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

My pleasure

Off to watch some TV for an hour - you know that old fashioned thing sitting in the corner!!!!


Back later for bird update just in case you are wondering Scorp


WS

Fri. 22nd Feb. 08

Weather: Cold and dull this morning. Windy all day but sunny in the afternoon.

to self - must check spelling or the will be after me again

A couple of checks last night showed no sign of activity from foxes or badgers . I must have offended him when I frightened him . Never mind, he shouldn’t have been out and about in the cold like that

This morning was dull and very windy but the blackbirds were there as usual along with a robin who was a bit cross because there was no cheese. I have to grate some, and crush some digestives for the s tomorrow morning or they will be telling me off again.

Nine wood pigeons and several magpies ate without any fighting, just a bit of posturing from the wood pigeons for supremacy on the stone table Three squirrels were racing round in the wind, creating mayhem among the chaffinches and dunnocks, and the starlings fought over half a peanut cake.

The woodpecker took over at 8.40am and the rest of the birds dropped in for a few minutes throughout the day. Now it is not quite so they are not so desperate, but they still managed to make the feeder levels drop a couple of inches and the tables were cleared too. Some are not coming at all, like the goldfinch, the pied wagtail and the siskin .

Ginger didn’t appear today but Fluffy Ginger came through, a massive bundle of shaggy fur making it look twice its’ size. I had a feeling the other day but forgot to mention it to anyone. I had a strong sense that the new young neighbours would be getting a now they have their own house

It seems the sixth sense was right in part, because it appears they now have two!! . The couple say they like the birds so I just hope these two new felines will be as good as TC, but I somehow doubt it. Sitting in the front window they are obviously young s and haven’t been allowed out yet. They have been climbing up the PVC window frames in the absence of curtains

I have dutifully put out the badger food, but it will have to be fed to the birds and squirrels if it doesn’t go tonight. It will only be fit for the fox who will eat absolutely anything if I leave it any longer.



Websailor

Prof and Scorp, honey matters:

Another good link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoGY1FjdiH8

About a year ago, but things have not improved apparently.

WS

Oh WS! I do so love honey - and although I am absolutely terrified of wasps - to the point of phobia, I love bees. I was quite worried this last week when the sun brought out the few bees I reported to have seen in our garden.

I just managed to unsubscribe from this conversation instead of hitting the reply button. Why are they so close to each other?

Anyhoo....

The DLs have decided it's autumn and have reinstated their cooler months' fly-past each morning. By morning I mean 5.15am And as usual, just in case they didn't wake me the first time, they screech past at least twice more before 5.45am

My DLapulut (refined catapult) is at the ready

The collared doves here seemed to have decided it is wooing time or something as have started more cooing, sounds like the countryside here!
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There was a really strange sound here last night which I think was a bird but not 100% certain. It was really weird and had elements of a Nightingale with that sort of reversed sound of a penny whistle but it isn't summer. It could have been an exotic water or land bird and sounded a bit tropical, but my tripple DVD has around 200 birds and too much to wade through so couldn't find anything. I either was mistaken or it could be an escaped tropical pet bird.
I won't be certain it was a bird until I hear it again, if I do, as could always be a man made sound of some sort.

Where are you SS? There are heaps of escapees in Britain - particularly in the south, so you might well have heard something exotic. Let us know if you hear it again....

Btw.... DLs for the uninitiated... Damned Lorikeets

In outer London so could be an escapee, however I have still not ruled out manmade sound, but one part sounded a little like one penny whistle section of a Nighingale song which is apparantly used to check that the night song isn't the more likely Robin singing at night, particulalry in built up areas where it is not likely to be a Nightingale. I also listened to Nightjar song incase has added twidley bits to song but it wasn't that and unlikely around here anyway!

Sat. 23rd Feb. 08

Weather: Much milder but windy.

11.30pm Last night and the fox was mooching around the garden and the table, but took no interest in the badger dish at all. Stayed about five minutes then trotted off. It’s typical that the moon has been in clear sight again now the eclipse is over

Checks at 1.50 and 3.50am showed the lawn striped with dark shadows but no badgers, or foxes for that matter.

At 7.30am the wind was blowing and the patio table (resin) was tipped on its’ side and rolling around the patio, with food all over the place. Not sure if it was the wind, fighting squirrels or battling wood pigeons Anyway, no damage done.

Six blackbirds, five wood pigeons and two collared doves were down early along with the robin and three squirrels. They cleared the lawn in record time. Chaffinches, bullfinches, blue s, great tits and long tailed tits came next followed by five starlings. Then a nuthatch, a goldfinch and a jay.

However, there has been no sign of a woodpecker for a couple of days, unless we have just missed it. It might be that the peanut cake is getting a bit the worse for wear, and she is a very fussy as she won’t touch anything but fresh peanuts either!

Now it is warmer again they are less dependent on us for food, and just give themselves a start in the morning and a snack before bed, and sometimes pop in for lunch….a bit like children really so perhaps we should call it McWebbie’s Hotel instead of Diner

Nite nite,



Websailor

Keep it as a diner WS!

It was so windy here last night that I deliberately laid the bird table down; so that it did not get blown over on to the purple plant that I cannot remember the name of (but I'm, sure that Nigel will) As soon as I had done so, the wind died down - still - the bird table was due for a clean anyway!

Scorp, it didn't occur to me to do that as the table has never gone before Diner it will stay then

I need to get the hosepipe on my patio, paths and shed as the snarlings are dirty little plonkers, not to mention the wood pigeons, and all the feeders need cleaning. It has either been too windy, too wet, too icy, too cold or I've been too busy. I need buckets of hot water for the feeders, having nowhere indoors I can safely clean them, and the water goes cold too quickly this weather. Fortunately it is too cold for disease to be a problem I think, and the food is clean and fresh.

Did you take a look at the Badger Trust btw? it is most interesting.

Websailor

Just found out why a Nuthatch is called so.
They like to eat NUTs and jam them in trees and use their HATCHet like beak to open them, thus Nuthatch.

Liked the bit about the nuthatch and it is certainly true. They also do it with sunflower seeds stashing for a rainy day


Sun. 24th Feb. 08

Weather: It started off mild and breezy, then the sun came out ed at us (well ed actually) and went in again, after which it rained

Of course the rain was my fault apparently because I used the hose to wash away the delightful designs of snow flakes left on the patio by the pigeons and starlings

The table was over at 7.30am and the rock was knocked off the badger dish, but I suspect it was nosy squirrels or squabbling wood pigeons, as there was no sign of amy activity during the early hours or even as late as 6.30am.

For some reason there was a mad rush at 9.10am with twelve wood pigeons, six magpies, four blackbirds, one robin and the woodpecker all appearing at once. The squirrels joined in rushing all over the garden and up and down fences. It must have been the warmer weather that brought them out.

All the usual birds showed up, but none of the unusual ones, so natural food must be available now which is good, and those that came didn’t stay long.

Very tired tonight so I am off to watch TV (I hope).*See* you tomorrow,



Websailor

On Saturday I played through my RSPB tape on common garden birds, which I have not done for a while. So yesterday when I went for my regular walk I paid closer attention to the various calls of robins, wrens and dunnocks. It will need a few more listens before I can carry them in my head. I realise also that the grambling could be mistaken for a willow warbler, so I must go to the RSPB site to check whether the latter are singing yet.

Do any of you on this thread go to the London meet-ups? I was reading through that thread yesterday and it sounds quite interesting and, as 2legs is totally blind, my reg blindness wil not be an excuse to not go! It will take a bit of organising though and I have not put myself down even as a 'possible' yet.

Hi All ,

This morning I saw ginger sitting on the top of our shed roof. She is getting bigger each day and must be ready soon to drop her babies.

Just been looking at the video link that you recently put up Websailer about the decline in honey bees . It was interesting and had no idea it was quite as bad in other countries other than our own. It is frightening in a way because, like what was said in the video, not just the amount of honey is affected but the crops too which is an important source of food.

I will certainly be planting more 'bee friendly' plants in my garden and allotment this year , will do my article on the plants bees like sometime, probably when the weather picks up and there isn't the all important tasks like sowing vegetables and general tidying of the garden .

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SusanDoris - I don't go to the london meets because I cannot get there and is quite a way from the West Midlands for me to travel .
Your RSPB common garden bird tape sounds interesting, I wouldn't mind buying one myself but are not sure if I would like the CD listening version or a DVD version like Strangely Strange has . Will have to give it some thought.

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Scorp - I have just been trying to think of the name of your purple-leaved plant that fell over in the wind . It might suddenly come to me .

Take care.

Nigel

SusanDoris,

Sorry I can't get there either. I am sure you will find someone you know eventually.

Websailor

Hi Nigel! It wasn't the purple plant which fell over. I was telling WS that I had laid the bird table on the ground so that it didn't fall over in the high winds. If it had it would have fallen directly onto the purple plant.

I'll try to get a picture tomorrow so you can see it.

SD, I have been paying particular attention to birds sounds recently as can stop a lot of confusion! I might buy a CD of bird sounds too as there is always something to learn.
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I haven't been to a London meet, but understand 2 legs gets met at the London train station by someone who goes with him to meet, I believe 2 legs lives in Cambridge. I went on a Cambridge destination train once and found the announcement of station names at every stop very reasuring as not been in that area before.

Thanks Scorp

Thanks for the comments about the London meet. Yes it is certainly easier with the clear on-board announcements nowadays.