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Author Topic: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature  (Read 1037977 times)

Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2009, 01:46:07 PM »

The third "batch" of baby starlings arrived this morning - one set of parents have managed to raise four - amazing to have got them this far! They make such a noise but these parents parked them on top of the garage roof instead of in the apple or plum tree so they were a little bit safer - apart from the baddie crow who has not made an appearance today yet thank goodness.

Taz x

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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #16 on: July 02, 2009, 07:24:07 AM »

I can hear the blackbird calling in distress, don't know whether the cat is around or that blasted squirrel, or if he is trying to get the babies out of the nest.  The neighbours' cat has had 3 babies, the other one was hiding near our chickens for protection  ;D and got quite tame over the weekend. 

The Robin is a bit huffy since our return, he's lost a lot of confidence and no longer follows me around the garden for meal worms  :( ........
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #17 on: July 02, 2009, 04:42:04 PM »

It's probably a different robin CLKD  :)

Taz x
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2009, 06:43:12 AM »

Finally saw my hedgehog last night. She was on the patio greedily munching her way through a saucer of cat food. I hadn't actually left it out for the hedgie but for the stray cat which is lurking around. I hope it was a meat one and not a fishy one as fishy ones are not good for them  :-\

I took the opportunity to do a quick inspection and she appeared to be in quite good health considering the dry spell we are having at the moment. She was a little on the light side with quite a few ticks, though that's to be expected at this time of year, and no sign of any breathing problems. Hedgies suffer from a type of pneumonia and also lungworm. Her spines were a bit dry too which signals dehydration but there is plenty of water around in the garden so no doubt she would have had a drink as well as her dinner!

Can I ask everyone to put some water out at ground level for any visiting hedgies? Just a saucerful will do. They are suffering very badly in the heat and their numbers are in rapid decline - and nobody really knows why.

Thank you

Taz x
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #19 on: July 03, 2009, 08:00:44 AM »

There is a lot of water in our garden but I will spruce up the containers today.  We found a hedgie stuck behind a dustbin when we arrived on holiday, we put it into a field of long grass where is curled up all day, by evening it was gone.  Hopefully recovered.

It is the same robin!  He has a feather stuck in the air like a signal which won't go until he moults, he was back last evening sitting on my knee taking meal worms off the plate.  Obviously Mummy Robin is on the nest for a 3rd time - will need to tell the Council as there is Planning Application for 2 houses in that orchard going before Planners next week!

Cooler this morning. Birds still singing. 
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Jules

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #20 on: July 03, 2009, 09:37:02 AM »

Husband and I went on a Bat walk one evening this week - very interesting, saw three different species.  H is now talking about buying a bat detector - we have Pipistrelles in the garden fairly regularly, but he is thinking about wandering down through the woods/fields nearby to see if he can find other species.

It's a change from his bird watching!  Oh well.
:bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat: :bat:
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #21 on: July 03, 2009, 10:34:56 AM »

For years - up until 5 ago - we had a summer pipestrelle roost and I would sit in the garden 3 times a year and do a 'count' - over 150 one evening!  Then they stopped coming so we had the Soffit boards replaced and Hubby hung up boxes.  Haven't seen any since although my friend further down gets them in her garden.

I sent the count to the local bat man!
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #22 on: July 31, 2009, 08:02:15 AM »

I'm being nagged!  I can hear the robin chirrping outside our open bathroom window 'cos I haven't fed him his live meal worms yet.  The sparrows are quiueing up too  ::) must dash, Nature needs me !
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #23 on: August 02, 2009, 12:35:39 PM »

I'm quite sure that I'm not the only one who has butterflies, insects in abundance today on the budlea, evening primrose plants, lavender - the garden is humming gently in warm sunshine. 
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #24 on: August 02, 2009, 03:58:18 PM »

Yes CLKD we have a butterfly explosion on the buddleiah (sp?)  and on Friday we had 27 peacocks plus dozens of tortoiseshells. It is a very big buddleiah!

The goldfinches brought a young one yesterday and today - much fluttering of wings and twittering. The wasps are busy taking all manner of flies and grubs back to the nest in order to get their fix of nectar from the grubs.

Tazx
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #25 on: August 03, 2009, 08:14:54 AM »

We have had Painted Ladies too .......... our white flowered budlea is about 18 feet tall so can be viewed from our bedroom window
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #26 on: August 06, 2009, 06:52:31 AM »

Our purple Buddleia (sp?) is huge too. Like you CLKD have to go upstairs to look at it properly. It self-seeded itself 20 years ago and has steadily turned into a small tree - the wood looks lovely. We cut it down in two halves each year so that it has a longer flowering period. It was full of butterflies again yesterday - peacocks, tortoiseshells, cabbage whites and those meadow blue ones. The white one has grown up right through one of the trees and is laying along the roof. Must get the trees attended to sometime!

Has anyone seen any Hummingbird Hawkmoths this year? I only ask as in previous years we have had a lot here but this year I haven't seen one.

Taz x
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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #27 on: August 06, 2009, 06:57:12 AM »

Earlier this year but not recently - one was on the lavender flowers in the front garden.  Our white budlea flowers have deep orange centres, the buds are chunky and fat ......... the 2 purple plants, a deep rose-red and the yellow bobbly one also attract insects
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Taz2

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #28 on: August 06, 2009, 07:03:30 AM »

Yes, our white one has orange middles too - the purple ones have red middles I think - will have to check that. I wondered whether the cold winter killed off a lot of the over-wintering Hummingbirds so we will only get the ones that come across the Channel rather than the ones who had set up home here.

Taz x

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CLKD

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Re: Wild Birds and all things to do with Nature
« Reply #29 on: August 06, 2009, 07:04:48 AM »

The white one has a perfume too.  Hubby doens't like them, calls them 'weeds' but I wouldn't be without in our garden: that, lavender  and a water feature are important to me
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