General Chat

nudge

Nudge....

there was a bumble bee (twas huge) in my hall last saturday daughter had a ladybird on her arm on Sunday not seen any of the others although have seena few frogs when we reclaimed our front garden after the winter Hevi

Hi Hevi, Probably still a bit too early for the other species we are asked to report when sighted, although there may be the odd Peacock Butterfly flitting around, hither and thither. As I mentioned on another thread, if you see a mass of white blossom in hedgerows it will probably be Blackthorn not Hawthorn. The Blackthorn leaf is a bit like this shape (), whereas the Hawthorn leaf is more shapely (very roughly speaking, like the Maple leaf). If you/your daughter haven't recorded those sightings yet you can find how to by going onto the above website, and telling uncle Bill Oddie all about it! Brian, ;-x ) PS. Frogs don't count....only the spawn.

Dredged up last month's Springwatch thread as you see. How are you all getting along? Or have you forgotten all about it? Saw a swift today (and, of course, recorded it), that's what prompted me to find the thread. I still have my suspicions about my randy frogs...didn't know whether or not they were firing blanks...there aren't any tadpoles, so have to assume the worst!! Brian, ;~O

Springwatch returns tonight on BBC2, from 8.00 to 9.00. Every night for the next three weeks at the same time. Bill Oddie and Kate Humble are the presenters. Watch it! Brian, ;<O

Brilliant programme, Brian, thanks for the reminder. :-) Joy

Have you been watching it, last night and tonight, like I suggested? Brilliant close-up camera work of small animals, birds and their young. Day-time, night-time; there are 50 cameras all manned 24 hours a day. A bit of lightheartedness: Each of Bill Oddie and Kate Humble (the presenters) have their own boxed nest containing blue-tits and their young, that are being closely monitored. Bill calls his 'Bill's tits'; and, yes, Kate calls hers 'Kate's tits'. Just thought you should know that, in case you tune in and wonder if you are hearing right!! Great television; so natural. Brian, ;~D )

Yep, ordered it online.... ;<O )

Louise, How cute! 3 little fox cubs in your garden. Are you near fields, or are you in a village in Wales? I say 'cute'; that's whilst they're young, of course. I rather think that if your visitors keep up their drinking habit, your tadpole stock will rapidly be depleted! Hens: we had hens some years ago; 6 to be exact. We've only a small garden, but I knocked up a jolly good henhouse and a run for them. Before too long they were laying like mad. Every day we would find between 5 and 6 good-sized eggs. That equalled around 38-40 eggs per week, for 4 of us!! Talk about egg-bound. Wife took the surplus to work. Sold them to her pals for a few coppers....put the proceeds towards their feed. Trouble was, we became so attached to them that when they were past laying, and were due for the big chop, we had to get a friend of ours to deal with them in his own way, and cart them off...free of charge. He and his family must have had a few great meals on us. A word of warning: if you let them have the run of your garden, be prepared to have it ruined. Hens have no respect for pretty plants and flowers....they will scratch around to find worms, grubs, insects, etc. and your garden will soon resemble a bomb-site. Brian, ;~O

Husband called me about 8.05 p.m. calling 'forget Bill Oddie get out in your own garden'. I did and we counted 9 young great tits - 5 of the fledgings were on one of the net feeders and 5 young blue tits were on the fence. Ann

Just been on to Springwathc site and wish to send info but cannot find where to do it. I know I am thick - anyone help? Ann

Hi Ann, Quite easy to get that pack. Go to bbc(.)co(.)uk/springwatch Look for Kate Humble next to 'free breathing space pack', click on it, and follow instructions. Brian, ;<D

Restarts tonite after a few days' break...

Thanks, Brian. I love the programme. :-) Joy

My 'Breathing space' pack came this morning. Very prompt! Haven't had time to study it yet. Probably will this afternoon, when ''er indoors' becomes ''er outdoors'..... Brian, ;~D

This has become one of my favourite programmes. :-) Joy

Hope to go to the London Wetlands Centre on Sunday (weather permitting) Anyone else going there?? Look out for me (and Mrs Brian in Luton), won't you! I'll be the dimwit trying to look like a smart-a**e recognising all the birds and stuff, I mean wildlife! :<)

Hi Brian - can I ask 2 questions? 1. Which part of London is the Wetlands Centre in? (husband was trying to work it out from the long shots on the TV!) 2. I didn't see it last night - what happened to Kate's tits? :-))

Hi Sheila, The London Wetlands Centre is (just) south of the Thames. Actually at Castelnau/Barnes. Just over the Hammersmith bridge. Until around 2002 it was a water treatment works (posh name for sewage works!). Now then: Kate's tits! sad to say her tits are no more...they have died; all of them. However, she has 'adopted' a family of Great Tits! She does love her tits by the looks of things!! They, thankfully, are doing OK so far. Bill's tits are all well and thriving. He seems to be secretly revelling in the fact that his are OK and hers aren't (not really). Brian, ;~x )