a pair of Great Tits taking up residence, a visiting Robin, endless Starlings, a Collared Dove and the naughty Jackdaws who are still managing to get some of the feed.
The Jackdaws look so funny trying to hold on to the fat ball feeder while looking like they are swimming with one wing flapping :-D

The Collared Dove and some House Sparrows
http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/42461190


Sending love to Kandj <3 <3 <3

Love the pic Jemima :-D....We seem to have a fair number of little Sparrows here all hopping around the patio and picking up the bits dropped over the edge from the window feeder. I don't think we have any Collared Doves.We used to have several .
One year they nested on the top of the security light at the back of the house .I could lean out of the bathroom window and watch the progress of the little ones when they hatched.I even managed to see one of the baby teeter on the edge of the nest and take its first flight :-D..I was so worried when the 2 babies were tiny that they might have fallen out of the nest and so I put down the cushion from a sun lounger underneath.Thankfully it wasn't needed :-D

LolJane what we do for our birds. One year the blackbirds nested and fledged in our garden, there was just one baby and OH was so worried about it he constructed a perch across the patch of garden it was 'living' in and it used it. :-D

Crazy aren't we Ann :-D... But we love our birds.

As it was turning colder, we put up extra seed etc. Since then the birds have left home! Hardly seen any. How strange, must be the full moon!! :-D

We're still getting the usual sparrows who are eating us out of house and home but yesterday the starlings were back - haven't seen them for a while. There was also a little robin hopping around. Haven't seen many birds today but I think it has been too wet for them to venture out much.

I hope your daughter's OK Ann. The New Zealand authorities will be well organised so I am sure she will be fine but we never stop worrying about our kids do we.

She is ok now thanks Jane, they moved up to the west coast their yesterday and are now following their itinary. She felt more human after a nights sleep.

I have heard from Maryanna, she is fine, just very busy and involved with her family. She promises to pop in and see us sometime. She does read the threads so please come and see us soon Maryanna. We are a poor little thread now with only 3 regular posters.

Kandj, we miss you too and thinking of you and OH <3 <3 <3

Still coping with a challenging time here. Feel as if we are taking one step forward
and then another step backwards and it is leaving us both feeling worn out and weary.

I hope that your daughter will be well taken care of in NZ Ann. What a frightening
experience for her in what should have been a trip of a lifetime out there. I hope
you and your OH and the rest of your family can relax a little now until she is home.

Maryanne sounds to be her usual busy self, so that is good to know now.

Thanks to you all for your thoughts and kind words of support. Much appreciated.