Spectator N0. 2679 : Choc-A-Block By Doc
Crosswords0 min ago
New nature thread- anything interesting this weekend?
36 Answers
Thought it time to kick a new one off.
Did my BTO tetrad (2km square) survey this morning. Nothing greatly out of the ordinary and its hard to count birds with the trees in full leaf! Plenty of the commoner birds and pleased to see a good number of yellowhammers and whitethroats. A buzzard did put in a brief appearance and was great standing amongst clouds of insects with swifts swirling around you! Reminded me of a dragonfly ID course last year. First dragonfly of the day took off just in front of me. Before I had a chance to ID it there was an audible smack as a swift took it six foot from my nose!
And a first last night. Have seen plenty of tawny owls in my time but last night was the first time I have heard one in my garden in 25 years! Opened the back door at 10pm to be greeted by a distinctive 'kirrick' from the trees at the bottom of the garden! Magic!
Did my BTO tetrad (2km square) survey this morning. Nothing greatly out of the ordinary and its hard to count birds with the trees in full leaf! Plenty of the commoner birds and pleased to see a good number of yellowhammers and whitethroats. A buzzard did put in a brief appearance and was great standing amongst clouds of insects with swifts swirling around you! Reminded me of a dragonfly ID course last year. First dragonfly of the day took off just in front of me. Before I had a chance to ID it there was an audible smack as a swift took it six foot from my nose!
And a first last night. Have seen plenty of tawny owls in my time but last night was the first time I have heard one in my garden in 25 years! Opened the back door at 10pm to be greeted by a distinctive 'kirrick' from the trees at the bottom of the garden! Magic!
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My first job this morning was to log in here and oh what lovely postings you have all written - a joy to read.
I am delighted. I have songthrushes for the first time in years. They are a threatened species now in the UK and to hear them singing this morning has been a joy. One is sitting in the top of my tallest tree and he/she is being echoed by one in the garden opposite my house. I have been out there with my binoculars just watching him.
My cat has taken up residence in our front porch! She can't reach the swallows nest on top of the porch light but she is fascinated by the swallows who are totally ignoring her and flying backwards and forwards out of the nest. I am afraid she will be banned indoors when the fledgelings are almost ready to leave the nest. She actually never protests during her banned periods - I suppose she has got used to it!!
For some reason now I wake up at dawn chorus time every morning and I am quite pleased to do so. A lovely thing to wake up to.
The bluetits, of which there were many, are now not using the feeders. This usually happens when they are sitting on eggs. I often wonder why, or what they are eating at this time.
It's a lovely morning and I have some chores to do, but later on I will be outside in the garden just watching!
Love to you all. I do hope we can continue these threads ad infinitum.
xx
ps Madaboutcats, I laughed out loud about the cats and there mutterings about Henry, etc!! wonderful. My cat sleeps on the bed with me every night and at regular intervals comes and pokes me in the eye or mouth to find out if I am still asleep!! No wonder I am wide awake for the dawn chorus.
I am delighted. I have songthrushes for the first time in years. They are a threatened species now in the UK and to hear them singing this morning has been a joy. One is sitting in the top of my tallest tree and he/she is being echoed by one in the garden opposite my house. I have been out there with my binoculars just watching him.
My cat has taken up residence in our front porch! She can't reach the swallows nest on top of the porch light but she is fascinated by the swallows who are totally ignoring her and flying backwards and forwards out of the nest. I am afraid she will be banned indoors when the fledgelings are almost ready to leave the nest. She actually never protests during her banned periods - I suppose she has got used to it!!
For some reason now I wake up at dawn chorus time every morning and I am quite pleased to do so. A lovely thing to wake up to.
The bluetits, of which there were many, are now not using the feeders. This usually happens when they are sitting on eggs. I often wonder why, or what they are eating at this time.
It's a lovely morning and I have some chores to do, but later on I will be outside in the garden just watching!
Love to you all. I do hope we can continue these threads ad infinitum.
xx
ps Madaboutcats, I laughed out loud about the cats and there mutterings about Henry, etc!! wonderful. My cat sleeps on the bed with me every night and at regular intervals comes and pokes me in the eye or mouth to find out if I am still asleep!! No wonder I am wide awake for the dawn chorus.
Lovely to read all your postings, you have all made me very jealous. I work from home and unfortunately face the front of the house, whereas any action, if there is any is all at the back of the house. Bird activity is very slow at the moment, unless I am just watching at the 'wrong times' I have seen a blue tit on the fat balls this morning, a sparrow at the seed feeder and a robin and that is it so far this morning. They may all be out there and I can't see them for the leaf cover, even the magpies seem to have deserted me. Still I am going camping at the weekend, so will take my binos and hope to see lots of activity.
As I was cooking tea tonight, I saw a baby starling following its parent, hopping all over the lawn begging for food, a blackbird having a good wash in the birdbath, two collared doves and a wood pigeon waddling around the patio, and a bluetit flying back and forth from its nestbox.
Mr chappie had threaded a load of mealworms onto some cotton, then tied them to the ivy, near to the tit box. If we leave them any lower, the little tits don't get a look in - the food is cleared up by the starlings.
We have just started putting out food called Mealworm Crumble. Something Bill Oddie endorses. The smaller birds love it!
We put out mealworms separately for the hedgehogs (we have three regulars).
Aint nature wonderful!
Mr chappie had threaded a load of mealworms onto some cotton, then tied them to the ivy, near to the tit box. If we leave them any lower, the little tits don't get a look in - the food is cleared up by the starlings.
We have just started putting out food called Mealworm Crumble. Something Bill Oddie endorses. The smaller birds love it!
We put out mealworms separately for the hedgehogs (we have three regulars).
Aint nature wonderful!
Oooh, do the birds like custard on their mealworm crumble? ;o).
Yes nature is wonderful, Chappie. I sat with my elderly mother this afternoon and we watched a blackbird for ages feeding it's youngsters. What wonderful parents the birds are. When I think about those poor children being starved in Birmingham I really do wonder about humankind!
Yes nature is wonderful, Chappie. I sat with my elderly mother this afternoon and we watched a blackbird for ages feeding it's youngsters. What wonderful parents the birds are. When I think about those poor children being starved in Birmingham I really do wonder about humankind!
-- answer removed --
Hi Lottie!
The crumble is expensive but the birds seem to love it! We have a regular blackbird, he is quite a tatty looking bird, we call him Raggy. He stays around our patio, knowing he will get well fed!
The hedgehogs are used to me now. In the beginning they used to scuttle away if I went out to replenish the dish. Now they just continue eating.
Hubby and I are both passionate about animals and we love all wildlife - our garden is a complete mess, but it is a wildlife haven.
We had a couple of frogs in the garden pond, but sadly, when I looked yesterday, one of them had died. Hubby fished it out and buried it. My family think my hubby is too soft, but I love him to be that way - can't stand people who have no regard to animals!
The crumble is expensive but the birds seem to love it! We have a regular blackbird, he is quite a tatty looking bird, we call him Raggy. He stays around our patio, knowing he will get well fed!
The hedgehogs are used to me now. In the beginning they used to scuttle away if I went out to replenish the dish. Now they just continue eating.
Hubby and I are both passionate about animals and we love all wildlife - our garden is a complete mess, but it is a wildlife haven.
We had a couple of frogs in the garden pond, but sadly, when I looked yesterday, one of them had died. Hubby fished it out and buried it. My family think my hubby is too soft, but I love him to be that way - can't stand people who have no regard to animals!
Likewise Chappie. We are both completely soft about animals and have taken in loads of waifs and strays over the years apart from spending a small fortune on feeding the local wildlife. Still we don't spend much on going out, drinking, etc., and get great enjoyment from animals and wildlife. It's a way of life to us.
That's just like us Lottie. Neither of us smoke and we don't drink much, or spend lots of money on clothes or hols - we like to spend it on our pets and the wildlife.
We have taken in lots of animals over the years - sadly now, we are not able to take on any more due to health problems. We have many wonderful memories of all our much-loved pets.
xx
We have taken in lots of animals over the years - sadly now, we are not able to take on any more due to health problems. We have many wonderful memories of all our much-loved pets.
xx
We are now down to two small dogs and one cat (apart from all the 'pets' outside. I have arthritis and can't walk like I used to. Also we can't afford vets bills as easily now that I don't work so (unless a waif or stray arrives on the doorstep) we will try and keep the numbers to a minimum.
It's very difficult though as I would love to give a home to so many more.
xxx
It's very difficult though as I would love to give a home to so many more.
xxx
on a happier note to earlier posting, also in same paper was a lovely story about a fox cub that was rescued and taken to a wildlife rescue centre in cumbria and he has been adopted by the dog that lives there, they play together. the owner of centre doesnt think he'll be able to release fox back into the wild as he had to be hand reared as he was dehydrated and is now quite tame.
Hi Lottie,
So sorry this post is very late - not been on AB much lately due to other commitments, and only just found it .(sorry)
We got the mealworm crumble from a local garden centre but you can order it online from www.haiths.com.
It's a mix of sunflower hearts, ground peanuts, dried mealworms, oatmeal and maize. The smaller birds particularly love it. I've noticed lots of robins feeding lately, and the tits seem to love it too.
Woody woodpecker is still pecking at our tree - he seems oblivious of the tits' nest just a few feet away, so that's great. We think the tits are on their second round of chicks. We've reinforced the tits' nestbox opening with 2p pieces, just to be on the safe side.
Tara for now,
chappie.♥
So sorry this post is very late - not been on AB much lately due to other commitments, and only just found it .(sorry)
We got the mealworm crumble from a local garden centre but you can order it online from www.haiths.com.
It's a mix of sunflower hearts, ground peanuts, dried mealworms, oatmeal and maize. The smaller birds particularly love it. I've noticed lots of robins feeding lately, and the tits seem to love it too.
Woody woodpecker is still pecking at our tree - he seems oblivious of the tits' nest just a few feet away, so that's great. We think the tits are on their second round of chicks. We've reinforced the tits' nestbox opening with 2p pieces, just to be on the safe side.
Tara for now,
chappie.♥
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