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[Taz2]

Did you know that BTO are running a survey Penny? http://www.bto.org/news-events/news/house-martins-2012

Taz x

[Pennyfarthing]

Thanks for that Taz. Have just done the survey.

[Pennyfarthing]

Have just checked and last year they arrived here on 6th May so they about 6 weeks later this year!  Better late than never though.

[Taz2]

Such a relief that they have arrived. They face so many obstacles on their journey

Taz xx

[CLKD]

A large poppy opened this morning, Himself has taken photos of the garden as we open at the weekend and it will all be over  or at least inbetween.

[Greyhoundgal]

Hope it makes it greyhound gal. Was there only one blackbird? It wont have flown the nest as they are removed by the parents about two weeks before they can fly. The parents park their young in bushes and continue to feed them until they have grown their flight feathers and tails. It is a strange system!

Taz x

There was only one chick but we regulary saw both Mum & Dad going in to feed it.  No sight of it for over a week now, nor the parents so hope it's ok.  The baby sparrow is still there and doing fine 

[Pennyfarthing]

As I said above, my house martins arrived just last weekend.  I am pleased to report that in that time they have built a complete nest on my gable end and there is much activity.
 
It always amazes me that all those little beakfuls of mud (and there must be hundreds and hundreds) can create a nest in such a short time.   I haven't needed to help them either as everywhere has been so wet.  Previous years when everywhere was bone dry I used to leave nice mounds of earth about and then top up with water.

[CLKD]

When we first moved here we had house martins then suddenly about 15 years ago they went, never to return 

[Bette]

One of my strongest childhood memories is of watching the house martins which built nests in the gables of our bungalow. I used to stand there watching the babies poking their heads out only to quickly draw them back in as the parents arrived at full speed with food. Wonderful!
Bette x

[CLKD]

Picking red currants and raspberries.  There is in this room however, a large fly which is on BORROWED time  ......

[CLKD]

FLIES 

[oldsheep]

a pigeon couple have built a nest on the little 'balcony' outside our bedroom and they have 2 eggs (much alarm when I went out the window sash to clean it!). Last time this happened, a crow killed the baby bird, much to my fury. I can't see any way to protect it that wouldn't stop Mum Pigeon from getting to her young. Not hatched yet. I don't really like pigeons but this is v sweet.

We also have a couple of lively birds in the garden that I thought were thrushes but they don't have a nice song - they sound like mini power tools, sort of brrrrr noise. ??

[Taz2]

Is it a wood pigeon oldsheep or a feral pigeon (town pigeon)?  Wood pigeons are quite good at protecting their young. They normally have a great technique of one sliding onto the nest just as the other slides off.  Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Rooks and some Woodpeckers routinely take nestlings for their own young to eat. It's nature - nasty to see but that's the way it goes.

What size are the lively birds?

Taz x

[oldsheep]

not sure Taz. She's either hunkered up on her eggs or flies off fast. Is the difference just the neck area?
Last time this happy event ended in tragedy when she left her baby alone for about 5 mins only. I couldn't get to the window in time to shoo away the crow. The crow pecked it to death, then carried it off and dumped it.
I know it's nature but it still sucks. I steered at the (100s) of crows round here on the heath when I was on my bike for a while after that.

Last night there was a fight between the 2 thrushes (if that's what they are: they are that size) and 2 magpies who I think were also trying to do evil to their nest. That's all happening in a tree in the communal garden.
Is there any London bird that looks like a thrush that it could be if it isn't a thrush? Perhaps the power drill cry instead of song is a warning one as they have a nest with young?

[Taz2]

The crows are probably rooks or jackdaws if there are more than one of them. If you see a rook on its own its a crow - as my old dad used to say. Takes a bit of thinking about. Crows are solitary birds and rooks live in communes the same as jackdaws.

Wood pigeons are totally different to feral pigeons. Wood pigeon http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/w/woodpigeon/index.aspx   and town pigeon (originally a wild rock dove but now domesticated) http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/rockdove/index.aspx   

As for the thrushes - I am not sure. You would not normally get more than one song thrush at a time. They are territorial birds and only pair up for mating. Are they bigger than a blackbird? If so you might have some mistle thrushes. These make a sort of rattling call when they are alarmed or when they fly off. They normally begin to flock in July.  They are very powerful birds. I love to see them and their song is wonderful. They are one of the first birds to begin singing in spring. Ours start during the dark February mornings and sound just like liquid gold. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/mistlethrush/index.aspx

All these links - sorry.

Taz x