Hobbies and Crafts

No Buzzards here but we have had a lot of blue tit bobbing in and out of our Red Robins going back and forth to the feeder, I think they're getting used to the workmen now especially when they are working inside and only have the door open. We haven't had as many Starlings for a while though, just one or two.

We have a female Blackbird busy building a nest behind our screening in the hedge, it's lovely to watch but no so much when she takes the soggy moss out of our gutters and drops some of it right outside our kitchen door.

So the male Blackbirds feed the babies while mum builds the nests Ann, I didn't know that. I did wonder why it was a female making the nest and not the male.

I think the male may help build the first nest Gill but is too busy feeding the babies to help with the second one.

Maybe it's her second nest then Ann as I've not seen a male with her. I still think it isn't a very good place for a nest, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see if she uses it or not. She must be finished with the moss for now as she hasn't been in the gutters today, unless she's taken it all, I can't see into the gutters without a ladder to see if there's any left. She's been very busy for a few days so maybe she's finished it and that's why I've not seen her flying around our garden today. It was lovely to watch her and quite funny when she came out of the hedge and bobbed up onto our screening, she'd sit there looking around for a while before flying back to get more moss.

:-D maybe some males need the attraction of a ready built nest to start a family.

The little Blue Tits and other tinies are hanging on for grim death on the bouncing branches in this wind. It must be like being on your worst nightmare ride at a fairground !!!!

Lol have they got little tin hats on Jane. Plenty of ruffled feathers I expect.

Tin hats would be just the job for them Ann :-D. It is incredible how they manage to hang on .You would think with little spindly legs they would not have the strength .It must be to do with the feet that keep them steady. I wish I had taken a video of the little Blue Tit earlier. It was quite something to see.I would have been flung off the branch in a blink of the eye :-D

I also had a smile at a couple of blue tits today. They were hanging on either side of the peanut feeder which was being blown around like mad and it was like watching a couple of children on an old-fashioned swing boat. First one went up in the air, then he dropped down and the other one rose up. I should think they were both feeling a bit seasick but they wouldn't give up :-).

Apart from these two and a couple of pigeons we haven't seen many birds for a couple of days. I think they are keeping their heads down and staying out of the wind and rain. I wish I could do the same

They must be as fed up as we are Vera.And there is more to come by the sounds of things :-S They are still feeding like crazy from the window feeder and each time I look out the back window I see the Magpies on the lawn :-S.I have a feeling that they might have taken over the Woodpigeons old nesting place in the Conifers at the side of the house. .

Weather wise we have had a real mixed bag thrown at us today - light rain, heavy rain, sun, wind and hail.

A few days ago I had a look at our mini pond and decided that when the weather eased up I would give it a good clean. It was definitely looking uggy. There was just one frog in it. Had a look today and the pond is now full of frog spawn so I won’t be able to clean it for months. I’ll just have to close my eyes to all the green gunk round the edge.

what is a bit of green gunk among friends and frogs Vera?

We were down in Hampshire where it was very very windy Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Lee on Solent. When we walked out to the restaurant yesterday evening we could hardly stand up and when we walked back to our B&B it poured and we got blown along and soaked. This morning we woke to a light breeze, blue skies and sun.

I can hear a Nightingale :-D :-D

Oh how lovely.

I am hoping to hear it again this evening Ann,once it gets dark :-D.

I have never to my knowledge heard one.

It was back again Ann and I quickly rang my neighbour 2 doors down so she could hear it :-DShe was thrilled :-D :-D She said that Thomas was in her garden today chasing 2 Pheasants !!!!!!.

Only two wasn’t he very hungry?

We have just enjoyed watching 3 Red Kites flying quite low :-D We often see 2 but not 3.

Lovely to watch Jan. Coming back from Hampshire last Sunday we saw four red kites near Newbury and then another on just up the road from here in Gloucester.

Lovely to see the Red Kites Jane. I’ve only seen them when we have been driving through Bucks or Oxfordshire.

There seem to be plenty of small birds about now. The thrush seems to like picking bits out of the shallow dish I put on a table in the garden. I throw anything that’s OK for birds into this dish. Yesterday it was some bits of apple and they disappeared pretty quickly. I expect the blackbirds had those. The robin happily pops into the mesh cage over the ground feeder for his mealworms. There seem to be a few bluetits and plenty of sparrows around. I’ve only seen one thrush and one robin so I hope they find mates.

The frogspawn seems to have turned into a mush and I think we will have to take it out of the pond. I’m not sure why but it seems this sometimes happens.

It’s been a lovely day today and I’ve seen a couple of little bees sitting on top of our bee house and a comma butterfly sunning itself on the fence :-)

I think my autocorrect is having a mad moment. I typed little and it turned it into Kirriemuir :-S