Hobbies and Crafts

And the Woodpecker survived Vera :-D :-D....What an incredible photo.I bet that will go viral :-D......We have a Green Woodpecker around at the moment and a Weasel !!!!
The Squirrel has been busy on the feeder again.Left all his dirty footmarks all over my window.Messy Devil :-S
The Moorhens are enjoying life in my garden .I chuck a load of seed out each morning now for them and within a few seconds they all appear from the hedge :-D :-D

You don't want any more moorhens, do you Jane? :-)
I've always wondered why rubber ducks sound like moorhens. :-S

Yes, good photo.

You know what is happening Jane, the Moorhens are sending out a call to feeding time at yours!!! :-D

I had a Dunnock in the garden yesterday, if I hadn't seen the comments last week I wouldn't have known that it wasn't a Sparrow.

It was digging about in the undergrowth, I couldn't see it properly as I have a streaming cold at the moment and one of my eyes is all swollen and gungy so I got my camera and zoomed in on it.

It looked very like a female Sparrow but with prettier plumage and a pointy beak.

The birds are still going potty over the feeders. There was a barny yesterday between a pair of Magpies and a pair of big black birds, Rooks, I think.

They were fighting on the lawn then took to the sky then started jumping on each other along the fence then, luckily went next door.

The Magpies nest is now massive, the only problem with it is that it is right by my garden seat at the end of the garden, I can see a noisy Summer with them all squabbling over my head.

Nice and sunny today and as I am in no fit state to go to school and deal with very small people, I am going to sow some seeds in the conservatory, get them started early.

M.

poor you Maryanna, I hope you feel better soon. Stay nice and warm in the conservatory. At least you can make use of your time. Glad youw ere able to identify the Dunnock. Yes theya re ground feeders mainly.

I just saw a vole jumping into the canal. It looked as if it was trying to land on a slice of bread somebdy had left for the ducks; but, of course, the bread wouldn't hold the vole's weight. Was that an embarrassed look on that voles face? :-S :-D

The black pheasant that appeared in my garden eight days ago is still with me.

He seems to have taken up permanent residence. Not at all flustered when I go into the garden, just struts about watching me from a distance.

Obviously living on the spillage from the bird feeders.

There are no cats in the area, and I no longer have a dog.

Tec :-)

Well that is an unusual pet Tec, still interesting to note he or she feels safe, even when you are out there.

graham, Aaw poor vole!!

Just put a photo of our Billy no mates goldfinch on the photo blog.

Maryanne I hope you are feeling better now.Some folk going down with these nasty Viral Bugs are taking so long to recover. :-S

Poor little Vole.How embarrassing lol......No I don't want anymore Moorhens .4 are enough.I love them .They are so funny.The minute I chuck the food out they all appear as I turn my back and start walking back towards the house.But if I stop and look back they all scuttle back under the hedge :-D

Thank you Jane, I am feeling much better today, getting there, at least.

It really has knocked me for six, I don't think I have ever had such a bad cold without it going onto my chest or developing into the usual hacking cough. I always get a cough !!!! Not this time. I can actually see now as well, which is always a bonus !!

At least I had the birds to keep me occupied as I couldn't read or watch telly.

The little Dunnock has been very busy, I don't think a leaf has been left unturned.

I also now have a few weeks to get back to normal before the celebrations are upon us, plans are coming along nicely and my best friend had changed her holiday so they can come. My sister is unable to do anything about hers though.

Then it will be a few weeks to the end of term and I can leave work. Yay !!!!!

( not that I am looking forward to that in any way at all !!!)

M.
:-)

Glad you are feeling a little better Maryanna. This bug does seem to hang around doesn't it. When I was still coughing and sneezing after several weeks I had a word with the pharmacist and he thought my immune system had got pulled right down from all my health problems in the previous few months. He suggested anti-histamines to dry up the runny nose and multi-vitamins to boost the immune system and I do seem to be improving at last.

We are off to Yorkshire now to look after grandchildren for a few days so I am about to go and fill the feeders. Our goldfinch is now visiting regularly and yesterday and today he brought a friend with him. It was lovely to see two together on the Niger seeds. They are such pretty birds. I hope they stay around :-D

Did anyone look at the photo of the goldfinch on the feeder? If not and you are interested I have justa dded photos of Gloucester docks to the photo blog, after the goldfinch.

Maryanna hope you have continued to improve. I know when I had it it lasted three weeks for the cough to get better. but the actual cold was nothing.

Afternoon everyone
Yes Ann, I just had a look at your pics on the blog.Lovely Goldfinch and what smashing pics from Gloucester Quays :-D I think when I go to stay with my Sister I will have to get her to take me there.

I can't find my Bird Book :-S..I know it is here somewhere but can I find it !!!
I was wanting to look up a little bird i saw this morning.It looked a bit like a Wren but a little bigger and it looked like it had the jitters .It didn't stay still for a moment .It was in the hedge in the front garden and seemed to be hopping from twig to twig even hopping up the side of the hedge and suddenly sticking it's head into the hedge (for bugs?).It was fascinating to watch.Any idea what it might be?
Only one Moorhen this morning.I wonder where the other 3 are :-S The Squirrel has been poking around in the lawn.
After a lovely morning it is now dreary and a bit rainy.Looks like it is set for the rest of the day. I have Greenfinch now and a couple of Long Tailed Tits :-D

Was it the size and colour (sort of) of a sparrow Jane? Are you sure it wasn't a Dunnock or a large wren? did it have any markings?

Gladyou liked the photos worth a visit and sometimes bargains to be had in the Outlet centre.

Ann the bird was too far away from my bedroom window to see any markings.It was sparrow coloured but too small for a Dunnock.It was it 's jittery movements that caught my eye.But it did look like a big Wren. Could it be something like a Nuthatch? I don't know why that came to mind.It's tail feathers looked slightly forked and I think I could hear the sound it made.A kind of chirupy song.....I wish I could find this blooming book.

A nuthatch doesn't look much like a wren and is bigger than a sparrow or dunnock

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Red-breasted-Nuthatch-3c.jpg

Could it have been a coal tit Jane?

Definitely not a Nuthatch then Graham.Not a Coal Tit either Ann...I have been looking at pics on line and it looks much more like a Wren but the tail looked longer and a different shape.I will keep my eye open and see if I spot it again.(will have the binoculars at hand :-D)..It was just the jumpy, skittish way it moved that intrequed me.Looked like it had ants in its pants lol