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[Taz2]

We have a pair of sparrowhawks too. Their young practice catching and plucking using the birds on my feeders. The top of our gate is their plucking post.  It was upsetting last year as halfway through the breeding season the female sparrowhawk took the female bullfinch. Bullfinches  mate for life and the male was distraught for a whole day. After that though, to give him his due, he brought the chicks up alone and they survived.

Taz x

[CLKD]

I had a sparrowhawk take a small bird about 5 feet away from in front of me, I heard the thud as it caught the [probably] sparrow and the breeze as it whoosed up and away ........

[Meggie]

CLKD asked about "Ginger Rogers" our chicken who has a lump under her foot.  OH has asked me if I will take her to the Vet again as she is limping again.  I know they are just chickens and we've been to the Vet before with this problem but if she's in pain ..... oh, what do we do?  She's eating, laying, drinking and getting about but the foot is bothering her as she stands around with it lifted up and is prone to staying away from the others at the moment.  The thought of a huge bill for surgery (which was the next option) horrifies me (OH said she only cost 5 Euro's!) - it's a difficult one and I'm in a quandry !!

Meggie

[CLKD]

It is bumblefoot?

Domestic birds are good at not showing the others that they are sickening or weak otherwise they get pecked upon.  So the fact that she is keeping out of the way of the others means she 'knows' there's a problem.  Have you tried boiled, cooled water with salt in, dip and fold the affected foot in the tepid water?

[Meggie]

Been back to the vet with our ailing chicken and she's back on antibiotics. 

The vet said that if this didn't do the trick then an op was the last option.  She was a little concerned though - she said the fact that the antibiotics had reduced the swelling and then it returned, suggested that it was a splinter or similar however, not to rule out the possibility that it might be a type of cyst.  If it hasn't gone in a week she'll be having a "little injection" so she's out of pain.

Meggie

[CLKD]

So you can't eat any eggs from her then?  Bumblefoot is caused by a foreign body or slit in the skin which becomes infected.  Do a Google perhaps?

She's getting costly is yon chook  .......

[Taz2]

We already did the bumblefoot bit CLKD    http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/Chicken_a/bumblefoot-chickens.php

Taz x

[CLKD]

Where was I?   

[Taz2]

Probably away CLKD x

[Trey]

Update on Bluebirds in coastal Alabama.  Got second hand made (not expensive - just sparrow-proof by a neat guy who loves Bluebirds) blue bird house up and our four daily visitors have split into pairs and laid (spell?) claim to each box.  We are having two Japanese Maples moved to shield the bird feeders to make the bird houses more private.  We have such a small yard that we have to improvise.  We did not move as recently planned so will make this yard work.  Frankly, I would have hated to leave our now two generations of bluebirds and cardinals.  

[CLKD]

Ladybirds!  It must be 'that' time of year.  I've opened our bathroom window and about 25 have crawled out or been helped onto the windowsill.  They are hiding in the plastic between frame and window!  As it's sunny I have eased them into the Big Wild World 

[Taz2]

I hate that when it happens to me. They have got themselves all snug for the winter and then they have to be moved. Although it is sunny there is no food around for them now but hopefully they will find somewhere else to spend the Winter before the cold gets to them.     I usually relocate any I find to the greenhouse which is heated through the winter and keeps them warm and toasty.

Taz x

[Meggie]

Huge quantities of cranes have flown over - going to warmer climes (Africa) for the Winter.  Magnificent formations with the matriach (spl !!) leading the huge triangle of birds and we could hear them calling to each other - there were thousands.  We heard them in the night too.  This will continue for another week or so.

Fantastic experience.

Meggie

[Taz2]

That sounds lovely Meggie - wish I could see it too. It always gets me emotional watching birds flying off on their long journeys.

Taz x

[CLKD]

We wacthed 2 cranes at Welney a couple of years ago - they had flown in and liked it so much they stayed for weeks!