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[Taz2]

Some lovely bird spotting going on! We have greater spotted woodpeckers in the winter but they tend to disappear off in the spring. Pretty birds but make sure you've got any nest boxes greater-spotted-woodpecker proofed. Well done on the Goldfinches Hurdity - so striking to look at in the spring colours and such a lovely song.

Yesterday I drove over to see my son's fiancee and we were hanging out the washing in their town centre garden when a pair of Goldcrests flew out of the bushes. This is one bird I've never had in my garden and we watched them for quite a while darting in and out of the bushes and hanging on the tree branches - such an insistent song too. I think they may be looking for nest sites.  On the drive home, stuck in the rush-hour traffic in the town centre, there were eleven red-tailed kites soaring around over the stationary traffic. I went from seeing the smallest British bird to what is probably one of the more bigger ones in less than an hour. Towns and cities can be great places to spot wildlife too I decided.

Taz x

[Hurdity]

We have greater spotted woodpeckers breeding here although the big trees they nested in have been cut down so hope they come back. My husband re-inforced the nestboxes in our orchard with thick marine ply but they (woodies) went straight through that so now he's put an aluminum sheet and cut a hole through and this has done the trick - blue tits nesting again this year!

Lovely to see goldcrests - you hear them so much more often than you see them. There are lots in woodlands around here - well especially the coniferous woods. Once, just once, (not this year!) I saw a goldcrest on the upstairs windowsill (bedroom where I work which overlooks the bird-table) and it looked so surprised to see me!

OK who has had a pheasant on the bird table (a roofed one)?!!! This morning I looked out of the window and the female was sitting - taking up most of the space and busy pecking away ALL the seed and grain as if it was the most normal thing in the world. We can't work out how she got up there as they are useless fliers and it's a small table with roof over, so only a small gap to get in under!!! She looked absurd with half her body sticking out of the side! If she keeps coming back she might end up as a roast....(according to my husband) - we did have roast pheasant yesterday! They don't really count as wild birds as they've just been put here for shooting by the local shoot!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Of course they are wild  .  and they do fly although they don't like to 'get up', preferring to run along the ground until the last moment, hence many hit by cars and left on the side of roads - we pick up road kill ;-).  Once she knows there's grub up there she may well flap in un-gainly fashion over and over ……. what time is supper 

We used to feed the poults with the game-keepers until they were old enough to release …….. once they were free of the pens we went up for the next 10 days to supplement but they soon wandered away.  Which is why they don't make good 'pets'  anymore than the quails that I had did - 'fliers', I had to have the whole run covered in wire.

Not much in our garden this morning 

[Cazikins]

I have been watching a live RSPB webcam of Peregrines with their 4 chicks (which all hatched on the same day).
Fascinating to see them grow.
 

[CLKD]

Himself heard a cuckoo yesterday.

[CLKD]

I'm out of live meal worms and can't order more until Tuesday  - I have soaked dried ones but they don't last 2 seconds.

[Taz2]

That's a shame 

Taz x

[Dulciana]

I said hello to an elephant this morning..............

[Taz2]

Did it reply?

Taz x

[CLKD]

   I want to reply with something snappy but am brain dumb ………. I feel really guilty that I am having to ration the meal worms, robin is currently staring through the lounge window 

[Hurdity]

Our cat has just brought in a dead baby dormouse

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Doesn't your cat know that dormice are protected 
Of course, the Romans kept them in honey jars to fatten them ………

Frogs are up from the water in the ponds, always a sign of a change in the weather.

[Taz2]

Our cat has just brought in a dead baby dormouse

Hurdity x

That's really early for a dormouse Hurdity. Here they don't usually give birth until July although early June has been known. I expect you'll get another one tomorrow now the cat's found the nest 

[Hurdity]

Oh! I don't think it can have been then although we've had a very mild winter. It was just very small and my husband says it was a baby young one. The cats haven't brought one in for about 20 years so I'm glad at least that we have them still.... hopefully there will be many more alive!!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Earlier we were sitting, hand feeding the birds when there was sudden silence followed by a scattering of birds in all directions: except one sparrow  - sparrow hawk had arrived ……… I hope her babies enjoyed the sparrow