Hobbies and Crafts

A few blackbirds around this morning but just the usual sparrows and pigeons the rest of the time. The pigeons are stripping our crab apple tree bare. A lot of the time they seem to just pull the crab apples off the tree and drop them on the ground. The annoying thing is they don't go near the one in next door's garden.

I went to set up our ground feeder this morning. I was going to get it out of storage in the garage, make sure it was clean and then put it in the garden with some juicy soaked mealworms. Unfortunately, all I can find is the mesh cage that sits on the base to keep the bigger birds out. I can't find the base where you put the food anywhere. OH swears blind he put it with the cage in the garage but it's not there now. I'll have another hunt for it tomorrow but it wouldn't surprise me at all to find it's not there. I suspect OH put it down in the garage somewhere, got distracted and forgot about it and it has got taken to the tip with a load of rubbish.

Thinking of Kandj, she has had a bad time of it lately. <3

That was a lot of potatoes Liz. Nice to see the little Robin around again.

I don't like seeing the Magpies attacking the nests and tossing the eggs out of the blackbirds nests. The noise is quite disturbing when it happens, the poor blackbirds try their best to shoo the Magpies away but the Magpies always win. So sad to hear and watch, knowing there is nothing you can do to help.

Oh dear, not that I have had contact with Kandj, but I do feel sorry for her. I can only imagine how distressed she must be feeling and will be thinking of her.
Yes, those potatoes will see us on for a while, carrots, which were awful in the summer have now perked up, also Leeks!!
This morning we are soaking meal worms for the Robin!! and the blue tits are well in evidence! We have so many Pheasants particularly in the field opposite, and this morning we saw a Fox scurrying along the hedge in the field at the back of us!

Keeping Kandj in my thoughts and sending her love as she faces another funeral of a loved one <3 <3

Sending thoughts to Kandj for Wednesday. Yes a sad year for her. <3

Thats a good crop of potatoes !. We didnt do any this year. I remember some years ago seeing a trap where the chap at the Stables down the lane had put a dead rabbit in this cage and there was a Magpie trapped in there.

Kandj has the funeral for her Sister on Wednesday. It is such a sad time once again for her.As if she hasn't had enough loss in the last year or 2. Life has certainly not been kind for her and her family :-( My thoughts will be with her on Wednesday <3 <3

Our local farmer sets lure traps for Magpies which is very effective! :-( I don't awfully approve of them, but, on the other hand, they do decimate the little birds especially the eggs and young, so sadly needs must!
Been a beautiful day here, OH dug and bagged (four sacks!) our potato crop and low and behold the Robin appeared!! (or his double!) Made our day!

There will be plenty of Squirrel proof feeders around Gill . They are such crafty creatures though and will do anything to get to the food.A Bird book would be just great for Sandra. I often dig mine out to have a look through and it is so helpful in finding out which birds you have visiting . I still get a bit mixed up with ther Great and Coal Tits. I realised too after looking in my book that we have Dunnocks. I thought they were just Sparrows.
Just lately we have a couple of Magpies hopping and squawking around the lawn.I would rather not have them if I am totally honest.

The squirrel came back and ate all the bird seed off the bird table, much to Sandra's disappointment so I've decided to try and find a squirrel proof bird feeder then I can put the nuts on the bird table for the squirrel and Sandra can watch all the wildlife. She didn't mind the squirrel at first but also wants to see the birds. She was pleased to see the little Robin this morning. I'm sure I'll find something so she can see both the squirrel and birds.

I had a look online with Sandra for birds Liz and she loved looking at them all and is hoping to see more in the garden soon.

Nice to see you posting Gill, and I love the new pic!!. I think a bird book for Sandra would be a lovely gift for her. We've got one or two and both OH and I often refer to them when we get different birds.
Beautiful day here, and the birds various are chirping away in the bush behind our bungalow - makes you feel glad to be alive!!

Good news, we've had our first bird on the bird table today, a little Robin. Sandra is thrilled, she is so excited and can't wait to see other birds joining in the feast. I bought a fat ball but I'm going to wait until there are more birds before putting it out as I don't want to encourage the squirrel back, if they're anything like pigeons they'll eat everything and the poor little birds won't get a look in. I don't think it'll be long and then when the fat ball goes out it'll encourage even more birds. I was surprised to see the Robin, I thought it would of took a bit longer, but pleased it's happened so early as Sandra has been keeping an eye out for the first bird. I think it might be the little fluffy one we saw earlier in the year when we were doing our front garden, but then again they all look the same, so it might not be lol. Either way Sandra's happy and that's the main thing.

I'm going to try and get Sandra a book on birds so she can identify the ones that come into our garden. Plus I'm not that familiar with all the different birds so I can learn at the same time.

When we had our apple tree there used to be a woodpecker around, but now it's been taken down we don't see him anymore.

I know bluetits and great tits Ann, but have never heard of a coaltit. I'll have to Google it. Just Googled it and we have all three in our garden, so we'll keep an eye out for them on the bird table now.

We have had visits from a few bluetits, a great tit and a coaltit. I put fat balls out yesterday and that seems to be luring them.

Jane it was possibly a young sparrow, good that your OH got it out though.

Gill hopefully the birds will find you. We have a feeder that has a cage over it so that squirrels can't get at what is in the feeder, don't know if it works as it is many years since we saw a squirrel here.

Well, OH and I have just spent ages just watching our little birds! A Great Tit and a Dunnet (sp?) have joined the increasing gang! The Robin (is it him, or a substitute?!!) has been lured by the meal worms and is back in the garden. Yesterday evening we saw the Woodpecker. He/she appeared to be eying up the wooden stem holding up the bird table! but thought better of it!!! Blue tits are still reigning supreme! there's got to be about six of them! parents and young I guess!!

Oh the poor little bird Jane, it must of wondered where it was and what was going on, I'm pleased your OH managed to get it out okay and it flew off, with hopefully no harm done.

Your ground feeder with the wire mesh sounds a good idea Vera. Although you're right about the starlings they are greedy things and the pigeons to, the little birds just don't stand a chance do they?

Well, OH and Sandra have finished the bird table, but they cheated and had one given to them from next door. The stand on the one they were given was rotten but luckily they had already made a stand so just attached the bird table to it. They pretended they'd made it themselves and I believed them at first until Sandra started laughing. OH has painted it now so Sandra is looking forward to putting some food on it tomorrow. I just hope she has the patients to wait for them to eat off it. I have explained it could take a while so hopefully she'll be okay and won't mind waiting. I must admit it does look good now it's all painted and in place.

I never got around to doing the Insulation today so we've just put her bed back and I'll do it tomorrow instead as it's getting to late to start it now.

A tiny bird managed to get in through our Kitchen window this morning (I wasnt here) .
OH said it was a Blue Tit but I think maybe not as I havent seen them .It was a window that opened outwards from the bottom (tilting out) so how on earth it managed to get in there I just dont know. Luckily OH mananged to get it out the same way but it was a bit stunned and sat on the windowsill for a while.But then was able to fly away :-D. I am glad I wasn't here.
The Green Woodpecker has been busy too today on the lawn :-D

Strange you should mention meal worms as I have just come in from the shops with a pack.

I have decided to put the ground feeder out again. It’s a rectangular tray for the food with a wire mesh cover that is supposed to only let in small birds but I had to stop using it because the starlings were managing to get at the food. A small flock of starlings would clear it really quickly and the birds like robins didn’t stand a chance.

I’m hoping for better luck this time.

Thanks Ann and Liz, I'll stock up when the bird table is finished. OH and Sandra are getting on with it and the sun has come out so it's nice and warm. They both look like they're having a great time.

I had to put a bit of filler on the walls so I'll have to wait a bit before I can put the insulation on. I was hoping to have it finished today but my mum and sister came around to visit so it'll probably be finished tomorrow now.

Apparently if you soak them they become particularly juicy and apertising!!!

A good tip for robins and blackbirds Gill, they love Meal worms.

I didn't think to buy a feeder on a stand, that would be a good idea and could be put in the open with a bird bath like Liz suggested. I didn't realise the pigeons use bird baths for toilets.......yuk, but I suppose that's nature for you. So long as both the bird bath and feeders are away from all the plants the cat can't go creeping around ready to pounce without someone noticing.

You reminded me of a bird table OH and Sandra made together when we first moved in here, when you mentioned the way your OH made yours Vera and I don't remember the cat going anywhere near it. That was on a pole type piece of wood and also had a little roof on it. Maybe they could make another one together Sandra would love that.

Thanks for letting me know it takes a while for the birds to get used to anything new Ann. Now would be a good time to get things up and running so they know it's there and safe in time for the winter.

I like the idea of having a feeder on a window especially if it could go onto Sandra's bedroom. Mind you I don't think she'd like them feeding at silly o'clock in the morning. She definitely wouldn't like the noise that early.

She would enjoy watching them feed throughout the day though so I will take a look at a feeder on a stand as we don't have the right type of trees to put one in there. We only have conifers and they are quite thick near the middle so she wouldn't see anything.

The weather has brightened up and the sun is trying to come out so I've just suggested to OH and Sandra if they'd like to make a bird table, so that's what they're going to do now while I'm insulating her bedroom. You should of seen the big smile on Sandra's face when I mentioned it........bless her. I already have some nuts so they can go on straight away. I won't need to buy the feeder now, just a bird bath.

How lovely to see the Robin again Liz. I've not seen the one around here for a while, maybe when I start putting some food out it may come back. We've not had as many birds around this year compared to last year, maybe it was all the hot weather. We have a few blue tits and of course the usual blackbirds and pigeons, but apart from that not much else.