Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times. The
jackdaws are our current comedians, picking up seed dropped by other birds,
and learning to forage on their favourite lawn, teetering precariously on
the rope of the pergolas and squabbling noisily with each other while doing
all these things. About two days ago we heard and saw at a distance, a bird
with a roseate breast and a repetitive but changeable song. It might be a
linnet which I have to check up on but it was a gorgeous noise and if it is
a linnet, it's a first round here.
The rooks are quieter now and must be dispersing for their summer holiday -
heaven only knows where they go - but we hope they'll be back as they are,
usually. Collared doves are down in numbers, as are wood pigeons but
blackbirds are very much with us and come into the biggest greenhouse to
feed boldly from a shallow cardboard box we keep filled with crumbs and
seed. They're almost entirely indifferent to people walking within inches
of them and presumably know they're safe with us.
We seem to be seeing less chaffinches, which were very numerous here until
this year but OTOH we've seen far more coal tits and for the first time,
have seen long tailed tits. Sparrows are all over the place and there is
one thrush family living on the other side of the garden.
The tawny owls are still around but not every day so when we hear them we're
reassured. Sadly, a young barn owl was found dead in the garden a couple of
weeks ago. We have no idea what killed it as there wasn't a mark on it so
can only wonder if it was really a youngster or a starved adult.
Two long-eared bats have now been rescued from lying carelessly in pathways
and have been put into a safer habitat so we hope they will reward us with
their startling acrobatics if we get evenings warm enough to tempt them out.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say
that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times. The


This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts of the various
feedstuffs ALL of the time.

And don't forget the ground feeders such as the Blackbirds and Thrushes

Mike

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say
that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches
and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times.
The


This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts of the
various feedstuffs ALL of the time.

And don't forget the ground feeders such as the Blackbirds and Thrushes


I should have added that a copious supply of drinking and bathing water is
important as well.

We have a dish, designed to put plant pots in some 18 inches diameter, on
one of the gravel areas. The antics of the Sparrows and Blackbirds with
their young is comical and a pleasure to see. I have captured many many
pictures which I will use in photographic competitions in the Camera Club
next winter.

Another point is the importance of keeping both clean water and seed feeders
topped up all of the time. I have wonderful neighbours who tend to our
watering and bird feeders etc when we are away and as we cruise a lot, they
are always on hand :-))

Good neighbours, you can't beat them :-))

Mike

'Mike' wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say
that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches
and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times.
The

This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts of the
various feedstuffs ALL of the time.

And don't forget the ground feeders such as the Blackbirds and Thrushes


I should have added that a copious supply of drinking and bathing water is
important as well.

We have a dish, designed to put plant pots in some 18 inches diameter, on
one of the gravel areas. The antics of the Sparrows and Blackbirds with
their young is comical and a pleasure to see. I have captured many many
pictures which I will use in photographic competitions in the Camera Club
next winter.

Another point is the importance of keeping both clean water and seed feeders
topped up all of the time. I have wonderful neighbours who tend to our
watering and bird feeders etc when we are away and as we cruise a lot, they
are always on hand :-))

Good neighbours, you can't beat them :-))

Mike


This year, for the first time I have had a Jay on my bird table, seen
it/them in the garden frequently but never on the table. I'm please to
say that I have seen thrushes in my garden this year for the first time.

On 18/6/08 10:41, in article , "Broadback"
wrote:
snip

This year, for the first time I have had a Jay on my bird table, seen
it/them in the garden frequently but never on the table. I'm please to
say that I have seen thrushes in my garden this year for the first time.

Jays are beautiful but they're not nice birds - bit like magpies. Having
the thrushes might be why you've got the Jay, unfortunately. I've just seen
one this morning, driving through a wooded area where I know someone raises
pheasant chicks. ;-(
This site is interesting:
http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/jay.htm
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
'Mike' wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say
that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches
and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still
being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I
knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times.
The

This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts of the
various feedstuffs ALL of the time.

And don't forget the ground feeders such as the Blackbirds and Thrushes


I should have added that a copious supply of drinking and bathing water
is important as well.

We have a dish, designed to put plant pots in some 18 inches diameter, on
one of the gravel areas. The antics of the Sparrows and Blackbirds with
their young is comical and a pleasure to see. I have captured many many
pictures which I will use in photographic competitions in the Camera Club
next winter.

Another point is the importance of keeping both clean water and seed
feeders topped up all of the time. I have wonderful neighbours who tend
to our watering and bird feeders etc when we are away and as we cruise a
lot, they are always on hand :-))

Good neighbours, you can't beat them :-))

Mike
This year, for the first time I have had a Jay on my bird table, seen
it/them in the garden frequently but never on the table. I'm please to say
that I have seen thrushes in my garden this year for the first time.

OH DEAR :-((((

Jays :-((

Very pretty. Very noisy and will take small birds from their nest.

We had a very big garden at our last house and would get Jays down first
thing in the morning ripping the peas off the plants :-((

Not a very nice bird to have around.

Mike

In message , 'Mike'
writes

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
'Mike' wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say
that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches
and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still
being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I
knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times.
The

This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts of the
various feedstuffs ALL of the time.

And don't forget the ground feeders such as the Blackbirds and Thrushes


I should have added that a copious supply of drinking and bathing water
is important as well.

We have a dish, designed to put plant pots in some 18 inches diameter, on
one of the gravel areas. The antics of the Sparrows and Blackbirds with
their young is comical and a pleasure to see. I have captured many many
pictures which I will use in photographic competitions in the Camera Club
next winter.

Another point is the importance of keeping both clean water and seed
feeders topped up all of the time. I have wonderful neighbours who tend
to our watering and bird feeders etc when we are away and as we cruise a
lot, they are always on hand :-))

Good neighbours, you can't beat them :-))

Mike
This year, for the first time I have had a Jay on my bird table, seen
it/them in the garden frequently but never on the table. I'm please to say
that I have seen thrushes in my garden this year for the first time.

OH DEAR :-((((

Jays :-((

Very pretty. Very noisy and will take small birds from their nest.

We had a very big garden at our last house and would get Jays down first
thing in the morning ripping the peas off the plants :-((

Not a very nice bird to have around.

Mike

But "nice" birds are very few and far between - if indeed they exist at
all. In fact I know of none. They all have their instincts and genetic
inheritance. In spite of its beauty - which is undisputed - the Jay is a
survivor which requires a mixture of food to keep going. I fear this
includes meat 'n veg! It is, unofficially, a raptor - as is every bird
in its own way. Life's pretty tough out there.
Tom
--
Tom W.
Dorset/UK

Tom Withycombe wrote:

But "nice" birds are very few and far between - if indeed they exist
at all. In fact I know of none. They all have their instincts and
genetic inheritance. In spite of its beauty - which is undisputed -
the Jay is a survivor which requires a mixture of food to keep
going.
I fear this includes meat 'n veg! It is, unofficially, a raptor - as
is every bird in its own way. Life's pretty tough out there.

That's true. I'd rather have a Jay in my garden than a Pheasant, a
noisy preposterous species that only looks right in thick forest. But
tastes differ.

Cheers,

Phil

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:40:16 +0100, "Phil Wilson"
wrote and included this (or some of this):

Jay is a survivor which requires a mixture of food to keep
going.
I fear this includes meat 'n veg! It is, unofficially, a raptor - as
is every bird in its own way. Life's pretty tough out there.

That's true. I'd rather have a Jay in my garden than a Pheasant, a
noisy preposterous species that only looks right in thick forest. But
tastes differ.

But, but, a Pheasant tastes better than a Jay, surely?


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

On 18/6/08 17:40, in article , "Phil Wilson"
wrote:

Tom Withycombe wrote:

But "nice" birds are very few and far between - if indeed they exist
at all. In fact I know of none. They all have their instincts and
genetic inheritance. In spite of its beauty - which is undisputed -
the Jay is a survivor which requires a mixture of food to keep
going.
I fear this includes meat 'n veg! It is, unofficially, a raptor - as
is every bird in its own way. Life's pretty tough out there.

That's true. I'd rather have a Jay in my garden than a Pheasant, a
noisy preposterous species that only looks right in thick forest. But
tastes differ.


I enjoy the pheasants when they come into the garden but it isn't often,
thanks to the dogs, I suppose. We had one male who had five wives and he
used to stride around, gobbling up raisins and seed and softly calling to
them as they shyly emerged from the shrubs. One morning, we woke up to find
him walking around on another lawn in front of our window while his wives
all sat on one of the garden tables, looking as if they were waiting to be
served tea.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

Phil Wilson wrote:
That's true. I'd rather have a Jay in my garden than a Pheasant, a
noisy preposterous species that only looks right in thick forest. But
tastes differ.

I was neutral about pheasants until a recent BBC R4 programme about adders.
Apparently pheasants eat them so adder numbers crash where pheasant rearing
is carried out.

Mike.
--
If reply address is invalid, remove spurious "@" and substitute "plus"
where needed.

"Sacha" wrote
Having said that the peanut feeder was being ignored I now have to say
that
the last three days have seen coal tits (four at a time) green finches and
blue tits going at it like gangbusters. The seed feeders are still being
used but not to the same extent as just a few days ago. I do wish I knew
what triggers the desire/need for different foods at different times. The
jackdaws are our current comedians, picking up seed dropped by other
birds,
and learning to forage on their favourite lawn, teetering precariously on
the rope of the pergolas and squabbling noisily with each other while
doing
all these things. About two days ago we heard and saw at a distance, a
bird
with a roseate breast and a repetitive but changeable song. It might be a
linnet which I have to check up on but it was a gorgeous noise and if it
is
a linnet, it's a first round here.
The rooks are quieter now and must be dispersing for their summer
holiday -
heaven only knows where they go - but we hope they'll be back as they are,
usually. Collared doves are down in numbers, as are wood pigeons but
blackbirds are very much with us and come into the biggest greenhouse to
feed boldly from a shallow cardboard box we keep filled with crumbs and
seed. They're almost entirely indifferent to people walking within inches
of them and presumably know they're safe with us.
We seem to be seeing less chaffinches, which were very numerous here until
this year but OTOH we've seen far more coal tits and for the first time,
have seen long tailed tits. Sparrows are all over the place and there is
one thrush family living on the other side of the garden.
The tawny owls are still around but not every day so when we hear them
we're
reassured. Sadly, a young barn owl was found dead in the garden a couple
of
weeks ago. We have no idea what killed it as there wasn't a mark on it so
can only wonder if it was really a youngster or a starved adult.
Two long-eared bats have now been rescued from lying carelessly in
pathways
and have been put into a safer habitat so we hope they will reward us with
their startling acrobatics if we get evenings warm enough to tempt them
out.

We get Coal, Blue and Great Tits daily with Long Tailed passing through on
occasion as a family group. Chaffinches are usually always to be seen as are
Dunnocks creeping about the plants for leftovers, Goldfinches come for the
Niger seed, always in twos. Some weeks we get lots of Greenfinches but other
weeks they don't appear.
Our usual solitary winter Blackcap didn't arrive last winter.
Last week a Yellow Wagtail had a long look around our pond margins
especially the filter outfall.
Seldom do we get Jays but Magpies are always around locally. Collared Doves,
Wood pigeons and feral pigeons are usually about too unless there is a
raptor around the area.
Haven't seen/heard a Thrush locally for some years although Blackbirds are
common.
Ring Necked Parakeets are seen daily and some come to feed or just look see
what's about, they do appear rather more intelligent than the average bird
and are quite stunning, especially when seen close up.
The Sparrows seem to have disappeared again, last year we had up to 15 at
any one time taking turns at the feeders this year they have become a rare
sight again.
Occasional visitors to the garden are Wrens and Goldcrests.
I believe it's a Barn Owl that occasionally wakes us up during the night
with it's blood curdling call. We have seen a Heron land on the wall next to
our pond but it's straight sided and a metre deep min so not to their
liking.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 18/6/08 23:43, in article , "Bob
Hobden" wrote:

snip
I believe it's a Barn Owl that occasionally wakes us up during the night
with it's blood curdling call. We have seen a Heron land on the wall next to
our pond but it's straight sided and a metre deep min so not to their
liking.

Barn Owl do indeed make a terrifying screech and what with that and them
appearing suddenly and silently, one begins to understand why legends grew
up about ghostly visitations etc! At about 4.30 this afternoon the Grand
Daughter burst into my study in huge excitement, telling me that a family of
baby ducks and mother duck had appeared in our little back courtyard. Where
on earth they came from we can't imagine and Ray said that when he tried to
coax them into shelter, she took fright and waddled off with them. I hope
they've gone to our pond but am equally scared that if they have, a fox will
get them. I'm going to put some seed out which might help them a bit but we
have no chick crumbs left.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

[quote='Mike';798930This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts of the various feedstuffs ALL of the time.[/QUOTE]
There's a magpie's nest with chicks in it next door. I think attracting lots of passerines to my garden might be just what they want. That's my excuse for not feeding just now, anyway.

I was told you shouldn't put out peanuts when there are nestlings, because the parents try to feed it to their chicks and it does em no good.

I had hordes of goldfinches this spring, up to 8 simultaneously on the feeders. I assumed it was just because they had become locally common, but my neighbour observed that they only come to my garden. In previous years my feeders have only been attended (by anything) once they have emptied the neighbour's. This year, I have been restaurant of choice. Contrary to popular opinion, our local goldfinches have no interest in niger seed. What they want, at least around my way, is pre-shelled sunflower seeds, the lazy things. I've doled out about 20kg to them in 3 or 4 months. I also had lots of siskins and a few bramblings.

"echinosum" wrote in message
...

'Mike';798930This is why it is SO important to continue feeding all sorts
of the various feedstuffs ALL of the time.[/QUOTE Wrote:

There's a magpie's nest with chicks in it next door. I think attracting
lots of passerines to my garden might be just what they want. That's my
excuse for not feeding just now, anyway.

Very good reason I am afraid. Whilst you make your garden the feeding centre
for the birds of your choice, it is also a 'feeding station' for the Sparrow
Hawks etc. That's nature.


I was told you shouldn't put out peanuts when there are nestlings,
because the parents try to feed it to their chicks and it does em no
good.

Not so. I have seen the adult chewing and pulverising the nuts etc before
feeding the young. I have some superb photos somewhere and will post them up
sometime. They are parents and careful.


Mike