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Author Topic: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature  (Read 1038783 times)

Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4740 on: August 07, 2019, 06:01:45 AM »

That's what I can't understand,the entire garden is completely dog proof,our tiniest dog can't get out anywhere and the fences are high enough so our German shepherd can't jump over,it baffles me 🤷‍♀️
They can squeeze under quite small gaps in fencing. Sometimes they scrape soil or grass away over time to make the gap a bit deeper. We have put a Hedgehog Highway in our new fencing which three hedgies use but the other one prefers to squeeze himself through a slight gap under another part of the fence. Look for telltale poos around the gap. Have you got water down for it?

Taz x  :)
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jaypo

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4741 on: August 07, 2019, 07:14:11 AM »

Aah I really wasn't sure if they could squeeze themselves flat but that is the only place he could possibly get in,I've gone right round our entire garden 😆 determined to find something as we've to be so careful for the dogs,we've cctv at the gate must look at it
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4742 on: August 07, 2019, 08:44:17 AM »

This Youtube shows a hedgie squeezing under a gate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8g__q_yuY4. The recommended Hedgehog Highway gap is 13cm x 13cm which is about the size of a CD cover. The gap mines squeezes through beside our gate is half that though. If you've ever seen a female hedgehog in the mating position you would have seen how flat they can go  ;D

Taz x
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Wrensong

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4743 on: August 07, 2019, 09:01:53 AM »

Haven't followed this lovely thread since 2017, so sorry if this has already been covered, but we've had very few baby birds in the garden this year.  Has anyone else noticed the same? 

We are in middle England, about as far from the sea as you can get.  The usual massive, squabbling starling clans have been here making a rumpus, but those other babies we've had in previous years conspicuous by their absence.  Only one robin - & that very late - still hasn't got his proper orange chest, only 1 or 2 blackbird babies when in previous years we had frazzled looking parents trying to feed 4 at a time!  No baby finches of any kind, no baby collared doves or dozy great wood pigeons, nor tits - blue, great or long-tailed.  No wren babies either.  The adults have all been here at the feeders or exploring the various terracotta pots, so they are interested in the food - just apparently not breeding as prolifically this year.  Think I should play some Barry White?
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4744 on: August 07, 2019, 10:01:12 AM »

Not sure Barry White would do it  ;D

We've had loads here in Hampshire/Berkshire. The robins are just bringing out their third brood which I think will be there last this year hopefully as it's getting a bit late now. The bluetits were successful in raising at least twelve in the nest box over the road as I was lucky enough to be at home when they fledged so could watch the poor parents trying to keep them all together for the first few hours. What a job! The blackbirds have raised two broods and today there is one more "branched" one calling out for food which has alerted three of my cats but he's perched nicely high up so hopefully will stay there. We've had young blue, great and coal tits, sparrows, goldfinches (again just brought their second brood to the feeders). The starlings have stopped at two broods this year but it's great to see them as they have been so endangered. No baby chaffinches or greenfinches this year but they are more private than the goldfinches. Young dunnocks too although they've now disappeared off back to the countryside I think. It's always difficult to spot baby collared doves and pigeons I think because they spend so long in the nest before being kicked out by the parents. The wood pigeons have been breeding in my "covered in oak tree" since March so not sure how many they've had!

Maybe you've just missed the young being brought to feed?

Taz x
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jaypo

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4745 on: August 07, 2019, 10:40:45 AM »

Omg thanks taz,that was brilliant,mystery solved woohoo 🥳 😆 I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen that
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4746 on: August 07, 2019, 11:24:32 AM »

So pleased for you!  :) They are clever at getting into places but that's also how they get themselves stuck in netting sadly. ****les don't make for good reversing ability!

Taz x
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4747 on: August 07, 2019, 11:39:50 AM »

here in Middle England blackbirds are on their 3rd brood and 2 from the 2nd brood are round my feet when I walk outdoors.  Young goldfinches on the feeders this week, can't count how many.  Starling, rooks, jackdaws been and gone about 4 weeks ago.  Robins around in singles and I saw the wren for the 1st time since April early one morning this week.
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Wrensong

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4748 on: August 07, 2019, 05:21:13 PM »

That explains it Taz - all gone down to your garden!  What a lovely variety you have.  I'm at home nearly all day, not currently working & OH works mostly from home in spare bedroom that overlooks the back garden, so we're unlikely to have missed the babies. 

The baby pigeons & collared doves give themselves away by being even dozier than the adults!  They have that dazed teenager look & stand around for ages on the grass as if they've only just got up, brain's in neutral & have no awareness of predators.  They're also fatter than the adults at first.   The collared dove babies are also distinguishable by being late to get their collars & the wood pigeons' markings are not as well defined in the young.  Feathers look a bit more ruffly on both too.  Come to think of it, we have many kites & buzzards in the area, kites soaring over the garden every day - wonder whether their increasing numbers have anything to do with it.  Not sure whether they're scavengers or predators though.


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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4749 on: August 07, 2019, 06:42:33 PM »

Our baby pigeons must be more sophisticated down South as they are quite dapper  ;D although I do agree with the dove markings not being there to start with.

I feed a mixture of stuff. The daily breakfast of table scraps, grated cheese, wholemeal breadcrumbs, digestive biscuits and sultanas brings in robins, sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, starlings, magpies and one crow. The starlings have just dropped by for supper too. We have four cats so from May till the end of August we fence off a part of the garden with the birdtable and bird bath in to give the youngsters a chance. I feed sunflower hearts in one feeder and Niger seed in another and also two mixed seed feeders.

I forgot to mention the sparrowhawk earlier. She's always lurking somewhere.

Taz x
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Wrensong

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4750 on: August 07, 2019, 07:01:04 PM »

Crumbs Taz - not surprised your pigeons are dapper - they're dressed for the a la carte dinner in your restaurant!  The variety you feed puts us to shame.  We have been lucky to have a good range of birds over the years & many babies & have never fed anything more exotic than what they get now.  But ours is a fast food outlet by comparison to your haute cuisine!  Will have to get in a greater variety of food I think.  Can't have them ALL going to dine in Berks/Hants!  We have no pets to deter them.

We do have spa facilities for them.  Heated bird bath in snow!!  A big, shallow terracotta plant saucer about 12" across, under the acer for privacy!  OH fills it with warm water & keeps topping it up to prevent it icing over.  It steams & they queue up to get in!

We actually had a Goshawk here a few years ago - came to the garden on 3 occasions.  Twice to dine on pigeon.  A Sparrowhawk seen here once only.  Much smaller than the Goshawk.   
Wx
« Last Edit: August 07, 2019, 07:03:19 PM by Wrensong »
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4751 on: August 07, 2019, 07:06:52 PM »

We have niger in flower ;-)
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4752 on: August 07, 2019, 10:02:16 PM »

We have niger in flower ;-)

Us too! It gets everywhere!

Taz x
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4753 on: August 07, 2019, 10:07:32 PM »

Wrensong I've never seen a Goshawk here. Do they kill quicker than the Sparrowhawk? I hate the time she takes to despatch whatever she's caught.

Haute Cuisine?  ;D The table napkins do tend to blow away I'm afraid.  ;D Your spa sounds amazing!!

Taz x
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Wrensong

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #4754 on: August 08, 2019, 10:05:26 AM »

Not sure how long it takes the hawks to put their prey out of their misery Taz - at each sighting they had already started eating.  I found it distressing that the Goshawk took so long plucking out the feathers - was in the garden ages.  Left the feathers all over the place & only a piece of wing left to identify its meal as pigeon.  Horrible, but hawks have to eat just like the rest of us.   Pity about their table manners!

Napkins eh?  Damn - another oversight here!   ;D
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