Hobbies and Crafts

No shortage of starling here Ann, we still have lots and they are as greedy as ever.

Ann I got an email with results this morning
1 house sparrow
2 starling
3 blackbird
4 blue tit
5 woodpigeon
6 goldfinch
7 robin
8 great tit
9 chaffinch
10 long tailed tit

Thanks LG I had an email but couldn't find a list, in fact it was a duplicate of an email I had a few weeks ago I thought. Unless I didn't click on something.

:-0 :-0 :-0 :-0 SHOCKING! :-0 :-0 :-0 :-0

What they get up to! ;-) ;-)


OH was standing in the back doorway yesterday, and two sparrows were engaging in their nuptials, not once but three times, on top of the privet hedge ... in full view :-0 :-0 :-0

Poor OH did not know where to look! ;-) :-D :-D :-D :-D

:-D :-D :-D :-D Jem. Did it ruffle his feathers ;-) :-D :-D :-D

I'm blushing at the thought of it Jem :-D :-D. My birds are much better behaved. Yesterday I watched a collared dove attempting to seduce another but she was having none of it and gave him the cold shoulder. At least I assume it was a male and female but who knows?

In the garden centre yesterday I saw a seed feeder just like the one my birds seem to like but a bit bigger and better quality, so I had to buy it didn't I? I'm just going to put it out and see how they like this one. I've given up on the one they wouldn't go near.

I was just thinking I hadn't seen the LTT today and he appeared. Although I am only seeing one at a time, I am now wondering if there are actually two and they are nesting nearby.

I only see the Woodpigeons having a bit of hows your father .A right display too I have to say.They have no shame lol.I think our smaller birds must do it in private :-)
Last night I had to remove half a dead bunny from the patio .Just left over from the cat .As I went to dispose of it in the black bin I almost stood on something,but wasn't sure what it was. I got the torch and went to have a look and it was a big Hedgehog! That must be the culprit that has been pooping all over the patio :-S. I think it must be the one that was around at the end of last year and has now come out of hibernation.

:-( :-( :-(

Why do cats leave half a rabbit? Are they saving leftovers for the next day? One of our old cats used to do that and it was always the back half that was left. I wasn't sorry when we moved to this house and she no longer had access to a handy warren.

There seem to be plenty of sparrows and bluetits around but they are not going on the new seed feeder even though it is just a larger version of the other one. The one bird I have seen on it was a fat old wood pigeon. The way he was getting through the seeds he must have thought all his Christmases had come at once :-D

I think cats just eat the head Vera :-S. All remains of rabbits grought back by Thomas are just half . It all looks very neat too (if you know what I mean) . As for mice he eats everything except for a few innards.
I bought a Peanut Butter jar and feeder thing today .You just screw the jar in and hang it up. I don't know how popular it will be and not sure if I have hung it in the right place.We will see :-)

I think my Flutter Butter feeder thing has been a waste of money. No birds have been near it .Not even the Squirrel :-S
The Woodpeckers have been very noisy today.Not that I have seen any .Woodpidgeons pooping everywhere :-S,and a Hedgehog :-S. Good job we have a hose close to hand :-D

What fantastic weather :-D :-D,even warmer tomorrow I believe. Summer clothes have been dug out from hibernation . It could be back to woolly jumpers again though so I will keep winter clothes still handy. It is just so nice to be able to sit and eat outside for now :-D

On Sunday in the beautiful warm weather I went round one of the Newmarket studs and saw all the new born foals, several only 24 to 48 hours old. They're all legs and appealing expressions. Aaah :-D

This week the starlings are back en masse. Haven't seen more than the odd one or two all winter but there have been plenty around this week. They are such greedy birds. I put out a new home made fat cake thingy and they are straight on it and it is gone in no time.

I also thought the seeds were going down quite quickly then I found out why. The collared doves have discovered that the perches on the slightly bigger feeder I bought will take their weight, so they are having a good feed. I even saw a fat old wood pigeon trying it but he was just too big. He couldn't balance on the perch and eat at the same time but he did look funny trying to hang on for dear life and twist his head to get at the seeds.

Well we are not seeing many birds around at the moment but we do have a blue (or it might be a Great, so far it has moved too fast to be sure) Tit nesting in our Sparrow box. They have a very roomy 'house' there for just the two of them. :-D

This morning my garden looked a bit like the John Lewis ad minus the badger and fox. (the latter only comes at night.)

OH had thrown out some bread so there were squirrels, magpies, pidgeons, jackdaws, blue tits,coal tits, long tailed tits, robins, goldfinches and a wood pecker.

We also have dunnocks and a wren but they were hiding somewhere :-0

It was lovely to see it so busy but sadly it's all quiet now.

Goodness Von, how lovely. If I throw out bread it is ignored for ages, never seen long tailed tits down eating bread before, he must have a good touch!!

We have just been to a garden centre (2 actually and re-stocked with meal worms as the Great tits and starlings are eating us out of house and home with their favourites.

Not seen Jane around she must be off gallivanting somewhere :-D

In the words of Victor Meldrew, I DON'T BELIEVE IT! I've seen everything now.

When I got up this morning I noticed the top of the bird seed feeder was hanging in the tree but the rest of it was on the ground underneath. I assumed I hadn't screwed it up properly, so had a little curse at myself and filled it and hung it up again.

I've just watched a heavy looking pigeon flutter up and grab hold of one of the perches and then swing his weight to the side until the bottom unlocked and fell to the ground and all the seeds emptied out. There is now the empty clear plastic tube and the top hanging from the tree and seeds everywhere underneath. OH will not be happy when some of the seeds germinate and we have all sorts growing in the bed

You have to admire their ingenuity though :-D

I wondered about Jane too. I hope she is OK. Fingers crossed that she is on her travels and enjoying herself somewhere.

I'm here :-D :-D.. No gallivanting just yet . Off to Hay on Wye next week for a few days. There hasn't been too much to report bird wise .Other than the feeder emptying so quickly each day. Lot s of Woodpecker noises but not seen yet in the garden.

Vera ,hopefully all those fallen seeds will soon be snaffled up and no seeds start to grow !!!!

Only our usual starlings, sparrows, doves, thrush, pigeons and the robin which has shown up again and was following me as I hoed the borders and he/she enjoyed
finding the worms. Need to empty and clean out the two bird baths sometime today.

Ann, I must look at your latest holiday snaps on your photo blog.

Vera, the birds are entertaining you but costing you money in seeds too.

Jane, enjoy your next break, I hope the weather improves for you both then.

Bright and dry this morning and I have already cleaned the two bird baths and filled
up the feeders. Now we can sit with a cuppa and see which birds will show up today.

Ann, you do have a variety of interesting photographs on your blog. Clever girl you!
My favourites are the black and white tree walk and the one of Chesil beach.

I have seen on the General site that you are having car trouble. Fingers crossed that it won't be too expensive for you and OH. Cars are wonderful when they work but not so wonderful when they break down.

Jane, enjoy your time in Hay on Wye. Safe travels both ways.

Vera, join the club and continue practising to count up to 10 haha.