h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Frid. 11th May 07
Weather: Wet, cold and windy

10.44pm and the vixen had the lid off the lawn dish and was tucking in frantically. She left nothing in the dish and disappeared not attempting the patio dish.

However, at 2.45am the patio dish was also open and empty, and I didn't hear the alarm, so I can only assume it was a fox as they can come over the fence or from the street without setting the sensor off

The badgers will really have to get their act together and come early if they want a share of the goodies on offer I am reluctant to feed the foxes such good fare every night, as they can find plenty of food, they are just lazy .

Sat. 12th May 07
Weather: Mild, dull, damp. Visibility very poor.

The same thing happened again, the fox opened the lawn dish, and during the night the patio dish was also emptied . The only consolation is that when the rat arrived there was nothing to eat and he left promptly .

I forgot to mention that earlier in the week two events happened. We had our first juvenile starling being fed at the table . Only one, which is very strange. They usually come in a gang, screeching and fighting and generally creating havoc. Perhaps this is an early arrival?

Then during the week the first swifts arrived. There is a lot of water around here, and in the humid conditions there is plenty of food. They were ducking and diving and screaming so loud we were forced to look up . It feels like Summer might actually be here, or has the UK summer gone already? I was just getting acclimatised to that nice weather. Consolation being that I haven't had to water the hanging baskets and tubs for a few days!!

The new supply of mealworms is being greeted with approval, except by the starlings who haven't succeeded in getting in to the new cage. Instead, they content themselves with hanging around on the fence, in the lilac tree or on the line, ready to ambush any poor unsuspecting blue , great tit or robin with a beakful. The robin has become too clever to get caught, but the s regularly lose their catch!

Off to something for . Can anyone tell me where the early part of 2007 has gone? It is flying by, and next weekend is the Tolkien Weekend already. I feel like I am rolling down hill and getting faster and faster, yet it doesn't get any easier



Websailor

Traveller in Time watching a falcon praying
"Time flies when you are having fun.

Apparently the winter and early spring are quite exciting . "

Ello Sailor,

I agree entirely with how quick this year is going. Mind, when you are 5 a year is a fifth of your life, but when you are 50, it's only a fiftieth so it's bound to pass more quickly.

This year has zoomed by with having the Spaniels around. Crib, the dog and Dart, the bitch, are from the same litter and are now 9 months old. We got them when they were just 7 weeks old. Where did 7 months go?

They are from excellent gundog stock so I am training them up. Hunting is hard wired into their brains hence the snails, I think slugs, but defintely frogs don't stand much of a chance unless I intervene and get them to retrieve them. At 9 months old they are at their inquisitive best, all the world is out there to be explored, hence we had a break out on Sunday morning while I was washing the breakfast dishes. I discovered the weak point in the fortifications this lunchtime. A small hop onto the compost heap, a long skip over the fence and jump for joy we're free. Looks like a visit to B&Q to fortify the defences.

Keep up the good work, you really are a HooToo stalwart and much appreciated. I must press my feeders back into service now the routine with is settling down.

WA

Morning WS! Still ing and giving thanks.

My bird population is increasing slightly with the robins now coming in three's (SS has not made any 'comments' about wriggly things, so am going to get some more today hee hee hee)

We have seen two great tits and one coal tit, to accompany the pair of blue tits which have been around for a while.

The baby 'bovver boys' have arrived around here - I saw one yesterday; and this morning there were two "feed me"'s sitting on top of the seed feeder in the rain. In fact, one of them was actually sitting on the seed tray waiting to have food put in his beak.

Back later.

Scorp x

Morning all!!Still ing.One of the visiting magpies appeared with a short tail last week,it looked as though it had escaped a .Yesterday hubby found it dead in the garden...and to make matters worse,the neighbour who owns the ,and another two,has put a bird table up!!

well! can't say I've seen this before, but just now in back garden,2 tits(type couldn't tell)flitting around on dandelion's, looked like they were feeding from the seeds ??

Scorp,

Two starling 'feed me's" here too, and very raucous they are too!

The robins are fetching mealworms morning and night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Smurfles,

A magpie with short or no tail is not uncommon and it isn't always cats who are the culprits. They get bullied to death by their own kind occasionally - nearly as bad as humans!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Animal, the birds like dandelion seeds, plantain seeds, thistles and loads of other seeds in season. Watching the goldfinches swinging on thistles is great. I always leave a few thistles for them where the neighbours can't see!!!

Hi, Everyone,

Visiting one of my volunteers in hospital, and getting ready for the Tolkien weekend, not to mention a lot of other things, is cutting in to my birdwatching time, and I am so tired at night I have slept through the badger alarm.

They are still coming, but the foxes are beating them to the dishes, and I can't put more out as we are still getting visits from one r-a-t!!

Back to report properly soon Whoops, I had better go before my head hits the keyboard.

And a last night to thaw the rain out of me didn't help!!



Websailor

PS there seems to be a bumper crop of dandelions this year, and have you noticed they are flowering at an inch high, w here they are getting cut down!! Their survival strategy seems to be working. The daisies are at it too!!

Forgot to say Hi!! to Wandering Albatross - blame the it doesn't suit me!!


Websailor

hello. this morning i found a dead bat on the patio
i think next doors cat had been playing with it
it was a bit of a mess

Webbie

Flying Fireball, Hello!

The cats round here never catch the things they are suposed to catch We have furry vermin which would make a good meal or a present for an owner but they don't bother. They are more interested in the birds, frogs and wood mice!!

Animal, Hi, hope you are keeping well.

Tues. 22nd May 07

Well, the last five days have been so hectic I have barely had time to feed the birds, clean up after them and record them. Getting ready for the Tolkien weekend, everything else has had to wait, including the housework

We still our furry *friend* which is driving PHM up the wall I really don't know why he is getting so hot under the collar, it is only one. They are around all the time we just wouldn't seem them if we weren't bird and badger watching .

He has insisted I stop feeding the badgers and foxes till the varmint has gone, but won't put a trap out, and I certainly won't!! The badgers are still coming, and I put food out every couple of nights to keep them interested. We have had several days of rain, so they are better off foraging for worms anyway. I haven't seen the foxes, or any sign of cubs as yet.

I have to report a male house sparrow again, but no sign of a female. A solitary chaffinch appeared once, and a stock dove has taken to popping in every day for a while. The robins, blue and great tits are frantically feeding young, and we have a 'baby boom' of" Feed Me's" - Scorpio's words for juvenile starlings Aaaah!. The Bovver Boys turned up in force with offspring in tow on Saturday morning early, screeching and fighting and splatting and sending PHM in to a frenzy. He really doesn't like them!!

He really is getting to be an old **** as our sons call him. This morning I was told I was gullible and stupid, just because I wasn't having a hissy fit about a young squirrel who landed on the window sill to take a look at him!! Nesting is over and the young ones are simply exploring, scavenging and generally being a pain, as they do every year but it only lasts a few weeks and things calm down.

Yes, I know they can get in lofts and do damage but there is absolutely no sign that they are showing interest in a new "Des. Res." as there is plenty of tree cover locally, and until they do I refuse to worry!!

I bought another mower yesterday with a grass box on. Got it half price and it cleans up the husks, peanut skins and plantain seeds. I think the smell is what is attracting the furry varmint , as there is no food to speak of on the ground. So now I have two mowers to house, one for a thorough cut and clean, and one for a quick scoot when I am busy.

We had a brilliant Tolkien weekend , very busy, with good weather apart from a few very heavy showers on the Saturday. Some 15,000 people joined us, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

I hope to get back to bird and badger watching regularly soon but must go and get some as I am still very after a run of very early mornings and late nights.

Cheers everyone, and thanks for popping in to McWebbie's Diner/BIstro by proxy!!

Websailor

< F7325207?thread="smiley - zzz" title="zzz" class="smiley" src="http://www.h2g2.com/h2g2/skins/Alabaster/images/Smilies/f_zzz.gif"/>, going down myself too.

Brilliant dawn concerts and a splee 'nest defending' bird near the office. There are living birds in the city. "

I'm sure your vermin visitor will desist once it realises there are no easy pickings on the lawn. Trouble is, it means you have to be diligent about clearing up. Perhaps after a few weeks, it'll get the message and move to pastures new and you'll be able to be less tidy

I had 5 roos peering at me over the fence from the Wild this afternoon, as I pottered about in the garden. They really don't bother with us boring humans at all, unless we make an unexpected noise (I sneezed which attracted their attention - ears upright, on guard ). Lovely things. I don't think I'll ever have enough of them.

Yay!!You're back
ing again!!

I was informed last night that the furry thing was very put out at finding nothing on the lawn or the patio, and we haven't seen him during the day either, but it has been rather hot.

A badger came last night, showing his/her discontent at no food by tipping the stone table over. I might put some food out tonight if PHM isn't looking!!!

I have fitted trays on the bottom of two more feeders, hopefully cutting down spillage, and changed the tray on the bird table to an old Tupperware dish which is divided into sections for pickles, snacks etc. You know the kind of thing.

It appears to have deterred the magpies and wood pigeons from landing but the little birds love it, and food hasn't been sprayed all over the patio today I also have a lid which I can put on it if I see rain coming which will help, assuming I am home at the time.

A greenfinch appeared today but only briefly. All the feeders need emptying and refilling, but I have been too busy cleaning and weeding today to do things like that. The weeds have shot up like Triffids after a few days rain, and of course it is splendid cover for the little varmint which we don't want.

I am going out later, when it is cooler to put in some plants friends have given me, after which I think I will have done enough exercise for the day and will retire with a

everyone

Websailor

Evening WS!

I am disappointed to report no sightings again of the wee man. However, after no signs last year of the bats, they are back again. First sightings tonight of two pips chasing each other around the house. Also himself (Harry) decided to bring me a 'prize' 11:59pm and I am sitting on the patio for a quick respite and he brings me a !! Now! I do not like mice; but I do not like cruelty either; and this little fellow was only a baby. So! Harry is bundled inside whilst I 'actually pick up this little mite' and deposit it amongst the undergrowth, while the cat is scratching hell out of my kitchen door from the inside - I hope the little varmint survives the night.

Today has been even worse I am definitely going to neck that cat before I am very much older!!

I was standing at the drive gates this morning; and wondered what the robin was getting so agitated about on my electricity cable overhead. As I walked back by the side of the car, I spotted an odd 'something' which I thought was a tangle of brown stuff. On closer inspection I found it to be a baby robin. Next minute 'himself' appears from nowhere at a great rate of knots; making a b-line for said baby. I did a fair impression of a rugby tackle (grazing my knees in the process and managed to distract him enough so that he slunk under the car. SS came to drag him out and shoo him off, whilst I tried to surround baby with my arms without actually touching it. At this point baby decided to flutter into the hedge border where it sat quietly waiting. Harry charged under the hedge and when I yelled shoo, he ran off. The bird then fluttered under the hedge and I haven't seen it since. Parent robin was shouting for another five minutes and then went quiet; so I don't yet know if that was through success or sorrow.

might sound daft,but a good water pistol with good range is handy to have, cat's run like eck! especially if a little disinfectant added for smell

Must get one Prof! Although I love the little S**t to bits, I'm not going to stand by whilst he devours a robin chick.

Oh, dear Scorp,

You do have your hands full don't you. The water pistol/gun is a good idea, but get a good one if you can. The cheap kids stuff doesn't last long. I have had two, and they both packed up within days.

Websailor