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

I am really pleased that Chaffinches seem to be using my waterbowl regularly. They aren't a bird I often see here although hear them a lot. I suspect they use the top of my trees a lot but unseen as oak trees are so high, too close to flats so can't look up at them and hidden in leaves. They suddenly appear and as fairly unobtrusive easily missed unless looking out of window by chance. they will really stretch down if water level is low.
This morning I happened to look out and a young Great Spotted Woodpecker was standing on the old tree root waterbowl is on and delicately stretching over side of waterbowl to drink! I suspect it was this years young fom now abandoned nest dug out of tree trunk in my garden.
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I was out yesterday and a Jackdaw only 4 feet away walked sideways along the balcony rail sliding its feet as it went. it looked so hard work when it could easily have flown, lol.
I sat still in garden a few days ago, as I do,and a really raucus Magpie ws screaming 5 feet away at nothing in particular, as they often do, and preceeded to hunt around the shed roof for bugs. Two magpies yesterday proceeded to try to pull off those black small hanginging bits you get on pushbike tyers, They then had a go at the spoke reflectors with as little success
I saw a Robin for first time yesterday on my feed, well actually I should say 'on' my feeder as suspect although it was inside it might have been more interested in any bugs there than the mixed seed feed! Still it was nice to see there. There are a lot of young Robins around my garden this year and Robins in general seem particularly friendly this year and will come close if sit still.
My waterbowl seems to be particularly useful to assorted wildlife from night Foxes to young Blue Tits which is nice, even if hard work as one Woodpigeon or enthusiastic Magpie can empty it in seconds requiring sometimes four daily refills. I keep a large watering can full in garden now as easier to use than constantly running up and down stairs for water.
There seem to be quite a lot of Blue and Great Tits around but less Long Tail tits, however winter might bring Long Tail Tits roaming here for food so not too worried about them. The mixed flocks of Tits here at moment are quite amusing and large. It can be really hard to see in dvidual birds as always on the move, sometimes upside down, lol, but I have seen young Blue and Great Tits which is lovely.
The young Blackbirds seem to have all turned properly black or brown and become adults already unless elsewhere. But suspect they have changed colour already as did quite quickly last year.
Anyway, all is well so far in my garden this summer, and it does seem to be propper summer now weatherwise!

I do enjoy reading about your garden and walks SS but I don't understand one bit , hope you don't mind me asking but you have both upstairs and downstairs neighbours and you have a garden , do they have gardens too? I don't quite get that bit

Ah sorry Moonraker, my fault, I have lived here so long I call the communal garden 'my graden', but of course it is a communal garden for everybody. I use it mostly though as sit out the most often. Yes I have a neighbour above and below and no one gets a seperate garden, we all use the communal garden
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I will describe it a little.
Mainly it is a largish lawn with the 2 blocks of flats forming one side of lawn, eack block only 3 flats high. my flat faces lawn with a mature and quite high oak tree to left of my lounge window. That oak is very near window with branch tips only 6-8 feet away from my flat's window.
On the other end of lawn at far end is another mature oak tree with small bushes form that end of lawn.
As I mentioned, the blocks of flats face the lawn and on other side of lawn is a range of sawn off Leylandi trees forming a dense hedge and assorted bushes.
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Really all 'my garden' as I call it (the communal garden) is is a largish well kept lawn surrounded on 3 sides by trees and bushes and on one side by 2 small blocks of flats. There is a medium size shed for bikes and Bits and Bobs, but that is it really. My garden has no individual areas for residents or areas to grow vegtables..
However, although it sounds basic, it is weed killer and fertiliser free so good for wildlife from Foxes to Goldcrest birds. Not being over tended and dressed with many flower beds makes it ideal for wildlife as left in peace.
The Leylandie hedge is dense and loved by Squirells, Godcrests, Coal Tits, etc so ideal for attracting birds, the oaks are loved by birds for food from young buds and for shelter from heat and cold.
I love my garden as little used and has no dogs to poo on grass so can sit there. It seems to do okay for assorted wildlife and while sitting out yeterday 2 male Chaffinches fluttered down from oak to drink. With the exremely hot weather, 32c, forcast this week my birdbath will be busy.
Even late in evening yesterday it was 25c in my lounge as day was not far off 30c, well it felt that hot to me as sat in garden in shade. I didn't check temperature but have been getting pretty good at guessing when it is too hot to sit in direct sun these days!

Just seen first Long Tail Tits in my garden for a while! Great!

Oh, you lucky thing! Haven't seen any for ages. I wonder if mine will come back now

Oh, and thanks for the explanation about your garden, it was very interesting. It seems to me you are very lucky to have a little oasis like that on your doorstep.

Websailor

I 've just seen a Weasel, It ran across the road and into my neighbours parking space just in front of my truck as I came down the hill, I'm sure it's in my garden by now , not going looking for it as it's dark outside.

Fantastic animals!

You are not frightened of the dark are you Moonraker I must admit I don't go outside readily in the dark now, I don't know what I will bump in to

A weasel, How interesting. They are apparently increasing in number again in the UK now which is a good thing.

Websailor

Not scared of the dark just no point looking for it as it will be well hidden if I tried

Of course I never thought of that. Having a camera that can *see* in the dark made me forget!

Websailor

WOW! Just 20 feet away
in local park 2 adult
male Red Deer stags reared
up to full height on
back legs with hooves
clashing. Muscles were
taught and nostrals flared
, what a sight!

indeed. Lucky you. Glad to see you around again.

Websailor

Today a GS Woodpeck had a snowbath on a leylandie branch, while 6 redwing dug holes as deep as themselves in the leafmould below looking for worms!

I have bought a new seed feeder like my otherone but without a squirell/larger bird guard. I went for another seed feeder rather than a peanut one as more likely to be consistant with only one food type. However I bought a bag of peanuts and the first Jay put 9 in its mouth!

It is wonderful to see jays 'stocking up' - they have pouches at the side of their beaks which allows them to take a much larger quantity than other bird!s

It was -6ºat least last night (my current thermometer only goes down to -5º !!) but we are have had little snow flurries all morning. I am stocked up with just about everything so it can do what it likes for a few days

Take care,

Websailor

Irronically, the first to use the new feeder are the small birds from original one, a ling did land on top but got confused and flew away.