General Chat

My robin is of the last hour building his nest,one foot from our living room window,and eight foot from the ground. From our chairs, we can watch every coming and going. I have a winter jasmine, pruned, with a white rambling rose making its way through it, offering good protection for birds. The little devil is back and two every thirty seconds. The site is normally taken by blackbirds but everything greened up too late for them this year. ( I have kettles and all kinds of containers hung everywhere, hopefully for a robin - unused. ) Happy days

Thanks Jean. I can,t believe how fortunate I am. Meercat - I have plenty of sparrows cos they live in my eaves or at least that part of them which are not blocked off, which I think is the basic problem. Lots of birds are finding it difficult to find homes because people are up-rooting or pruning tres,and hedges, particularly the lawsonia conifers. Happy days

In the last couple of weeks my garden has been adopted by a starling. I've not seen one here before and while there are several around the front of the house there are no others in the back garden and this one is a particularly difficult guest. He screeches and shouts if anyone so much as moves outside either front or back doors (which we can't avoid!). Our mild mannered cats wander and bask in the garden but are not bird hunters in any way, shape or form. Still he doesn't like them and shouts and squeals. He's blocked lots of my usual birdy visiters from my various bird feeders, shouting and gesturing at them too, taking all the food for himself. Last friday I was sitting quietly planting out veggie seedlings in the middle of the garden - making no loud noises or sudden moves to concern him. He swooped down repeatedly and tried to poop on me. He got me twice and missed closely a few more times. I can't see any sign of a nest in the vicinity (the local trees are still bare so I can see what's what) and none of the other starlings locally are this aggressive. He's driving me nuts. Angela

we had loads of different birds nesting in our conifers, but sadly we had to take conifers down on insurance say so, as we were getting subsidence problems. we only put them in because there wasnt any birds around when we moved in, no trees in locality. I have a nest box but its not had any use this year so far, do miss the birds tho, specially the dawn chorus. I do have a friendly blackbird who likes taking a bath in my waterfall tho. jean

Our neighbours have got a nesting box on the side of their house which has beautiful baby blue tits in it. One day last year I was in the garden (it was pouring) and I could see something in the bushes so I went to investigate. When I reached the bush there were two baby blue tits on the branch huddled together with their eyes closed. Then I felt something catch my hair and it was another baby which landed haphazardly next to the other two! Sometimes, whilst going to work, I use a narrow country lane which is lined with trees/hedgerows and I saw a lovely little bird fly in front of the car. It was small like a sparrow but it was yellow in colour. Years ago when I lived in Lincolnshire I would see Yellow Hammers but I have never seen them round here. Possibly some kind of finch? Lorraine x ps Our dog's kennel is used more by a Robin than it is the dog - if he's not on top of it, then he's inside it.

We get robins, blue tits, wood pigeons, magpies and we had 5 starlings fighting over some fat yesterday! We also have a very noisy owl occasionally. Debby

Thank you for the replies. Very interesting. Birds are a bit like humans, most you like; a few you don,t. Starlings and magpies seem to be the favourite hate, but they are all God,s creatures. Happy days

Sally, Thanks. Sounds very nice. Must be plenty of food sites around. Happy days.

Harry, I have just seen your thread and by coincidence had just read this little para in the ‘The Children’s Friend’ annual of 1881 (my husband came across the book last weekend) and I thought you might like to see it – nothing changes. Lol “Blue-Tits and the old kettle Mr Hiam, of “The Wren’s Nest”, Redditch, a well-known naturalist, has kindly sent me a sketch of the above. He is one of those kindly hearts that take a delight in seeing bird-life happy and restful in his little cottage-garden, and he therefore has placed boxes, old kettles, old jugs, tea-pots, old boots, etc., among the branches of his trees, and with the most charming results, even more than he expected. The illustration is that of some blue-tits building in an old tea-kettle, in which they made themselves quite at home, and afforded Mr Hiam many and many a pleasant opportunity of watching their movements and habits, and of observing their usefulness in the garden “ Jxx

how many of you find sick Collared Doves in the Garden I seem to have them quite often they usually have an Eye problem and just sit waiting for the Cats to get them.I spend a lot of time putting them in safe places , Other than that I have Jays/Starlings/Robins/Blackbirds/Blue Tits/ Long Tailed tits/Woodpeckers/Rooks/Crows/Thrushes/Jackdaws(my personal favourites) .Greenfinches/Gold Finches/a Cuckoo/Pheasants yes Pheasants they are so funny.The occassional Owl/Bats too. And a beautiful Goshawk , who comes after the birds.But then I do fill up about 8 feeders and 2 bird tables every day twice. I just love to watch them in the garden its wonderful .

Is there any chance of a couple of photo's Harry? we could do with sharing some of your luck. Hi meercat,it seems a lot of our sparrows emigrated to canada last autumn and didn't come back,but a few have turned up here in the past week , we have had an invasion of thrushes and starlings too ,something to watch anyway. I have quite a few finches around too ,not usual around here ,so it makes you wonder if global warming may be having some effect even in the north.My blackbirds in the front hedge are back again ,and the father is busy going back and forwards with worms and the like,but i have had to halt the hedge trimming for obvious reason until the chicks have flown ,then i will do it quickly in case they decide on a new clutch. Anyone else notice any unusual birds for their areas this year? Fred.

Harry We have a wren that sit's on the fence and sing'as away nearly all day,I didn't realise they had such a loud voice!!! Last year we had blue tit's nesting but they haven't nested in our boxes this year o((((( But we have a lot of green finches,blackbirds and starling's and the odd great tit and goldfinch. Love to see the bird's in the garden.

Thanks for your lovely replies. Jules - Great article. Fred - there is nothing to photograph. The nest is hidden in deep and spiky flora. Birds keep whizzing back and two across the living room window and just disappear. Happy days

Not strictly birds in the usual vein of this thread but yesterday I was delighted to see 5 newly hatched cygnets in their nest on the bank of a canal near here. Mum swan was standing nearby and Dad swimming at her feet in the water. I hope they survive.

You paint a lovely picture, Gwyneth. Happy days

That sounds about right Foxy,i have sunflower seeds ,mixed seeds and other titbits for my finches to eat but no,they prefer having a go at the peanuts that i put out for the tits and spuggies ,piccy eaters or what We had two doves in this morning ,not the collared variety but both a very very pale pink about two thirds the size of a pidgeon,with white beaks ,anyone any ideas ?Fred.

Fred, Sounds like a ring-neck dove to me, but obviously i have not seen it. Happy days

Yeah ,i thought that too at first Harry,but with no rings round the neck i wondered,very pretty bird to look at no matter what they are.Fred.

We have some baby sparrows hopping around on the grass, fluffing their wings and shouting at their parents to bring food. Heather

Hi Harry, Its nice reading about all the birds in peoples gardens,Having such a large garden myself its truly wonderful to see them all ,I,ve got Eight feeding stations and the same drinking places,also plenty of natural and home made breeding places, the birdsong in the morning and evening is marvelous,also,the Swallows have come back again and are nesting under the Gable end. Glad to know you all enjoy the Wildlife as much as I do. Hal. Ps.Including that on here. :o))))>