RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 19, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 19, 2015 As far as rain down the chimney is conerned, I can cope with that. What I hate is hailstones that bounce onto the hearth, then melt and leave little circles of soot everywhere. I have a cowl on my now disused chimney, no hail rain or twigs coming down the chimney but it acts as an amplifier, and a lovelorn pigeon has decided to roost on the chimney top. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Hughes Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) You realise that because you did that, yesterday was the day they decided they were wasting their time, and went and found a suitable site elsewhere? - now you will put up with raindrops echoing down the flue every time there is a shower, just like we do! That was the day before. They were only there for about ten minutes and I thought they had given up, but yesterday they were back for a double shift to make up. 6am to 8am. Anyway there was a bit of squawking and clattering at six this morning and then silence. The cap will keep the rain out as it closes off the top of the chimney completely. (No, I don't want to have a fire in the fireplace ) Edited April 19, 2015 by Graham Hughes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 With an open field behind the garden we get an occasional "stray". all photos taken through a patio window glass and with max. zoom on my camera, Here's a fine looking fellow who visited early last year and strutted around for about twenty minutes before next door's cat appeared:- And a potential mate who could also strutt impressively ,dropped by last September, Often get the odd one perched on the fence, but never managed to catch one for dinner! And a Green Woodpecker, again last year, It spent about half an hour poking about on the lawn. Returned again about two weeks later, but not seen since. The Rookery at the other side of the field seems to have their sentry system well set up. I've seen (and heard!) them see off a predator approaching the nests! The noise is penetrating at 300 yards! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Watch out for that woodpecker. One of them drilled a big hole in the side of a neighbor's house! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Buzzard eating a pheasant nearby, yesterday. Not sure it was road kill as it seemed intact but for a few buzzard mouthfuls. They don't often tackle live prey but they are equipped to do so. I once saw a buzzard flying with a lamb, legs dangling. Could have been stillborn but who knows? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 21, 2015 For those interested there is another vote happening apart from the dull one http://www.votenationalbird.com/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 This is a Junco. Lot's of them around here. About the same size as a sparrow. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Oh dear! I found a dead mouse under the bird-feeder. Looks like it tried a "high-wire act" and didn't make it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 A chickadee. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) Bearded Tit? That is not a comment about anyone on RMWeb by the way. P Edited April 23, 2015 by Mallard60022 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Bearded Tit? That is not a comment about anyone on RMWeb by the way. P I don't think the bearded tit is actually a tit. Chickadees seem to be close relatives of blue tits and coal tits. Link below for more information than you probably want to know. The chickadee has a really piercing song. To me it sounds like "wee Hughie". You can play a nice sample of it in the Wiki article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_chickadee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 24, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2015 First really large Blackbird fledgling in the garden this morning & bellowing (yes I mean that) for parents! It was such a loud call I'd come round to the back garden, from the front of the house, to see what was going on. Never heard a bird this loud before; must be a mutant Still no sign of 'our' Martins. I'm worried. P 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted April 24, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2015 I don't think the bearded tit is actually a tit. Chickadees seem to be close relatives of blue tits and coal tits. Closest to our willow and marsh tits and very similar in appearance. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 A few swallows have turned up - they won't enjoy the sleet forecast. Slightly off topic - the 'Bee House' males have started to emerge and are waiting for the females. Potentially 250 new bees from a little box filled with hollow bamboo. They won't enjoy the forecast cold either. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold teaky Posted April 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 24, 2015 2015 seems to be a particularly good year for blossom (crab apple, eating apple, cherry, quince and more) but I have been struck this last week by how few bees there are around, both honey and bumble. I still haven't seen a house martin or swallow either. The rest of the usual feathered suspects are busy and in fine fettle though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 I agree, the Cherry, and Magnolia blossoms has been fantastic this year, along with the Gorse ( outside the garden). A Heron had the cheek to land in our garden today, but the pond is well covered with good strong netting - sorry pal, but the dogs didn't give him much time to settle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 This love-sick pheasant is hanging around here. I keep hearing him sound off, but he won't let me sneak up on him to get a better shot. This is the best I've been able to do. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 25, 2015 (edited) This love-sick pheasant is hanging around here. I keep hearing him sound off, but he won't let me sneak up on him to get a better shot. This is the best I've been able to do. DSCN1040.JPG It's the better 'shot' that he is worried about................. Anyhow, the local Blackbird gang are obviously out to get me, as at 03.36 this morning I was awoken (windows partly open here in balmy 36E bedroom land) by male BB singing away very loudly. I'd have forgiven him at about 05.30, but I need my beauty sleep (and I mean really need it......) He was still going when I woke up at 07.00 having covered my lugs with a second pillow at about 04.30ish and drifting off again! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. P. Edited April 25, 2015 by Mallard60022 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted April 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 28, 2015 About an hour ago,we heard what we thought was a knock on our porch door. Went to look....no one there. Heard it again..this time at side ( kitchen ) door. No one there either. Funny,I thought,I have no outstanding orders with Hattons etc. Returned to front porch,my wife well spooked by this time...as was I. Heard it a third time,this time at rear ( breakfast room glass door ). This time I was quick enough to catch the miscreant in the act.....a large rook pecking at his reflection who quickly took fright and flew off. We frequently have pheasant chicks who perform this strange ritual but this is a first for a rook .They usually use on of our larch trees as a staging point and stay well clear of the house. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Blue tit doing the same yesterday on the kitchen window sill - we occasionally have them hanging upside down on the wall at the top and sides - clearing the spiders off their webs, but this one was definitely after his reflection! Edited April 28, 2015 by shortliner 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Housemartins and Swifts now back here in Aberdeenshire. Not bad considering it was snowing most of Sunday and we woke to 4cm of Snow Monday morning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 28, 2015 Lucky you.....still none here in 36E. They were about 3/4 weeks late in 2013 I noted yesterday when I checked my 'Birdy Book@ (Like a spotter's notebook but without the shed codes). P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I have had a Robin in the garden for some while - it has the rather disconcerting but charming habit of plonking itself down about 1'6'' away from me without warning, thus surprising me and consequently him, but we seem to have got used to each other over the Winter and have extended conversations - just waiting for the world that we have put to rights to realise it! During the Winter, he started bringing his fiancée into the garden, who behaved similarly. They have clearly got married in the interim, because they introduced me to their baby yesterday as I was weeding - he/she appears to have all his/her parents bravery, but maybe this was hunger-driven! Anthony London SW16 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 .....our local paper today is showing pictures of a Hoopoe in a garden just 10 miles from us....something tells me that I won't be managing anything like that in ours. Dave 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Lucky you.....still none here in 36E. They were about 3/4 weeks late in 2013 I noted yesterday when I checked my 'Birdy Book@ (Like a spotter's notebook but without the shed codes). P None here west of 82A either. Although the swifts can often be rather late in this part of the world. Last year they did not appear until mid May, and looking back to 2013 it was the beginning of June before I saw one (but this often depends on how regularly I look out for them). However, there are a lot less than there were in the late 80s/early 90s. There would be 8-10 pairs arriving in the spring and once they had their first brood, the sky would be full of screeching juveniles. Now if there are 2 pairs in the vicinity it is a good year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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