Hobbies and Crafts

Just to let you know the swallows, house martins and swifts are on their way. They arrived here about 2 weeks late as we've had a lot of rain and wind. They are swooping over me as I walk my dog everyday now. :-D

It sounds like there are lots of different birds around at the moment.

We've had all sorts popping into our garden and all over the feeder, Sandra loves watching them and has looked in her book to see what they are called.

She noticed the hawk in her book and remembers one attacking a pigeon, I remember there being feathers all over the garden. I was hoping she might of forgotten about it as it really upset her at the time. Thankfully she didn't get upset again over the memory.

OH and I noticed an owl flying around last night, I thought I saw him the other day but wasn't sure as he flew past quite quickly. They are graceful birds aren't they?

Going to put some more bird food out now, it's a lovely day and very quiet so the birds won't be disturbed.

Not a lot of birds in our garden at the moment. I think the building work up the road from us has disturbed them all. We do still get a robin, maybe two, a pair of blackbirds, goldfinches pigeons (noisy things) and collard doves. Plus a wren who visits most mornings and a few great tits.

Thanks Pat. I always feel spring has really arrived when we start to see a few swallows and I hate that moment when you notice them lining up on the wires and know they will soon be gone and winter will be here before long.

I haven’t seen many birds this morning. It’s a sunny day, though it keeps clouding over, but it is very windy again so they might be staying where it’s a bit more sheltered.

I have just watched a couple of little bees investigate the box for solitary bees that we
put up. Maybe they will lay an egg or two in some of the little cells. According to the leaflet that came with the bee house we can expect to get redmason bees and leaf cutter bees at the very least. I’m getting quite excited now that I have seen them looking at the bee house :-D

Good luck with the bees Vera.
Pat oh good something to look forward to. I hope these gale forse winds that seem to keep appearing son't blow them off somewhere else.

We have some huge Bumble Bees around at the moment .There were 3 really big ones feeding off thr Rosemary Flowers yesterday. :-D. I hope your Bee Box will be well used Vera :-D .We are being to told to encourage Bees into our gardens as I believe they are supposed to be in decline(which is a bit of a worry) I have seen a few really massive wasps too which I am not so keen to encourage LOL They always seem to find their way in through an open window :-S

How lovely to see the Owl Gill :-D.. Chris thought he saw one yesterday on the fence down by the compost bins. But he wasnt sure if it was an owl or a hawk as it flew off so quickly. I did find a bunch of feathers which makes me think it was more likely a Hawk :-S

There have been several Greenfinch on the feeder today as well as all the usual visitors. Plus a huge Woodpigeon sunbathing in the Birdbath. No doubt using it as a public loo too :-S

When I was stuck in a queue with roadwork traffic lights the biggest Heron flew right in front of me and landed on the bank of the river at the side of the road. It was the biggest Heron I have ever seen. It had its eyes peeled on the water and looked just like a cat ready to pounce on prey :-D I have so many Greenfinch on the window feeder these days.I have seen the odd one or two before but not in these numbers.

You are lucky to have a lot of greenfiinches Jane, we have not seen any green finches for ages. Lovely birds.

Lots of small birds in and out of the garden over the last couple of days but nothing out of the ordinary. I wish the blackbirds would stop throwing earth from the beds all over the paths. I am sure one female yesterday was trying to dig down to Australia. It’s like a game. I sweep up, turn my back and the blackbirds throw it all out again so I sweep up.....etc

The other day there was a heck of a racket outside. When I looked out there was a large flock of gulls circling round and landing on the roofs (should that be rooves?) in our little Close. Half an hour later they were all gone. I have to wonder where they come from. We are not near the coast and we’re not immediately close to farmland so what attracted them to our little road?

The sun has been bringing the butterflies out. In the space of about half an hour yesterday I saw a couple of whites flying around, a red admiral on a bush, a peacock sunning itself on the patio and a comma with its wings spread on the fence. I love butterflies so it made my day. :-D

I love butterflies as well Vera but have not seen any in the garden as yet. It is much colder here today, I have just put the heating on. I think the birds are busy getting ready for nesting as they are fluttering around all over the place.

OH reported something that happened on the golf course last week. Somebody he was playing with hit his ball and they all saw where it landed. A large crow flew down and picked it up, took it up into a tree, pecked at it, found it not to its liking and dropped a long way from its original place. They were gobsmacked, nobody had seen that happen before. :-D

:-D :-D That Crow had a bit of a disappointment then Ann... The Golf Ball must have been a bit heavy for it to hang on to.
No Butterflies here yet Vera.(Or not that I have seen) .Plenty of lovely big Bumble Bees though :-D

It probably thought 'this egg is hard!'. :-D

HARD BOILED ANN :-D :-D

I’ve just been getting irritated by a couple of blackbirds who won’t let a thrush anywhere near the mealworms I have put out for them. Every time the poor thing gets within a foot or two of the dish they chase him away.

I saw a robin and a great tit take some from the covered ground feeder and then a couple of starlings arrived and had some but the thrush is just too big to get in there so the poor thing will have to go hungry :-(

Vera our Blackbirds can be bullies on the window feeder.They seem to be quite intimidating .Plus they manage to chuck out a lot of the food onto the ground in their haste to eat as much as they can . I actually saw a Magpie on the feeder earlier :-S :-S. I flapped my arms quickly and it flew off.I hope that was just a one off.That is one bird I won't be happy to see on the feeder.

I was in a nearby town yesterday and saw a lovely sight.
A mother mallard was swimming closely followed by 11 little fluffy ducklings.
They must have been only about 2 days old, as they were so small and cute.

It really felt like Spring, as several people, like me, stopped to watch them in the warm sunshine.

Later I checked where the swans nested last year.
One was swimming and feeding nearby, the other was firmly on the nest, tweaking the feathers and reeds to perfect the nest to their liking. I don't know if there are eggs or cygnets, so I will go back soon to check. Once again they have nested right by the path, so it's easy to see into the nest, if the adult stands up.
Watch this space............

The ducklings are sweet aren't they Gwyn. The other afternoon we had a stroll round a small country park near us. On one of the lakes there was a mother mallard with 9 ducklings, possibly a little bit older then the ones you saw. At one point we were standing on a bridge over the water when mum duck and six babies swam underneath to the other side. Three ducklings were left behind. After a minute they realised they had lost mum and started calling for her. She kept calling back until they worked out where she was and then we saw the funniest sight. In their hurry to get to their mother these three little ducks were running across the water really fast. We could see their feet moving across the water surface, but it really looked like something out of a cartoon :-D :-D

There is nothing as lovely as seeing a Mummy Duck with her Babies running along behind :-D :-D.
I hope Gwyn soon you will be able to see what is actually in the Swans nest :-D. I love it when you see the little Cynets tucked up under the wings :-D

Next door to us there is a mini lake .Sadly the people who live there now have not looked after it and we no longer seem to see Ducks with babies,They often used to use our garden as a short cut to and from the water.Moorhens too. they would often be see in our big Yew hedge.Canada Geese would also land next door the same time every morning at a certain time of year .We would hear them fly over our roof .I think the water must be so stagnant and weed loggged now it is not the place water birds want to come to any longer.
Our old neighbour who lived there loved the wild birds.He also had a Peacock and 3 Peahens.If Mr Peacock was ever in our Garden he would feed from my hand :-D

Today we saw a duck family, Mu, Dad and three or four very tiny babies. Dad was staying very close to them

How lovely Ann. I keep having to flap my arms to chase off a Magpie that keeps going on the window feeder :-S. So many Magpies around at the moment and I am sure they are after eggs in nests :-( They are a real nuisance :-S

Just heard Thomas doing his Meowing sound when he has somerhing . He has brought a baby rabbit back :-(.. Just disposed of it. He is now looking for it . I think he thought it was his supper :-(