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

Gestation for domestic cats is usually between 58 - 65 days WS.(8-9 wks)

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I hope this isn't turning into a 'lady's only' thread .

Prof, I think we are out numbered so we won't win .

Ah, Prof, you mentioned an ironing board. What is one of those? . I've heard of one but never seen one before, are they used for surfing .



Nigel

Scorp, the should surely be delivering soon I would think, though I wasn't keeping tabs.

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Youngsuper Nigel, next time you come round I'll show you an ironing board

Definitely not a 'ladies only' thread, you know me

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Hi, Everyone,

I have managed to feed both birds and badger (?) who I think came last night. Today has been horrible, and I am feeling groggy still. I only have a voice intermittently too ......and when it does appear it growls

Can you hear them? Nigel and PHM I mean. They gang up on me something rotten.

I will try and catch sight of the badger tonight. The birds fed well today and between us we logged quite a few including the woodpecker.

Back tomorrow, hopefully fighting fit, well fighting anyway!!

Frenchbean, have a good time in Tazzie

Websailor

Good grief I'll leave if it becomes a women-only thread! My comment was intended to be familiar to female readers - and educational for the boys

See you all in a week Shall look out for wild Tassie Devils and try to get some photos

wild Tassie Devils, my cousinsenjoy the hol

And if you should see a thylacine, I hope you have witnesses...

Sat.1st Mar. 08

Weather: Nice and sunny and breezy turning to gale force.

Continuing from last night: The wind got up with a vengeance and although a fox arrived at 9pm he/she didn’t stay long, there were too many frightening noises. The dish and table remained intact.

I soundly but at 12.17am two of our fence panels were out again and later in the night the table was tipped and the dish almost emptied.

This morning dawned bright and very breezy but the front side gate was off the wall and hanging by it’s hinges. It must have been a of a blow to do that and I slept through it. Medication has its’ benefits

Eight blackbirds were ‘raisoning’ that I would appear eventually with goodies, and the magpies and squirrels thought that ‘peanuts’ I might be bringing some of those too, and of course they were right. The starlings and woodpecker were ‘fat-ed’ to wait for a new suet/peanut cake and were also right. I must be feeling better, and generous too

One robin, one woodpecker (at 12.20pm), one pied wagtail, one mistle thrush and a nuthatch joined a variety of other birds who came feeding throughout the day. Including ten wood pigeons, much to PHM’s chagrin, since he was on ‘bird watch’ while I went shopping They finished off the remains of the badger food too, mostly small fat balls that ‘he’ can’t get his tongue round (badger not PHM!)

Late News: I heard the Muntjac deer at 6.20 this evening and the fox appeared at 9.10pm but only stayed a few minutes. Table still up and dish untouched. Oh, and the young neighbours put the fence panes back in . Discussions in progress as to what to do about them a bit later in the year.

I am going to hop off now (still in frog mode) and have some voice lubrication and a rest before the night watch.

Take care. PS Frenchbean is kitted out for all eventualities on her Tazzie treks so I shall look forward to a good journal when she gets back to Oz.



Websailor

On my walk this morning I was listening out for bird calls, having spent some time over the last couple of days listening to the tape. The main thing I noticed, however, was that the wrens were most definitely the dominant song bird along the whole route. Lovely to hear them.

Wrens are lovely birds with their sticky up tails!
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I have just had a bit of a surprise as looking at a tall tree a couple of gardens away for small birds and saw a Great Spotted Woopecker! I have seen them a mile or so away before but never here as not really suitable tree wise, really nice to see one.

I was just looking for the woodpecker again and suddenly thought I know that mean and moody face , and indeed it was a Greenfinch, not a regular visitor to be seen from my lounge window, but very welcome.

Morning everyone, Happy Mothers Day or othering Sunday if you prefer.

Wrens and Great Spotted Woodpecker, how lovely. I haven't seen a wren for a while. They are such a delight. Great Spotted Woodpeckers seem to be homing in on food stations, so you are quite likely to see one anywhere, especially if there are peanuts around, or suet cakes. Listen later for when they start drumming, it's a very distinctive sound.

I am pleased to report that the badgers appear to be coming every night now in spite of high winds. Their scent is evident around the table and dish, the table being tipped and cleaned and the dish opened neatly and emptied. The foxes are not as odorous at the moment, but give them time

Further evidence should I need it is that there are snout holes all over the lawn where he/she has been worming. The holes are distinctive with a pushed up edge on one side and about an inch and a half deep They are about nearly a month early this year, but everything else seems to be in front of itself, so it is hardly surprising. Knowing for sure they will find food has a bearing on it too perhaps as they are far from daft!

I haven't managed to catch sight of one again as I have slept heavily the last few nights, and the Sensor is out of commission. It probably needs a good clean and a new battery and I will get to that when I have time to do a thorough clean up of the garden. The weather is ideal for that, which is frustrating as I am not up to it at the moment.

Back later,

Websailor

This is magnificant, the first Great Spotted Woodpecker I have seen in my garden just landed in Oak tree about 10 feet from my window!

Good Morning!!Happy Mothers day to all the ladies here.

That's great SS, some peanuts in a feeder, or a peanut cake would make him/her a regular visitor. Can you see if it is male or female?


Websailor

*waves* to Sal. Sae to you.

WS

I mean same!!!

No, the Great Spotted Woodpecker was too fast, although most I have see around here have been male for some reason.
I also saw 2 pairs of Chaffinches earlier tooin my garden which is the most I have ever seen at one time I believe.
I went out for a walk and it was nice to see a rabbit shoot across path not far away. What was great though was a Kestral sitting on a fence for quite some time. It was at the absolute limit of my binos and invisable to naked eye. There are more Kestrals a mile or so away but unusual to see one sitting on a fence post for so long. I wasn't 100% it was a Kestral so checked in my other book when home and the "tear drop" marking under eye clinched it!
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Like SD I have found bird song to be invaluable. Although no Wrens around today on walk, I have realised that quite a few number of birds were making a lot of the noises, the main culprets seem to be robins and Tits, Great Tits in particular. I went to same place around 6 months ago and the same birds are still there and what I thought were actually some exotic rare birds were actually great tits with their wide range of sounds.

It's funny I seem to have females at the moment but a friend a few streets away has the males

Are the rabbits near you free of mixymatosis? I love to see them but when they it, it really is such a horrible disease it really upsets me.

I have yet to see a kestrel though they hover over around motorway verges a lot. Lucky you.

Sun 2nd Mar. 08

Weather: Nice and sunny with a gusty wind

3.30am Strong winds rattled the boards, but the table was over and the dish empty all but for a few bits

6.45am Birds up and about and calling to me. Clearing up outside and putting new food out I noted that the badger had most definitely been. There were little snout holes all over the lawn where he had pushed the turf up to get at worms underneath. I just need to see him again

Blue s, 2 robins, 8 blackbirds, 20 starlings , 2 dunnocks, 6 chaffinches, 2 great tits, 2 collared doves, 4 bullfinches, 4 long tailed tits, 2 magpies, 1 nuthatch, 8 wood pigeons and 3 squirrels were joined by a sulky Ginger .

No sign today of woodpecker, goldfinch or pied wagtail, but it is warmer so perhaps that’s why. The badger food is out so I live in hope of a sighting.

I hope the lucky ones among you had a nice Mothers Day as I did. Problem is I am now shattered and hoarse

*See* you tomorrow,



Websailor

As far as I am aware all the rabbits here are healthy. I had never seen a dead or diseased one at any rate nor heard of any disease. We aren't over run with them but they take advantage of fields near busy roads, etc, usually the ones with horses in.
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There are a lot of Kestrals in park around a mile away as a lot of open ground for voles, etc. The one today was in a horses field near a railway line which didn't seem to bother it. I have heard of assorted birds of prey around here and was told that someone heard a terrible screaching of a bird attacked in a ladies garden which sounds like a Sparrowhawk like in your garden. At the wildlife sanctuary I go to there are recordings of assorted birds of prey but unless it is a Kestral hovering I find them hard to identify as so fast!

Mon 3rd Mar. 08

Weather: Sunny, very cold with a gusty wind. Sleety showers.

Last night at 10.20pm the table was tipped over but there was no sign of a ‘critter’. 12.50am and the dish was pretty well empty, with the rock and plate just a few inches away.

6.45am the blackbirds were nagging again, sitting on the fence and in the tree. I would so like to have gone back to but guilt has a terrible grip. Shortly after putting out the food about twenty starlings crowded on to the stone table, pushing and shoving and complaining loudly, and more were in a long row on the ‘washing’ line. I shall be very popular with the neighbours if they keep that up! They soon stopped and scattered in all directions when the ginger came through. The one with the faded fur standing on end like it is permanently or just fell out of the dryer

Two robins joined six blackbirds, two blue s, one dunnock, eight chaffinchaes, two great tits, two bullfinches, two long tailed tits, one nuthatch and the pied wagtail. The eight wood pigeons created havoc, flapping and cooing and sending feathers, seeds and birds flying in all directions, but eventually things settled down, and the pied wagtail made several quiet visits.

I almost forgot to put the badger food out tonight it was so cold but it is there now. It just remains for us to catch one in the act. Unless of course it is ‘someone’ else

Back tomorrow, off for some and honey now.


Websailor