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[Taz2]

No - they just fall out of normal feeders as they are so tiny and blue tits don't really like them very much. They were probably having a nosey round to see what was in there. 

Taz x

[one year in]

I was worried that we hadn't seen any Bee Eaters this year in the spring.  We also didn't have a good crop of cucumbers, courgettes, melons etc.  I was talking to my mum who said there had been a problem with bees (a sickness?) this year.  That could account for both.

However, I have now heard and seen the Bee Eaters overhead so perhaps all is not lost.

They make me feel very happy for some reason.

[purplenanny]

Hyacinth, what is a Bee Eater - hopefully not what I am imagining. PN

[one year in]

It is a very beautiful bird that eats bees (amongst other flying insects).  Not sure if they go as far north as the UK (although they may do if the weather is very warm) but they visit us in Greece every spring and leave again in late August.  They are very pretty birds with bright blue, red and yellow colours and they have a beautiful signature chirrup that announces their arrival long before you ever see them.

[purplenanny]

What a lovely bird, but a shame it eats bees though. PN

[CLKD]

Everything eats something else  - Nature in the raw.  There's a fab sunset outside right now 

If you google european bee eater you should get a photo 

[purplenanny]

Something is eating my new rose leaves and I am not happy about it!! 

[CLKD]

Caterpillers, slugs, snails?

[purplenanny]

Yes, one of those I think. It is an extremely neat half circle on the edge of each leaf. I am going out tonight with a torch!!! God help the little blighters! PN

[CLKD]

Check my dahlias whilst you're out there will you  .......... they must be huge slugs by the size of the poohs left behind 

I wish I could share the sunset with you all 

[ariadne]

PN, that sounds like a leafcutter bee to me. They make almost perfect semi circles in the edge of leaves

ariadne xx

[san]

or a caterpillar who likes things neat and tidy 


picture of the bee eater

beautiful colours

[Taz2]

Do your leaves look like this PN http://www.turning-earth.co.uk/leaf_cutter_bee.htm

Taz x

[one year in]

That's one san!  They travel in small flocks and often sit on electicity lines above our heads - all in a row taking it in turns to duck and dive for bees, then they strike the bee on the wire to remove the sting before downing it.  Wonderful sight!

PN I can understand your concern for the bees but the Bee Eaters eat everything from wasps to hornets (and I'm not too sorry about those!).  When we had the shortage of honey bees in the spring, the birds didn't arrive so they are good conservationists!

[Taz2]

Lovely youtube of it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UJrb29bKL8

Taz x