Hobbies and Crafts

The birds had slowed up their eating for a couple of days, but today they are stuffing again and the temperature has dropped. The woodpigeons seem to be going over the next field thoroughly, there are green crops in ther and i shouldnt think there is much left, they have been at it for more than a week.

Evening all:o)

Photo's on blog:o)

jude

We had a friend who lived in Llandrindod Wells years ago (he was there when there was that earthquake). When we visited we went out for a drive to Rhayader and the Elan Valley. I remember it was a lovely area.

We hadn't seen the swans at our garden for quite a long time but this week we have a lone adolescent wanting his lunch. Must have been the only male cygnet of the family this year. The Cob swan sees off the young males and I remember it being about this time last year that we saw them separated off.

Evening all:o)

Yep he's still wearing the bucket. Its one of those clear ones. He's had the stitches out today and the wound is abit moist hence the bucket. Vic unfortunately keeps taking the bucket off Madoc, he thinks its unfair, then l noticed the wound was bleeding....grrr men!!

Loads of birds again today, about a dz woodpigeons plus the usual. We stil have 3 robins and they are often together which is unusual is'nt it?

We visited the Red Kite feeding station at Gigrin Farm, Rhayader yesterday. Brilliant, approx 300 birds hovering, swooping and feeding and somewhere amongst them was a Black Kite, needless to say we did'nt see it :o(
It was very busy there, infact we stood in a field as the hides were packed:o)

We then drove on to the Elan Valley reservoir, fantastic sight, but not quite as fullas it could have been. There was still ice on some of the lakes and quite big patches of snow. Whilst we were driving on the main roads towards Elan we could see the mountainous ranges with snow on the top, then we were driving amongst it. l took some photo's will get them on blog asap.

Aw bless Ianto, Madoc sends a big cwtch back:o))

jude

Hi Folks,
Lots of very hungry birds in the garden, all the usual visitors, sparrows, chaffinches, blue and great tits, blackbirds, a thrush, starlings, collared doves and jackdaws. Last week we had a fieldfare one day, and a redwing the next, but haven't seen them since. Thered kites are around, but no sight of the buzzards for several weeks.

We have had a squirrel visiting for some time now, however, a rat appeared on the scene - not very welcome - a few days ago I witnessed something exrtaordinary. The squirrel was eating on the floor, when suddenly the rat appeared and attacked the squirrel. A battle royal ensued, and the squirrel got away, but not before taking a nasty bite to his face. The squirrel ran up a small fruit tree and was looking down at the rat, who was doing it's best to climb the tree, but couldn't.
The rat was very aggressive. Sadly we have not seen the squirrel again, but the rat is here every day. Today I reluctantly bought a rat trap. It is against my nature to kill anything , but the rat has become a pest.

Jude - I have been following Madocs progress, I hope he is soon healed and the lamoshade can come off - must drive him mad.
Ianto is ok, as you know, he doesn't see too well now, and stays very close to me all the time. We do have trouble getting him to go up and down the stairs, because he has lost his confidence.
He never did get the hang of using the ramp I made for him to get into the back of the car. I have tried to pick him up, but he is much too heavy for me to lift. Anyway, he's still enjoying walks, but stays close by my side instead of trotting off doing his own thing.

Give Madoc a big cwtch from me.

Tec

Hello Everyone.
Yes it feels a lot colder again today and the birds are stuffing themselves silly.
The long tailed tits love the coconut shell fat with all its lovely nuts in.There are 5 ans all eat at the same time,all in a circle.The the blue tits arrive and chase them off.
Our snowdrops are open in the garden too,and have been for a couple of weeks or so.Not fully open quite yet.

Poor Madoc and his lampshade.I do hate those things.Is it a see thru one?

birds feeding well again today, shows it has turned colder again, a really cold wind today.

They always remind me of lamp shades poor things, so undignified. Hope he heals soon and learns to leave it alone Jude.

Poor old Madoc. I remember when we still had our old chap and he had one of those collars he looked like a hoover when he bent down to eat his food - we started to call him Dyson. One of our cats had one once too and couldn't understand why he suddenly couldn't get through the cat flap.

Hiya

My sister was talking about feeding the birds rice and the fact they don't eat it...........well her neighbour stirs a knob of butter in whilst its still warm and the birds eat it:o)))))) Sister tried it with a small amount and...yes they ate it:o))

We have a variety of birds still and we still this order of certain birds first etc....funny little things are'nt they:o)

Madoc has no bandages on now, stitches out on Monday:o)...he's been very good but has had the occassional insistant licking session so he has to wear his bucket collar:o((

Tec...are you ok and hows Ianto??

jude:o)

Fingers crossed Von. There are snowdrops out in the church grounds near us, a welcome sight, they seem to get earlier every year.

We still have quite a few birds although not as many as visited in the snow.

Hi
Well the birds are back. Seen on the fatball today sparrows,blue tits.starlings,a robin and a gold finch. They were chased away by the local bully the Magpie but it moved on and the little birds came back.
i was also pleased to see on a walk down the garden that the hellebores and cyclamen are in flower.
Dare we hope spring is on the way.
Take care
Von

On the snow subject - when I was out yesterday I went past the Crammer Pond in Devizes which is still frozen over with the swans and ducks walking on the top. There is a small area which has been broken through for them but it hasn't seemed to get any bigger yet than when the cold was at its worst. I also saw that the Kennet & Avon Canal is still frozen over. We met some boating people about 2 weeks ago who couldn't leave their time limited free mooring when they should have because they were frozen in and were worried about getting charged for extra time. They were also worried that they couldn't get to the fuelling station as it doesn't just power the boat but also runs its heating too. They also have to run the engine daily to keep the battery power up which will not only affect them being able to move once they can, but also powers their electricity. There is sign of it thawing a little bit but I'm not sure it's enough to get some of the boats moving yet.

Don't know about you but we have a forecast of more snow possible tomorrow.

On the brighter side we have some snowdrops beginning to open by the front door.

I've been listening to the birds singing while I was reading this morning. Got up 4.30 as I couldn't sleep. I agree they sound much happier now.

We went for a lovely walk yesterday from Compton Bassett to Yatesbury and back. Turned out to be via Cherhill which wasn't supposed to happen. It was because we passed a small reservoir which definitely is not marked on the OS, but we could see on the map a little piece of water ahead of where we thought we were standing. We were surprised to have made so much progress, nevertheless we had a rethink and of course then we were reading the map from completely the wrong point. Wasn't too much of a detour thank goodness and we did spot a bird of prey catch something and fly off with it. We weren't quick enough with the binoculars to see exactly what the bird was. There was still a good deal of snow and ice lying in Yatesbury although it's completely thawed in most other places. It was on the regional news last year as being the coldest place in the area as Cherhill Down shields it from the full benefit of the sun. I'd been walking comfortably without hat or gloves until we got there, but suddenly it was much chillier so I had to cover up.

When we got up yesterday there was a whole row of ducks sitting on the river bank in our garden. The thaw has made the river very full and much faster flowing so they must have been having a rest.

Suppose I'd better get on and do something useful now.

The birds are singing today and not squabbling lol.They sound a lot happier now the snow and ice have gone.Still eating all the seed I put out ,but not so much the fatballs.

Jude, thats one of the bad side effects of feeding birds and you dont have a cat. Our birds have slowed up today, too, with mainly blackbirds and one lovely thrush and one or two sparrows. Food left over, which I dont like to see as it encourages vermin.

Afternoon everyone:o)

Snow gone apart from the odd lump here and there.

Birds not so hungry and its so much warmer.
The neighbours and ourselves have rats, so will have to call the council to send pest control round, they come from the river Wye and are as hungry as any other animal/critter.

Limping w/pigeon was about yesterday. Not seen the tail less blackbird though for a few days now:o( hope he's ok.

More photo's on blog:o)

jude :o)

Thanks for the information about the greenfinches and how they prefer their nyjer seed served Ann. I shall inform the waiter immediately!

Snow mostly thawed today so it'll be easier to see to ther birds who usually stay down the garden rather than come to the feeders on the patio. Been doing my best, but didn't want to slip down the steps. Oooh can hear mastermind music, must go and rattle a few brain cells.

I have noticed Jude that the doves are very patient.

Lizzie, our goldfinches stay on the feeder while we are in the conservatory but fly as soon as we open the door, they ignore us when we are at the lounge window although it is fairly close to the feeder. Greenfinches will eat nyger seed if it is in the tray under the feeder.

Corr blimey Lizzie you should write a book.....so much information its lovely:o))

One of the birds we are getting more of in the area are Cormorants.....when we first moved to Monmouth we would see about 13/14, then all of a sudden almost all disapeared, well now we have approx 13/14 again:o))) they perch in a tree on the river bank along side the A40, fascinating birds.

We had a wagtail in back garden this morning but it flew off and not been seen since. We sometimes get them out the front but very rarely in back. The thrush has disapeared too.

l have nyger seed and put it out but still no g/finches. The seed in the feeder must have gone stale, it was not touched in weeks, so we threw it.

Yesterday we had approx 23 woodpigeons. They seem to come in gorge as much as they can then the blackbirds have their turn, then the smaller birds and sometimes the doves. Poor doves often sit back and wait.

Nite nite
jude :o0