(Also posted on uk.rec.birdwatching but wondered if any gardeners have the
same problem characteristics in their Robins)

We have what can only be described as a lethargic Robin in out garden.
Yesterday it was sitting on the bottom bar of a trellis panel and didn't
move for ages.

Today it has taken up residence in the bird feeding house which hangs from
the beams of the veranda, just outside the patio doors.

Does eat occasionally. Feathers slightly puffed up making the appearance of
a youngster (could it be a youngster?)

Does this disease Trichomoniasis, which is hitting Greenfinches hit Robins
as well? Could this lethargic fellow be suffering?

Mike


--
www.rnshipmates.co.uk for ALL Royal Navy Association matters
www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates.
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will be there.

On 17 Dec, 10:44, "'Mike'" wrote:
(Also posted on uk.rec.birdwatching but wondered if any gardeners have the
same problem characteristics in their Robins)
We have what can only be described as a lethargic Robin in out garden.
Yesterday it was sitting on the bottom bar of a trellis panel and didn't
move for ages.
Today it has taken up residence in the bird feeding house which hangs from
the beams of the veranda, just outside the patio doors.
Does eat occasionally. Feathers slightly puffed up making the appearance of
a youngster (could it be a youngster?)
Does this disease Trichomoniasis, which is hitting Greenfinches hit Robins
as well? Could this lethargic fellow be suffering?

How uncanny - yesterday I was doing some archery in the forest of
Finswaith in Windermere and I came across not one robin but two, both
very still for ages. On my second rounds of targets, I saw them again,
and actually wondered if they were targets!! I've no idea of diseases,
but they were both all puffed up, round and fluffy and their heads
moved. I suppose they're cold and keep their energy to find food?!

wrote in message
...
On 17 Dec, 10:44, "'Mike'" wrote:
(Also posted on uk.rec.birdwatching but wondered if any gardeners have
the
same problem characteristics in their Robins)
We have what can only be described as a lethargic Robin in out garden.
Yesterday it was sitting on the bottom bar of a trellis panel and didn't
move for ages.
Today it has taken up residence in the bird feeding house which hangs
from
the beams of the veranda, just outside the patio doors.
Does eat occasionally. Feathers slightly puffed up making the appearance
of
a youngster (could it be a youngster?)
Does this disease Trichomoniasis, which is hitting Greenfinches hit
Robins
as well? Could this lethargic fellow be suffering?

How uncanny - yesterday I was doing some archery in the forest of
Finswaith in Windermere and I came across not one robin but two, both
very still for ages. On my second rounds of targets, I saw them again,
and actually wondered if they were targets!! I've no idea of diseases,
but they were both all puffed up, round and fluffy and their heads
moved. I suppose they're cold and keep their energy to find food?!

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed the second lot
of broad beans

On Dec 17, 4:28 pm, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply
wrote:
wrote in message

...





On 17 Dec, 10:44, "'Mike'" wrote:
(Also posted on uk.rec.birdwatching but wondered if any gardeners have
the
same problem characteristics in their Robins)
We have what can only be described as a lethargic Robin in out garden.
Yesterday it was sitting on the bottom bar of a trellis panel and didn't
move for ages.
Today it has taken up residence in the bird feeding house which hangs
from
the beams of the veranda, just outside the patio doors.
Does eat occasionally. Feathers slightly puffed up making the appearance
of
a youngster (could it be a youngster?)
Does this disease Trichomoniasis, which is hitting Greenfinches hit
Robins
as well? Could this lethargic fellow be suffering?

How uncanny - yesterday I was doing some archery in the forest of
Finswaith in Windermere and I came across not one robin but two, both
very still for ages. On my second rounds of targets, I saw them again,
and actually wondered if they were targets!! I've no idea of diseases,
but they were both all puffed up, round and fluffy and their heads
moved. I suppose they're cold and keep their energy to find food?!

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed the second lot
of broad beans- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

There's a few of them in my garden. One of them hovers around the
feeder and picks the odd bit very unconvincingly. He's not as good an
acrobat as the sparrows, finches and tits. I get the distinct
impression that he's just there to make a point about this being his
territory, and the other lot being outrageously cheeky gatecrashers.
Another couple are more based around the veg patch, and they are
jumping around the place any time I go there to dig or spread muck -
which I have been doing a bit of in the last few weekends. They
appear delighted with me for revealing so many worms and other creepy
crawlies, and peeved at my being there in the first place.
But none of the above could be described in any way as lethargic.

Cat(h)

On Dec 17, 4:28 pm, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply
wrote:

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed the second lot
of broad beans

Oh, I can't wait for spring when the robin at our lotty comes and
spends time with me. I don't sow in winter and therefore hardly see
him but in the spring, he follows me about eating what I unearthed for
him. When I take a break and get my tin out to roll a fag, he perch
himself on my fork or spade, as if to say 'oy, don't stop, keep
unearthing!'.

writes:

On Dec 17, 4:28 pm, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply
wrote:

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed the second lot
of broad beans

Oh, I can't wait for spring when the robin at our lotty comes and
spends time with me.

One of the local ones here kept giving me palpitations a couple of
years ago. I was emptying a compost bin and shuffling the contents of
the next two along, he was collecting to feed a brood at a guess. I
never quite managed to pick up a shovel full with him perched on top,
or to dump a shovel full on top of him, but it was very close, very
often. Interesting watching him deal with centipedes...

Last year I did the bin dance earlier in the season...

Anthony

wrote in message
...
On Dec 17, 4:28 pm, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply
wrote:

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed the second
lot
of broad beans

Oh, I can't wait for spring when the robin at our lotty comes and
spends time with me. I don't sow in winter and therefore hardly see
him but in the spring, he follows me about eating what I unearthed for
him. When I take a break and get my tin out to roll a fag, he perch
himself on my fork or spade, as if to say 'oy, don't stop, keep
unearthing!'.

So don't wait for spring. Just turn over a small patch of soil when you're
there, you'll keep them interested.

And stop that smoking, it stunts your growth.

Steve

On 17 Dec, 22:12, "shazzbat"
wrote:
So don't wait for spring. Just turn over a small patch of soil when you're
there, you'll keep them interested.
And stop that smoking, it stunts your growth.

LOL!! Best things come in small packages ;o) While I'm here, let me
wish you Steve and Mrs Steve a snug, warm, cosy and happy Christmas,
hoping for another meet in 2008, this time on your lotty. We're off to
New York Thursday eve. I wonder how many robins we'll see! x

"Anne Jackson" wrote in message
...
The message from "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply
contains these words:

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed
the second lot of broad beans

Our wee robin is as perky as you like. Mind you, he's getting
through a kilo of mealworms every 2-3 weeks!

--
AnneJ


Our robins are all very well thank goodness, this time of the year I buy
cheap Xmas pudding`s from the local supermarket and they are very well
received.

kate

Gloucestershire

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:20:56 -0000, "Kate Morgan"

wrote:

Our robins are all very well thank goodness, this time of the year I buy
cheap Xmas pudding`s from the local supermarket and they are very well
received.

With or without Bird's Custard, Kate?
--

Martin


Bird's Custard Powder? Sore point with me. Bought a consignment from the
Cash and Carry only to discover they were cheaper at the local Supermarket
:-((

Mike


--
www.rnshipmates.co.uk for ALL Royal Navy Association matters
www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates.
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
"Navy Days" Portsmouth 25th - 27th July 2008. RN Shipmates will be there.

On 18/12/07 19:20, in article , "Kate
Morgan" wrote:


"Anne Jackson" wrote in message
...
The message from "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
remove my other hobby to reply
contains these words:

Mine wasn't lazy, he was busy picking out insects as I sowed
the second lot of broad beans

Our wee robin is as perky as you like. Mind you, he's getting
through a kilo of mealworms every 2-3 weeks!

--
AnneJ


Our robins are all very well thank goodness, this time of the year I buy
cheap Xmas pudding`s from the local supermarket and they are very well
received.

kate

Gloucestershire


We are going through bank account loads of seed and fat-balls for the birds
right now and judging by the way they're golloping it down, they know
something we mortals might only suspect about the forthcoming winter! Can't
you just chuck out sultanas and raisins for them Kate? Our local feed store
has run out of the largest sacks of bird seed, which gives some indication
of the run on food supplies. I have now taken to using Christmas tree
bauble hangers to suspend fat-balls in various bits of hedge and tree.
A month or two ago, I remarked that all the blackbirds had disappeared for
the first time. Normally, this place is throbbing with them and we all got
a bit worried. They are back with a vengeance and we're delighted to see
them. But where did they go an why? Anyone know what would have lured them
away? Now, they're hopping onto the table in one of the big greenhouses and
right into a shallow cardboard tray kept filled with crumbs for them.
They've even been spotted pinching bits of biscuit out of packets NOT
intended for their consumption but for staff elevenses!
We now have blue tits, sparrers, green finches, chaffinches, blackbirds,
owls, the occasional woodpecker, wrens, a few thrushes, coaltits and of
course, the ever squabbling and disputatious rooks in our rookery.
The curious thing is that while they seem to be feeding up for a cold winter
(human guesswork here) they seem also to be pairing off and in the case of
the rooks, squabbling about nesting or perhaps roosting sites.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Our robins are all very well thank goodness, this time of the year I buy
cheap Xmas pudding`s from the local supermarket and they are very well
received.

kate

Gloucestershire


We are going through bank account loads of seed and fat-balls for the
birds
right now and judging by the way they're golloping it down, they know
something we mortals might only suspect about the forthcoming winter!
Can't
you just chuck out sultanas and raisins for them Kate? Our local feed
store



We do throw out fruit for the birds Sacha but putting out puddings is a
Christmas thing which amuses the grandchildren :-)

kate

On 19/12/07 19:52, in article , "Kate
Morgan" wrote:



Our robins are all very well thank goodness, this time of the year I buy
cheap Xmas pudding`s from the local supermarket and they are very well
received.

kate

Gloucestershire


We are going through bank account loads of seed and fat-balls for the
birds
right now and judging by the way they're golloping it down, they know
something we mortals might only suspect about the forthcoming winter!
Can't
you just chuck out sultanas and raisins for them Kate? Our local feed
store



We do throw out fruit for the birds Sacha but putting out puddings is a
Christmas thing which amuses the grandchildren :-)

kate


Lovely. Bit like mince pies and sherry and carrot for Father Christmas and
the reindeers. ;-) I thought you were just being overly seasonally
generous to your wildlife!
On a holiday to Tresco I took sultanas from the breakfast table each morning
and fed them to a Mr & Mrs Pheasant who lived in the bit of garden outside
our room. They got so used to this that they used to come running towards
our French windows. A new arrival was pleasantly startled to find Mrs
Pheasant in their bedroom one morning! We must have been a bit late
finishing our own breakfast that day. ;-)
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

In article , Sacha
writes


We are going through bank account loads of seed and fat-balls for the birds
right now and judging by the way they're golloping it down, they know
something we mortals might only suspect about the forthcoming winter!


Same here! I buy huge quantities from CJ Wildbird foods and yet it all
seems to disappear. I sometimes wonder how they manage to leave the bird
feeders and bird table!!
There is a new product I ma trying at the moment, it's a natural
additive to water to stop it freezing in the bird bath but it doesn't
harm the birds. |not sure what it is though.


Can't
you just chuck out sultanas and raisins for them Kate? Our local feed store
has run out of the largest s


We now have blue tits, sparrers, green finches, chaffinches, blackbirds,
owls, the occasional woodpecker, wrens, a few thrushes, coaltits and of
course, the ever squabbling and disputatious rooks in our rookery.

We have now also got pigeons which I don't want and a large number of
doves. Also long tailed tits have been around and a few wrens. However
I can't identify birds so there may well be tree creepers and dunnocks
in my list. I just don't realise !

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk