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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 28, 2010 10:39:37 GMT 1
I've seen several green ones flying across the fields, which are bordered by trees and woodland to the east and south, but never seen a spotted one until the last few days. It was the vivid red on it that first drew my attention. I did a bit of a double-take the first time, and thought I was seeing things.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 29, 2010 15:11:16 GMT 1
It has been raining steadily here all day today, so hoping this helps bring the plants on down at the bird garden, and lets me get some seeds in, too. At least it should fill the water butts and troughs.
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Post by petdesigns on May 29, 2010 18:10:39 GMT 1
It's been a while since I've been so glad about rain! But the plants could really do with it now!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 29, 2010 20:17:36 GMT 1
The spotted woodpecker was back again this afternoon, and a nuthatch was stuffing itself with peanuts on the feeding station next to the building as I was sitting outside that and only a few feet away. Lots of young fledgling robins and tits around, and numerous little dunnocks, too. The jackdaws decimated all the latest fatballs and filled coconut shells, although they are such messy eaters the spilt lots on the ground for the little birds. The jackdaws were then joined by a couple of crows and a magpie. Talk about a noisy gathering!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 6, 2010 22:04:31 GMT 1
We have had extra volunteers at Llys Trerobert this weekend, and they collected no less than nine sacks stuffed with general rubbish that people (fly tippers) had thrown into the field and over the fences; five bags of scrap metal we can put for the scrap man; a pile of lino, a carpet, some tyres and inner tubes, a load of glass and plastic... the list goes on! Much of that is now lined up outside my house for the bin men to take away... Fingers crossed they do so!
Kerrie, one of the volunteers, has plans to come up in the evenings this coming week, too. She and her husband, James have also taken a load of photos of goods to list in the sales, too, and their hands are much steadier and don't shake as much as mine! (Less likely to drop the camera, too!)
There are now two pairs of swallows nesting in the buildings on the adjacent yard, and I have seen them all out in the evenings swooping and diving after insects over the yards. It is a lovely sight.
Mackenzie's nest box is being used now by a pair of bluetits, although we've not looked into the nest or risked disturbing them. I don't think the eggs have hatched yet, though. It's all quite quiet there so far, with just occasional glimpses of an adult bird going in and out.
Don't forget, if any members here wish to make use of the facilities, just let me know.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 8, 2010 23:41:18 GMT 1
I think it was greenfinch and nuthatch day down at LT today. The latter was back and forth for the latest homemade mixture filling the half-coconut shells, and that from the ones on the feeder only a few feet from where I was sitting. The greenfinches turned up in numbers on the peanut feeder opposite the building, and even seemed to scare off a jackdaw that tried to feed at the same time. I also saw lots of different tits, with some looking decidedly scruffy, others obviously youngsters just fledged. There seem to be an amazing number of robins around at present, and I am guessing they majority must be the offspring of the resident pair. I've seen a few facing each other in some confrontational moments, but no serious spats so far. There was a blackbird signing beautifully, despite the rain, but I couldn't see him. A green woodpecker flew across the garden and over the fields, but didn't stop, but the spotted woodpeckers - both male and female, put in brief appearances. I think they are nesting in the trees along the riverbank opposite the bird garden. I had planned to cut some of the long grass and weeds, but rain rather put me off, however, I did notice some shoots forming low down on the trunk of the little purple weeping willow tree, so think I will attempt to take a cutting or two from those. Talking of cuttings, Peter had been trimming back some of the overgrown redcurrent bushes down the allotment, so I've planted a few of the pieces in odd places down the BG. The geraniums have started to bloom the last few days, and I've seen quite a few bumblebees around those. We also have a few yellow irises in bloom. I wondered if they would do so this year, as they had been moved. The purple ones haven't. There are some yellow, Welsh poppies blooming, though. Those should spread naturally and come up each year once established. Lots of caterpillars on the nettles along the hedgeline, and those are now higher than the little Lawson Leylandii trees we had to plant to try and screen off the neighbouring plant hire yard! Thought they were supposed to grow a foot per year or more, but they seem to be shrinking instead! At least the crab apple trees, which looked a bit sickly when they arrived, having been too long in plastic bags as bare-root saplings, are now looking much healthier, and have fresh, deep reddish leaves. I need to get around all the fruit trees and cut the grass and weeds back though. The recent rain has given all those a real boost! The ponies and old horse only have to spot me heading down there with the shears to appear at the fence, anticipating some extra long, fresh grass as a treat. They are alredy doing a grand job of cropping the grass on the path that runs alongside their field fence to the south of the garden.
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Post by nicki on Jun 9, 2010 8:53:11 GMT 1
We have Sparrows nesting in the roof of the steading and also in the garage, where they have a competition with the Swallows as to who can make the most noise THey fly across the kitchen window into the rose bush there, which is lovely - the male Sparrows look so smart right now. The baby Swallows have just fledged! We've also had fledgling blackbirds, and there are baby Long Tailed Tits down at the river {Also at least one pair of Common Sandpiper}
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Post by nicki on Jun 9, 2010 8:54:24 GMT 1
oh and a TreeCreeper at the river, and Greater Spotted Woodpecker there and one in the field opposite our cottage here too.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 13, 2010 22:47:06 GMT 1
After a false start, when coal tits looked to be nesting in the bird box on the workshop wall - and then changed their minds, we now have blue tits nesting in it. They have been in and out much of the day with food. Another first for me seen today, was a yellowhammer on one of the feeders, and a beautiful cock chaffinch was coming and going to the feeder by the workshop this evening, as some of us were sitting nearby having a cuppa. Indeed, there has been a lot of activity at the feeders today, and the swallows were out in force gathering insects above the yards, too. Saw a buzzard being mobbed, as usual, by crows, too. Earlier, when it was quieter, there was a nuthatch feeding just a few feet away from me, too. It is quite amazing what a variety of birds seem to visit over a period of a day. I took Merlyn out for a short ride after Kerrie had taken him out, as apparently he'd been a bit of a bad lad and refused to go where she and James, who was leading him, wanted, and had insisted upon turning around and returning home the same way and he'd gone out. He's picking up some bad habits, but thought twice about it with me. Whatever, as we were going along the one track, which is overgrown on both sides, there was a tremendous amout of bird life flitting around in the trees and shrubs, and a lot of twittering. I could hear woodpeckers calling to one another - probably a pair - but didn't see them. Got a really good sighting of the male that visits the feeders yesterday, though. A beautiful bird.
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Post by armargo on Jun 15, 2010 20:12:38 GMT 1
Reading all your updates has made me realise how much I am missing out on every day by constantly rushing around and not taking any timeout to sit, listen & observe ........ I shall have to make a point of taking a tea break outside once or twice in the day whilst there is so much wildlife activity to enjoy
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 15, 2010 22:28:47 GMT 1
I am having to pace myself these days, so tend to do a bit of cutting out, take a break sitting outside where I can see the feeding stations. I'll then do a bit more, and repeat the sit down. Then perhaps when the cutting is done, I'll tackle a bit of weeding or grass cutting, then another break and so on. Sometimes there are other volunteers down there, but often only me and Scampi, who exhausts himself just mooching around and lazing in his bed or the car, if I leave its doors open. Today, I managed to seize the shears, much to the horse's disgust, as they like the long grass and expect it daily now! Merlyn will kick the gate or fence if I don't cut them a bit. Dai has repaired his strimmer, but has yet to bring it down to test it, but that might mean the job gets done all at once, so the horses won't get their daily ration, as they do when I'm only able to cut a bit at a time before my back starts screaming! Lots of aerial displays by the swallows today, and much tit activity back and forth the feeders, and it looks as if most are feeding young; ditto the nuthatches and various finches, with the cock chaffinches especially active. I also saw several young sparrows on the feeders and a couple on the fence expecting a parent to feed them. At one point two were perched in the little purple willow tree, too, and really clinging on in the breeze. I keep wondering how it will look next spring, and how much some of the trees and shrubs will have grown by then? Will the strawberry plants spread? Will the fruit bushes bear fruit and how long before the apple trees do so? I don't know the answers to those questions, but certainly know that I am shattered tonight, and could do with an early one! Must be all the fresh air?
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 16, 2010 21:12:24 GMT 1
Would you believe it, the resident robins whose territory extends over both the neighbouring yard and bird garden, are now sitting a THIRD clutch of eggs! It must be an exceptionally good territory, I think, for them to do that. The blue tits in the tit box have been busy popping in and out, although we've not looked into the nest to see if the eggs have hatched. The swallows have also been doing their usual aerial acrobatics this evening, and I spotted several sparrows feeding in the longer, seeding grass stalks. Perhaps next year I'll try and plant some cereals in patches for them, if I can get things like whole oats and barley. We have some wheat sprouting under the feeders but I doubt it will come to much because the jackdaws trample around there looking for the spilled grain and squabbling. I wish I was capable of getting down their at dawn to see just what appears then on the feeders.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 23, 2010 13:48:42 GMT 1
In a few weeks, we will be having an old caravan arriving at the Bird Garden... Could be some interesting possibilities there.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 23, 2010 22:26:56 GMT 1
Well, I have just popped down to LT to see if the two cheap solar shepherd's laterns I got in B & M's yesterday, and that Dai hung this morning, were working. At two for £7.00, I wasn't very hopeful, and when I got down there at dusk, only one was giving off a very low level glow, then that flickered and went out, and the other wasn't showing any sign of life! As I'd forgotten the milk left down in the workshop, I thought I'd open up and collect that, so it could go in the fridge at home overnight. When I came back out of the workshop with the milk, lo and behold, both solar laterns had come on! ;D I'll get two more when next in town if they've had more in, so we can have one on each of the veranda posts. Not sure how bright they might be when it is fully dark, but aim to find out one of these nights. Sat a while hoping to spot a bat or two, but there were no signs of any there tonight. If I can manage it, I aim to get there one day as dawn is breaking and the birds arrive for breakfast. I can perhaps then spot some of the less regular visitors to the garden.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jun 24, 2010 23:02:25 GMT 1
House martins are now nesting on the yard next door! One alighted on the arch into the BG, enabling us to identify it more clearly. Another to add to the growing list!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Sept 9, 2010 2:07:08 GMT 1
Here are three of our youngest memebers, who are starting to prepare the piece of ground for the bird grotto garden to try to encourage the return of the wrens. Bradley, Nathan, and Curtis hope to do a sponsored event dressed as garden gnomes, and to help to raise food for the birds at LT. Attachments:
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Sept 15, 2010 21:18:44 GMT 1
In the morning we have the local council's Woodland Officer coming to LT to have a look around and give us some advice. I'm particularly hoping to ask questions about improving the hedge behind the buiilding and where fly-tippers seem to wreck our efforts to plant saplings in the gaps. That and how best to encourage the return of the wrens, which appear to have been decimated by last winter's awful weather. Hoping also our mutant nuthatch (?) will put in an appearance then, and that he will know exactly what it is. There was a young nuthatch on the feeder by the building today. ALso saw three little coal tits, and they ahve also declined since last winter, when we started off with dozens of these delightful little birds visiting on a daily basis. Will let all know how the meeting goes.
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Post by tissy on Sept 15, 2010 21:29:37 GMT 1
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Sept 16, 2010 21:09:47 GMT 1
Old Scampi moves so slowly these days, that it is a wonder birds don't perch on him, or make a nest in his coat! Mind you, if he sees a cat in the bird garden, he can still send it packing with great determination, if not the speed these days to catch it - which is just as well! We had Gareth Henson, the local council's Woodland Officer out this morning to LT, and apparently he works for three CB Councils - Bridgend, RCT and Merthyr, and if we were situated in B'end, he'd have been able to do a lot more for the LT project, but we are just a bit too far out to benefit from schemes there for hedging etc. He did make suggestions, though, but it looks as if the problem hedge is gong to need the profession contractors in, and that will mean some fund-raising. He was also telling me that there are otters now on many of the local rivers, and that they are driving the mink out - even killing them. He, apparently, saw an otter quite recently on a river in a built up area of Bridgend. He was saying that he's not seen a mink for a few years now, which I found interesting. Although our young nuthatch perched on the feeding station while he was having a coffee, the Ninja one only put in a fly-by visit, and did its usual trick of wheeling around the edge of the neighbour's chicken shed roof a couple of times. I am very much afraid that, if we do too much cutting and laying of that old hedge, as the WO suggested, we might disturb the Ninja too much. I'd really like to leave the mature nut trees that are in the gap between the buildings, and maybe a couple of others, alone, if it might mean we'd upset that bird, even though it would be done outside the breeding season. When you visit, Ant, you'll see what I mean - and hopefully catch more than a fleeting glimpse of our Ninja! Lol Was really studying the sparrows this evening, and there were no more than six or seven on the feeders at any one time, but I failed to see a cock bird at all. Saw just one cock sparrow today, and that on the tit's feeder this morning - a youngster still moulting out. Also saw a very scruffy looking, young a male blackbird on the same feeder. I've named that one Screech! He makes a peculiar noise as he flies in, but it seems to send the tits in all directions. The resident robin was singing well this morning from the young, purple willow tree. His mate was perched on the gate at the same time and, as if realising they'd be out of his sight, two of theor youngsters sneaked in to help the dunnocks and chaffinches clean up under the tit's feeder, after Screech had stuffed himself on the contents of the coconut shell. Saw a sparrowhawk hunting around the hawthorns across the field, but didn't see him/her manage to make a kill. Those harthorns are quite dense and tend to give good cover to the sparrows at this time of year. No sign of any buzzards today, but plenty of wood pigeons in the fields. Two mgpies, too were busy turning over stones, though, and their jackdaw pals were noticeable by their absense, although I did see a solitary crow flying over. Dumped some fresh horse manure on the top of the path in the bird garden, and it wasn't long before the robin and some dunnocks were investigating that.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Sept 23, 2010 22:57:49 GMT 1
This is a photo taken today of the start of the clean up operation in the 'Wren's Grotto'. I should, perhaps, have taken a shot also of all the seven or eight sacks of rubbish that Peter pulled out from just that little section between the post and rail fence and the half-dead, ivy clad elder. In this shot you can see some of the builder's rubble and breeze blocks that was pulled out. Some of the stone comes from the old drystone wall that's fallen down, and we will utilise this in the garden. The rest we have a place to dump at the neighbourr's yard, as they need to fill in an area of very soft ground, so they can park their horse trailer on it without it sinking. I could do with some willing gnomes around in the evenings, but suspect some have been grounded! Perhaps they will show up again at the weekend? If so, they can get busy with the barrow moving some of the rubble. We have about 60 - 70 yards of hedgerow that runs behind the buildings and along to the gateway that is in a dreadful state and needs attention. A case of gradually doing what we can to clean it up, work on the hedge to lay some branches, coppice some for laying in future but retain some of the mature, fruiting shoots, so that the birds won't have too much of a shock all at once. The woodland officer was all for doing it in one fell swoop by getting a contrator in, but the group really can't afford that, and feel it will have less of an impact on the birds if we do it ourselves gradually, even if that taks a couple of years/winters. Attachments:
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