Hi

Well its now getting hectic around here. The birds are now devouring seed, nuts, bread and anything else I now put out for them by the shedful. I feed them before I go for the paper in the morning and when I come back its all gone and there is a lot of little fluffy faces "ah" looking at me waiting for more. Its costing a fortune but what the heck bless em.

Bazza 

Hi Perrycornish

Your story about the greenfinch reminded of the time a bird crashed into my window and when I went to investigate to my great surprise it was a kingfisher!!!

Luckily it was only stunned and after about half an hour it fluttered into my silver birch and from there it took off.  How special was that!!

Perrycornish

Hi

It looks like my regulars have invited all there mates around and then some. Its like one way traffic to the feeders.

Regarding the greenfinch, well done nurse perry. One saved here and there soon mounts up.

Bazza 

Trudi Wynn

Hi

I must admit that I am not very fond of starlings. As you say as soon as I put stuff out a lot of starlings turn up from nowhere and start to devour the lot. If I am at home I now tend to chase them off so the little birds can get a feed. It does get a bit monotonous
going outside every ten minutes or so but in the end they get the message and go somewhere else. I know a bird is a bird but...........

Bazza 

Trudi,

I think your Starling problem is pretty well universal, our core population is about eight starlings, which the other birds can cope with, but we do at intervals, (usually in the mornings until about ten) get an increase in numbers to about 50-100, at that I draw the line, and have two hand sized wooden boards with handles which I clap together very loudly and like Bazza I find they eventually get the message and depart ( It sounds a bit like a gunshot when I clap them together) the eight 'residents' do come back though!

My other strategy, which helps, is to have a large number of feeding stations quite apart from one another and the smaller birds seem bright enough to find the starling free zones and feed there. I do though have the advantage of a large garden.

Hope this helps a bit 

Bazza & Perrycornish,

Thank you for the advice, I will start chasing them off I spend half the day chasing my neighbours chickens out of my garden so whats a few starlings. I have got a number of feeders around the garden some of which are supposed to only be for smaller birds but the starlings seem to have worked out how to feed from them. I do try to garden to encourage wildlife so shouldn't complain, the pair of mallards which come every year to over winter in my large wildlife pond will arrive soon and I will moan they peck holes in leaves make a mess in the pond etc but I do love watching them especially when they come down to the house and look through the patio window at you until you go out and feed them.

Trudi Wynn

Hi

Wow that must be great to have a couple of wild ducks come visiting every year. They must realy trust you cause after all you could be thinking of banging them on the head and having a free Christmas dinner. Nice one.

Bazza 

Bazza, 

I had a pet duck when I was young so could never eat one, they are really nice to watch and like you say they do start to trust you. I am sure it is the same pair that come each year as after only a couple of days I can get really close to them. I have a smaller ornamental pond in the patio which they usually swim about in but this year we have had  to net it as we had a problem with a heron eating the fish, I hope it dosen't put them off as they still have the pond at the top of the garden to swim in. I am just waiting for them to lay eggs and bring their babies to visit, they have been coming for the last four years so I live in hope. 

Hi Everyone 

Happy New Year to you all!

We were really lucky last week - we had 2 jays joining the throng eating the bird seed on the patio.  They are so lovely and we had a really close up view of them.  We have bird feeders all over the place and cannot believe how quickly they get emptied but you are all right, it is worth every penny to feed them and at least unlike TV, everything you see them do is different and with no repeats!  We had a flock of long tailed tits a few days ago - those are my real favourites - they are so funny squabbling and playing with each other and so acrobatic.  Last summer I was working in the garden when a flock of babies settled in a bush about 4/5' away from me.  I think that they nest in the leylandii we have surrounding the orchard and veg garden as I have found a couple of old nests.  the only ones I will chase away sometimes are the magpies - they are such bullies.

Judith

Judith

Hi

Funny you mentioning jays. The only time I see any is in autumn. The house next door has a huge oak tree and the jays always seem to know when the acorns are ready for eating. But get this they actually use a one way system. There is about four of them and they fly in to the tree from the back one at a time, and fly out through the front, each with an acorn in its beak. As you say beautiful birds but they don't stay still long enough for me to take a pic.

Like you I also get a flock of long tailed tits visit twice a year. It must be once on the way out and once on they way back. I believe they and I think its green finches flock  in large numbers before dispersing to various parts of the country. Wouldn't it be nice if we could do that.

Bazza 

Hi Bazza

The jays live here all of the time and we see them through the year but as you know they are quite shy birds and we only usually get a quick glimpse of them before they are off again, so I was thrilled to see 2 just wandering around feeding.  I was really lucky at Christmas and my other half gave me a digital camera so I will try and see if I can get pics once I have mastered how to use it.  I may be some time.........................!  We have a huge bird population and even have owls and buzzards flying in but they don't stay.  I am going to investigate how to attract barn owls (or any owls come to that) not only because I love them but also because rabbits have moved it on us!  What a pain.  the little furry vandals have taken all the carrots.  I would not mind so much if they ate them but we have found half gnawed carrots littered all over the garden.  We are now in the process of designing cages to go all over our raised veg beds to keep the little blighters off.  We are also for the first time having a problem with wood pidgeons eating the brassicas - the ungrateful little beasts!  I don't know if it is because cold weather is on the way but we have never had a problem before with anything.  I console myself that it is nice to share - if only they felt the same and did not take it all!!

Judith

Hi All!

Back from my winter sleep!

Like you, my hubby has been feeding the birds nearly everyday now. We get so many birds this time of year it's crazy out there. Can't let the poor cats out.... Unless I see the squizzer -  then I chuck him out there, not that he'll ever catch one, he's too lazy to chase the squirrels but at least he'll scare them away.  He's got a bird collar thing and he runs back to the door after 10 minutes so I don't worry about the birds anymore.

We've been seeing a lot of black birds in our garden, but there's a big variety of other birds thankfully. we have a little feeder separate from the rest so the smaller birds can eat from it when the bigger feeders are occupied by the bullies.

Hi Inbal 

Happy New Year!  Like you I was away for ages - pressure of work and Christmas - but it is good to hear from you again.  We are still feeding the birds etc.  It has been really wild down here and is currently blowing a gale although the stars are very bright and it is clear.  No snow though.  The bird feeders are emptied almost as soon as we can fill them because it is cold.  I just hope they are sheltering in the empty nest boxes.  we hear the owls very clearly just now.  My son has just been to visit and tells me that he has barn owls living in his old barn on a platform he built for them.  Lucky him - I shall need to go and have a look soon. 

 Judith

Barn owls are lovely, there's a few where my perants live and it's great to see them flying above you at night! (although you wouldn't think they'd live in a middle of a city would you?)

Can't wait for spring, got so much to do in the garden!

Hi Inbal

No, you wouldn't but they are so lovely it is great to see them anywhere and at any time.  In Cornwall, down near the Eden Project I used to see them sitting on posts during the day.  I didn't know they came out in the day either until then.

Like you I am impatiently waiting for Spring but in the meantime am making a plan of work so that at least we are a little bit organised this year.  Going to concentrate on my veg garden this year but there is still a lot to do in the ornamental garden.  Actually, there is still a lot to do everywhere but who cares - it keeps us fit and the results (hopefully) will be just what we need to cheer us up after winter.  Can't wait to get started!

Judith 

No veg patch this year yet, don't think we'll have the time! I've got a shed to move, greenhouse to repair, trees to chop down and then plant replacements, , pond to sort out and this year we're going to sort the house out so once the extension is built I'll be able to plant my little herb bit and plant some more shrubs/perennials in the rest of the garden. Wheew, tired just writing about it!

Hi Inbal

I know what you mean - but just think of the results!  We are also going to sort out the house.  No extension but we are going to put in a decent kitchen.  Have managed without one for 5 years but now have saved enough and the Great Kitchen Adventure is due to start!  Looks like this year is going to be very busy for a lot of us.

Judith

Our house was hubby's grandparents house, they lived here since the end of the seventies and since his grandad died til his gran died (last 20 years) she's neglected it a lot (she was very much a home is where you sleep woman) , the work that has been done to it was the kind of work that's called "taking advantage of an old lady when her family isn't looking" etc. so the kitchen's terrible, the conservatory's a joke and the out building is falling apart and needs tearing down - hence doing a proper extension. There's more that needs doing to it as it's not been touched other than the kitchen and conservatory but that and getting this place insulated is our first priority.

Can't wait for a new kitchen, I hate the one we've got - its tiny! our fridge is actually in the living room

Drifted off the bird subject there, I'm sure Bazza wouldn't mind. Where's he gone anyway??