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

I've noticed that too.

Mind you, there seems to have been a pair of blackbirds in the hedges near the back of my house that seem to twitter at each other throughout the night, no matter what time of year...

The wildlife round by me are better trained .

If they keep me awake then no food is on the menu for the next day .

Nigel

Fri. 14th Mar. 08
Weather: Sunny with a chilly wind. Light shower later.

I really must concentrate more. Last night’s post came out as the 3rd March and should have read 13th March.

Last night was cold but the dish had been opened and most of the food eaten by 9.45pm. A check at 3.45am showed the table over I think I need tuning or something as the vibes aren’t working so good lately. Probably because I seem to be permanently . I am not getting enough fresh air, that’s part of the problem.

All the birds came down this morning to feed. It is so difficult to judge how many we get of each species as they flit around so much. I didn’t see the woodpecker (f) until 11.50am but I am sure that wasn’t her first visit. I let the birds clean up what was left out there today as they didn’t seem so hungry.

Roll Call: blue s, great tits, long tailed tits, blackbirds, robin, nuthatch, coal tit, chaffinches, bullfinches, wood pigeons, collared doves, magpies, starlings, dunnocks. Strangely we have seen no squirrels today.

This evening a fox was munching at the table, but was very jumpy and didn’t stay long.

Unfortunately we have had another species visit tonight - a not so welcome one . PHM spotted a r-a-t jumping on and off the table, so I will have to curtail feeding on the table to daytime and hope it doesn’t find its’ way into to the dish. I will put another badger dish out with a brick on top, to compensate for an empty table.

Bye for now, see you all tomorrow,


Websailor

Oh Ws!!!A r-a-t!!!

A rrrrraaaattttttt, oh dear, wheres ginger when you need him .

Nigel

*Waves* Greetings, Moonhogg, didn't mean to ignore you


Sat. 15th Mar. 08
Weather: Bright breezy, rain in the afternoon and evening

PHM informs me that there was only one sighting of the furry varmint during the evening, and there was no sign during the night.

The fox was at the table, followed later by the rat but there was no sign of the badgers. I checked at 1.40am and there was no movement whatever, but at 5am both the table and dish had been dealt with, pretty much clean as a .

It was another Noah’s Ark day as they all seemed to come in ‘two by two’ - first the blackbirds, two pairs, then a pair of jays, then two pairs of starlings, two dunnocks,and two chaffinches. Two great tits, two pairs of bullfinches, two blue s and two squirrels.

turn - Two goldfinches The female woodpecker came at 9.10am and again at 4.07pm. One magpie, one wood pigeon and one collared dove left the garden very quiet.

The reason for the latter was that I was unable to put anything on the ground to feed the ground birds, because of the furry varmint. I never put much, but I daren’t risk even that I did put the raisins out because I know they will go in minutes. I did put food on the stone table though and that cleared before lunch.

The stone table has been cleared tonight and the badger dish topped up to make up for it. I just hope the lid and rock is sufficient to keep nosy critters away. From time to time we get a stray visitor and I am hoping it stays that way, as I don’t relish the alternative

I have been staying lately and my eyes have been getting tired, so I will post this, have a break and come back later.



Websailor


PS Nigel, I haven't seen much of Ginger lately - he's probably frightened of rats

I'm behind the wall with Frenchbean .

It is pretty miserable weather in the West Midlands today . It rained most of the night and keeps stopping and starting today .

I certainly wouldn't like to be a garden bird or a form of wildlife in my next life, too cold and wet . I would be fed well though at McWebbies Diner .

Take care, keep warm and dry.

Nigel

I came, I saw, Ied, I'm behind another wall though

*Waves* To Prof .

Nigel

all ok my friendcarry oning

Sun. 16th Mar. 08
Weather: Rain and wind overnight. Same again today but with the odd dry spell.

The badger dish was pretty much empty by about 3.30am but the lid was several yards down the garden which is not like the badger at all. I wonder if a fox had tried to run off with it and couldn’t carry it in the wind .

For some unearthly reason I was up early this morning in spite of all the wind and rain. The birds looked bedraggled and I felt sorry for them, so I wrapped up and took some food out. Everywhere was swimming in water and they were eating out of the badger dish! .

Two jays, two blackbirds and two magpies were first down along with a robin. Three bedraggled squirrels romped up the garden, scrapping with the magpies for control of the stone table and various s flitted in and out. Some eight starlings landed on the line and the peanut cake, but one decided to conduct his Sunday morning ablutions in the bird bath. You would think he had seen enough water to last a few days with the rain, but no, he splashed, wriggled, preened and drank with great joy. It was lovely to see.

The female woodpecker claimed her spot on the peanut cake at 9am and had a good feed before flying off to inspect the oak tree for something more filling

Three bullfinches and a nuthatch almost collided as they landed on the same feeder, and wood pigeons and dunnocks mooched around picking up scraps from underneath.

A squirrel dug a hole in my snowdrop patch and meticulously buried a peanut, covering it up carefully and looking around to see if he had been spotted. He didn’t notice the magpie spying on him from the fence.

It is quite noticeable that the numbers of blue s and great tits have doubled. Perhaps it is just the same number but they are more noticeable as they are coming in pairs instead of singly.

The badger food is out tonight, but nothing is on the table so hopefully we shall only get foxes and badgers visiting.

for now, have a good night or day wherever you are. See you tomorrow.



Websailor

Afternoon WS! and ers various!!

Yesterday, we bought a new James Grieve apple tree and have today put it into a half barrel. As the weather here has been absolutely beautiful, we sat outside this afternoon with a glass of sherry apiece; enjoying the warm sunshine. As some of you will know, we have a garden arch which houses a couple of clematis on one side and a jasmine on the other. Under the top of the arch, I have two fat ball feeders - attached by means of some cable ties. The snarlings decimate them very speedily; but leave a load of bits on the ground. As we sat looking at the mess, we suddenly realised that we were not the only ones around. (Mistress mouse will you marry me ho ho) was busily munching away at the remnants. (a really tiny specimen) he/she kept running off and returning only seconds later for more. Sitting cleaning whiskers various; totally oblivious to the fact that we were only about five feet away.

As SS had used Je**s fluid to clean the inside of the barrel; and it is particularly harmful to cats, we had confined himself to the lounge (he wasn't bothered as he had the whole settee to sprawl out on; so mistress mouse was safe for the time being.) No doubt things will change with the fullness of time.

Was it a Wood mouse ? We have one (?) and it is gorgeous though I haven't seen it for a while. I am sure it is still around as the goes looking sniffing and mooching, on a regular basis, near where she appears.

Had a busy day, which unlike yours Scorp, was very cold but bright and dry. Back later with an update.

Websailor

Hello Scorp ,

Apologies, I have forgotten to update my 'Allotment Diary' thread .

youngsuper_Nigel's Allotment Diary coming soon .

R.E. James Grieve apple tree. I won't discuss them here, but have a couple of tips for you which I will tell you about on my 'Allotment Thread' .

Webbie tells me off if I abuse her thread .

Take care

Nigel

WS

Mon. 17th Mar. 08
Weather: Very cold but dry and bright.

The rain stopped last night and it appears the badger sneaked in before 9pm which was a pity. He obviously wanted to get back to bed before it went too cold. He has definitely lost his pocket watch! It really isn’t good enough coming in at all hours and treating the place like a hotel! I have had a good look around for it but I think the fox has nicked it while Boss man was feeding.

I was up at 6.45am with a busy day ahead but the birds were still there first. A beautiful jay landed on the patio table and stayed for some minutes before the magpie shunted him off. I do wish he would stand up to him and teach him some manners . The nuthatch and the robin arrived together nearly falling over each other in the lilac tree. The nuthatch arrived like an arrow shot out of a bow, and the robin looked quite shocked.

Four blackbirds collected up raisins and the chaffinches pottered around without interference from the wood pigeons, who have not been round so much since I stopped feeding on the ground. The squirrels don’t stay as long either. The collared has been taking it in turns with his partner to come and feed but the starlings keep frightening him off with their cackles and shrieks

The bullfinches fed peacefully on the feedings, swinging gently in the breeze. They are such calm birds and lovely to watch. Their ‘red salmon’ colour glows in the light like a beacon, but only the males unfortunately.

The increasing number of blue and great s chirruped and flitted in among the long tails, and a coal tit came several times. The female woodpecker visited at 7.35 am, 3.50 pm and 5.40 pm for a last meal.

They were anticipating another cold night as all the food had gone from the tables and the feeder levels had dropped alarmingly. At this rate I shall be ordering lorry loads of food in future.

Off for a and a munch. See you all tomorrow, posters and ers.

I will try and catch sight of a brock tonight. It is most frustrating.



Websailor

Stilling!!

Mornin All

Just listened to World on the Move on Radio 4, repeats tomorrow evening at 9.00. Fascinating track of an Osprey returning to Scotland from her winter home in Africa.

http://www.roydennis.org/Female%20osprey%20migration%202007.htm

Thanks for that very interesting link WA. I shall look some more when I have time.


Mon. 17th Mar. 08
Weather: Very cold but dry and bright.

At 10.20pm last night a puzzle was solved. PHM called me to look out the window and there was a fox at the badger dish! One quick yank and he had the dish open <yikes.

As you know the badger method is to nudge the rock off the top and slide the plate off, sometimes halfway and sometimes right off, depending how eager he is to reach the food. The dish, lid and rock are left all neat and tidy once he has sniffed around and picked up any stray bits.

The fox has a different technique however.. He grabbed the edge of the plastic plate and with one big jerk he shot it several yards down the garden, like a frisbee, leaving the dish open and the rock a couple of feet away

Imagine for a moment the old magician/illusionist trick with a table and tablecloth full of crockery, glasses etc. One jerk of the tablecloth and the glasses are left standing on the table unharmed! *Gasp* of amazement from audience - well that was us last night.

He seemed very hungry and ate at least half of the contents of the dish, staying to eat and not running off with each mouthful. He/she returned about 1.15am but didn’t stay long. The dish was empty this morning but I cannot be sure whether it was foxes or badgers, there being no badger evidence.

The birds were early this morning after another cold night and the blackbird was sitting on the fence willing pHM to go and open the tray, which of course he wouldn’t . I took the lid off and a couple of blackbirds were joined by a third on the ground. The robin dived in for cheese under the beaks of the blackbirds, and a nuthatch wasn’t far behind. Four bullfinches arrived (two pairs) along with several starlings. The blue and great s zipped in and out, sharing the cotoneaster with the dunnocks and a robin.

A beautiful jay flew in just ahead of a couple of magpies and four wood pigeons, and three squirrels raced around causing mayhem. Ginger wandered through but didn’t seem particularly interested in the birds for once. A few chaffinches bravely stayed till he was within striking distance but chickened out at the last minute.

The female woodpecker visited the peanut cake at 7.40 and 8.30am and may well have visited several times afterwards, but unfortunately I had to go out

Tonight the badger dish has a big, heavy blue engineering brick on top of the plate, so we will see how the fox gets on with that. There is no doubt the badger will move it but it will be interesting to see if the fox manages it

I have a meeting this evening which is why this post is going up early, but I shall be around late evening no doubt.

See you later,

Websailor