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[Taz2]

Hedges etc should be left alone between 1st March and 31st July although many birds are still nesting after this time. It is only a prosecutable offence though if you knew that there was a nest in the hedge/bush/tree before you cut it down and how on earth you can ever prove that you did know is beyond me! http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/environment/conservation/treework-bats-birds/

Taz x

[Meggie]

The chooks are back to laying - today we've had 5 and one of them is BIG and fits nice and snug in the egg-box .... all others have rattled around ..... but the birds are very young.

We're also having sunshine today - 32 degrees - phew.

Meggie

[CLKD]

Tadpoles.  Loads of.  Swimming in the sun well actually they are in the water in the pond but you probably get my drift 

[Taz2]

Hi Kmg - have you got any grain you could feed the geese? Bread is ok but grain is far better for them. Always try to feed them the bread whilst in the water or soak it well first. It can clog up their throats as they try to gobble it down.

Jackdaws are interesting birds though they can plunder the other birds nests and take the nestlings. Both the pairs of magpies that visit my garden are feeding young at the moment - now that is a powerful and greedy bird!

I have never been able to draw so I am quite envious of you being able to capture what you see.

Taz x

[CLKD]

We have a visiting Jackdaw ........... comical birds.  Sun's out.  Birds is singing.  At last I have new meal worms for them, robin followed me into the house yesterday he was so desperate 

[Meggie]

The lake is hidden away, and there's a huge willow tree I sit beneath, in summer I'm almost hidden away by a curtain of foliage. It's very peaceful, I make a lot of drawings and then try to capture the atmosphere later in watercolour...just recently I've been doing these at 3.00am! 

I've been going to Art Class but can't say I'm very good.  I hope that in time I will improve but as I only get to the class every 2 or 3 weeks, the masking dries out too much before my next class and the Teacher "moans".  I know I'm crap, don't need to be made to feel it too !!  Sorry - rant done with.

Meggie

[CLKD]

Hubby wants to take up drawing and water colours when he retires.  In between his hobby, gardening, the chores I have lined up for him  - he copies really well.  He has a drawer full of pencils, paper and paints ready for action.  I will be happy to sit and read whilst he sketches away.

[Meggie]

It would be nice to sit outside today and draw the view but it's too hot - 37 degrees at the moment - no I'm not joking.  Phew !!

OH has rigged up some shade for the chooks because there's very little - we weren't prepared for a heatwave !

Meggie

[viv]

My Husband joined a local art club just over a year ago. I always knew that he could draw and paint. This evening we went to an exhibition (village hall) where he had entered two paintings. I was ever so proud. He has actually sold two at previous events. This all started when I bought him all the necessary kit for Xmas.
It has given him a great new hobby and a whole set of new pals from his class. He just loves it and I get to be the proud wife at the exhibitions.
I do envy him his talent. My two kids have it as well. As for me, I cant even manage a straight line

Viv
x

[CLKD]

I did shorthand but still can't drawer a straight line  

[CLKD]

The sun is streaming through this window, the air is very cold and the birds are singing their socks off ........ it stayed mostly dry today apart from the sharp hail storm mid-morning and drizzle a couple of times.

[CLKD]

Trey from the US tells us:

"In the US holidays are not routine.  Many don't take a holiday (vacation) for years and years, which is why we are so neurotic.  It should be mandatory, but is not.  Don and I have moved so often that we say, others may take a cruise, we move and buy another house.  We have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks (rescues and small 48lbs --one runt, one mix) and that restricts travel.  We had a bunny until a year ago who was with us 9 years and traveled with us as well.  Our pets are our true family.  We have children, but................................

"I'm lying in bed with computer guarding my bird feeder.  The d___ common sparrows have come and taken over blue bird boxes.  I googled 'sparrows in bluebird boxes' and what an education.  The male sparrow is more bonded to the box than to the mate.  It was so awful that we placed the box only (not the pole) on our bedroom window sill and placed the bird feeder nearby.  When I'm on the computer I watch the feeder (a lovely bluebird on as we 'speak') and rap on the window when the sparrow or mockingbird comes.  We have brilliantly colored bluebirds and cardinals and one really nice thrasher (rust colored).  I am so angry that the sparrow probably killed the bluebird eggs next door (they are away) and then I read that they will hatch up to five sets of eggs and that they stay in the immediate area.  They are considered a menace.  Who knew? "

We have sparrows on our bed feeders.  I'm giving them live meal worms which the robins queue up for; as do the great-tits.  Yesterday a robin was singing his heart out on the incoming phone wire which over-looks this room  but we are short of worms so have to limit how many we put out.  The starlings mob the smaller birds until the worms are dropped ......... 

Our garden looks lovely now, blossom out, birds singing, hubby has to plant broad beans this evening and cover from the pigeons ........

[Taz2]

Did I miss Trey's post? Where is it? I can't find it 

Don't be too hard on the starlings CLKD - they are on the amber list now and need protecting and nurturing, whereas, Robins are ten a penny 

We have the usual birds visiting at the minute, busily feeding their young, and I have had to take a young starling, fledgling mistle thrush and young blackbird over to the Wildlife hospital in the past week. the mistle thrush was gorgeous and while I was finding out more about them for the young girl who found it, I came across this lovely article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1189211/Bird-bath--Mother-mistle-thrush-uses-dam-protect-nest-overflowing-drainpipe.html

Taz x

[CLKD]

If fledglings are left the parents will feed them.  Unless the parents are found dead.  I can hear our robin whistling but can't see him. 

[Taz2]

I agree that fledglings are sometimes fed by their parents but not always. This one was found on a driveway with a squashed parent bird on the road outside the cottage. Normally an assessment is made as to whether it is safe to leave a fallen fledgling for the parents to continue feeding as cats are quite often in the vicinity. Some birds, such as owls, are always returned to their original area upon release. Others such as all the blue tits and finches, sparrows etc are set free from the wildlife hospital.They very rarely go far - knowing that a plentiful food source is on tap!

Taz x