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[Meggie]

Late yesterday afternoon I noticed a movement across the bottom of our French Windows and when I went to see what it was, there was a tiny Red Squirrel playing about with leaves on our terrace - she/he was only about 6 inches long with huge pointed ears.  So cute.  Never been this close to a Red Squirrel before, they are preferable, in my opinion, to the grey ones I saw every day in the UK.

Meggie

[Bette]

So rare too - you are lucky.
Mind you, I'm quite fond of our resident grey!
Bixby x

[CLKD]

Oh a baby red how lovely - we saw 3 when we visited the Isle of Wight - and my friend hwo lives there has a nest of 6 slow worms [I think it's six] in her garden

[Meggie]

So rare too - you are lucky.
Bixby x

There are no reportings (to my knowledge) of Grey Squirrels here in South West France - the red one is to be expected, though not often seen.  When we lived in the Midlands we had a family of Squirrels who used to come into our garden and take the bird food out of the feeders.  On one occasion we used an old Wok Lid which was bright red and 60 cm across, to sheild the tubular feeder from them - the Squirrels, as innovative as they are, climbed down the chain, head first, hung on by wrapping his tail around the chain and stretched down and underneath the Lid.  We couldn't believe what we were seeing.  He then used his claws to hold the base of the feeder, which he'd stretched to grasp and tipped the seed out onto the garden.  It was highly amusing.  On another occasion we hung fat-balls (no I'm not being rude) onto the end of our rotary clothes line.  We got up one morning to find that the plastic strands of the line were hanging down, minus the fat-balls - they'd gnawed through them to get the food !  Aren't they clever dicks?

Meggie

[CLKD]

Too clever  

Any greys found on the Isle of Wight are culled.  I wonder whether they make squirrel pie ........ apparently very good with mash and peas  


I can hear a blackbird calling that 'come out of the nest children' sound - now the male is singing from the telegraph post - first 'litter' off maybe?

[Taz2]

I love seeing the young blackbirds. I hate the way they have to leave the nest two weeks before they can fly though - that was a very silly plan by Mother Nature!

You are lucky CLKD (and Meggie) to see a red squirrel. My brother in law used to live on the Isle of Wight but whenever we visited we never saw the squirrels! More info here if you are interested in Red squirrels http://www.wightsquirrels.co.uk/

Taz x

[Bette]

There's been a large baby blackbird around for a couple of days. Obviously meant to be fending for itself as keeps being sent packing by the adults when it asks for food. Is feeding itself but slowly - examining each item very carefully and trying everything - suitable or not. Not very with it - saw it being stalked by local cat so sent our boxer dog out as a rescue party. He sees off the cats but doesn't bother the birds and they ignore him.
Bixby x

[CLKD]

try some live meal worms Bixby ..........

[Bette]

Have thought of that after reading your posts but we have a huge "wild" garden full of birds who seem to find plenty of food so think it might be better not to "interfere". Wouldn't like them to become dependant on me and then find I couldn't keep up the commitment for some reason.
Bixby x

[CLKD]

They are expensive too - 2 kilograms = £32.50 

[Taz2]

I had a treat this morning. An adult great tit brought four young to feed in the garden. They were still fluffy and obviously only just out of the nest so hopefully the other adult had the rest of the brood as four is a very small number for a tit (excuse the expression!).

He "parked" them in the hanging basket outside the dining room window and proceeded to bring them food from various crevices in the patio and also by picking over the little wooden fence. It was lovely to watch.

Taz x

[CLKD]

Our wren has brought young to our patio in the past.  As do the blue-tits.  I feel it's an honour that they show off their young .......

[Meggie]

It's been a while since I posted on this thread, I read it regularly though and for those who've been following our situation with our chickens, I have an update. 

Yesterday morning the 2 white birds set on little brown then little black chicken during which attack little black chicken lost some of his feathers. That's it, we both snapped. We telephoned a friend who kept humming and ha'ing about taking these two white birds (she has non at all and 2 are sufficient) and told her that if she wanted them they had to be gone by the evening ....... otherwise our neighbour was licking his lips for "Poule de Pot".  The way we felt yesterday, it wouldn't have bothered us what happened to them.  However, it all went according to plan and we managed to get the white birds into a box and took them to our friends LAST NIGHT. 

All is now very quiet, what a difference, there's been one slight squabble over a piece of spaghetti but that's all.....and up to now 3 eggs. 

Our friend has called to say white birds have both laid - couldn't have been too traumatic a move then could it?

Meggie

[CLKD]

You've done the 'right' thing.  Once pecking begins it can lead to death 

[Meggie]

It looks like one of our chickens has Gape Worm - has anyone out there come across this before?

It's so sad watching her gasping for breath.

Meggie