Dorset News.

[Nina P]

I am not too sure where to out this information, so I'll report it under my local patch. Last night a flock of swifts swirled down from the north of the region, silently swirling and feeding as they passed, (nothing odd there) but this is the first time they have flown over my garden!!! Does anyone know if they are the first migrants to leave? as I believe they are heading south with purpose, as they were not screaming as they whirled about I was very intrigued!!
This weekend saw the surprise of a smooth snake in my flowerbed, slowworms at the bottom of my garden basking in the sunshine, I'm just waiting for the first adder to show itself, and grass snakes are commonplace, as they have a nasty habit of eating my dear frogs, but that's nature! there has been rather busy thrushes in my green and verdant patch, as the evidence of smashed snail shells show and this morning I saw four of them amongst the newly planted and watered borders, and around the orchard area. Eight blackbirds twenty greenfinches, countless sparrow family members squabbling, and a real ruccus with the chaffinch family, almost as bad as the starlings, the collared doves are still mating, Robin's gone quiet, but still puts in an appearance at the water feature, but the spotted flycatcher makes up with its acrobatic leaps into the air, (can't be enough of them as there are so many flies, we have to keep the windows and doors shut to keep them out) the housemartins have taken to the air this weekend, so that is the first brood up and off. The green woodpeckers are now returning to the garden, I thought that the greater spotteds had driven them away, but now both types are frequent garden visitors.
There was an adonis male fluttering around along with a comma and peacock butterfly, not to mention the whites of different groups, and there are a large number of moths, quit large and some of them set off the security light they are so big, but I admit to being ignorant of what ones we have. I hope that this will be of interest to some out there, respectfully Nina

:cat:

[Karl J]

Certainly is of interest. Good variety of info in there, nice one

A smooth snake ? Is that what it's called or is just a snake thats smooth ? Sorry ... may be obvious to some, but I've never heard the term before

[Nina P]

Yes Carlos, It is one of the three species of true snake but ony in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire,Sussex and Surrey are they usually seen, and not very frequently, hence surprise at seeing it in the flower bed sunning itself, and though I have lived within these counties, I am lucky if I see one in five years, so to me that is a very special sighting. The slowworm is not a true snake and falls prey to adders, that is why I'm wondering when, not where I will see the adder, thus giving me a full quota of snakes.
Glad you like my "neck- of the- woods" and I hope many others will too, Nina.
:cat:

[Karl J]

.... interesting

[bristolbirder]

Hello Nina. Wow, what a garden, smooth snakes, adders, spotted flycatchers, woodpeckers. You really are very lucky.

My family and I will be staying fairly near to you in a couple of weeks in Lymington. Bet I don't see half of what you normally get in your garden!

Thanks for the report.

[Nina P]

I love the space and would welcome visitors to enjoy all the delights of my garden with pleasure, and if you are this way, can I recommend Wimborne as a starting point, and head for Cranborne, Holt is a nice place, with a good Pub called the Old Inn, and there are many fields and moorland past there and to the right, lots of horseriders use the bridalways across the moors, there is a swan rescue place over that way too, so welcome to have a look, and deter the fireraisers, and loads of people pull up beside the road and watch the buzzards, and other raptors, we also have some linnets appearing along the roadside about this time of year, or cover the ground after dark and listen for the nightjars, really I think my part of Dorset is pure heaven. The fact that I'm a gardener first, and have a plant stall outside for the local school funds, means I get a lot of time to watch the Birds too, and I plant for nature and have a meadow type grassland within the garden, which I cut fairly short but not too short, thus I also have butterflies feeding on the nectar that clover and birds foot trefoil provide. Hope you do pay the area a good long look as there is so much to see. Nina.
:cat:

[bristolbirder]

Thanks for that Nina. We intend to do a lot of travelling around the area, although the rest of the family are not quite as keen on birds as myself, so hopefully I'll see plenty. Nightjars would be the icing on the cake.

If I see a nice looking house with a plant stall outside I'll knock on the door! ;)

[Nina P]

By all means, there are also pots and troughs on the bay roof, full of plants, if you really want to see nightjars, drive through Uddens drive off the Ferndown by-pass at about 5am, this month you should see them sitting in the road, at a distance their eyes look like coke cans glinting inthe full beam of headlights, get closer and they look like pigeons sitting in the road, but they rarely take off so be careful, as they believe they are invisible, you can get extremely close this way, but they nest alongside the by-pass on the roads that the sunseeker rallye use every year as the forest part of the rally.
I had to drive very carefully through this road when I worked the early shifts, and this next week is the most likely time to see them before they get wise to traffic as they will be this years young, specially in the humid heat that we have just had but thunder is due anytime now and that is the weather that sees them on the road, good luck in finding them, Nina.

[Nina P]

The Swifts are definately leaving as they were no longer flying and screaming around the cottages near the Drs surgery this morning, where they were breeding in large numbers. It seems too early fot them to be migrating, and it also answers my first question, they must be the first to arrive as I'd suspected, and therefore it follows that they should be the first to leave, but it seems all too soon....
The swallows are still here though and the housemartins are still flying in and out of their nest on the house, and the little "madam" has not been able to snatch any of them by sitting on the gutter and lieing in wait, that is a definate bonus, Nina.
:cat:

[bristolbirder]

Always seems sad to me when the Swifts depart. As if summer is over and I haven't had my summer holiday yet!

I noticed that the Swifts have started to disappear here last week after the heavy rain. Despite some bright days there are nowhere near as many about now as there were. One more week and they will all be gone. Let's hope they can all safely return next spring.

[Nina P]

I do not like to think that summer is over yet so I'm looking at the swallows now and their little chiruppping twittering song that is my first indicator of the arrival of summer and as long as I hear them I refuse to think of summer waning, and they twitter on sometimes until october here, and that makes summer last for me. The housemartins are the last to leave and they can stay until well into november, and I often wonder if that is the reason they seem to suffer so from the adverse weather, and the losses so high. perhaps I'm wrong and they just start late and continue for as long as they dare, and therefore seem to have low numbers on arrival, could be just arrive as they leave in dribs and drabs. Nina.
:bounce: :cat:

[bristolbirder]

No Swallows or House Martins for me around here although there is a village and small town nearby where they can be found. On the rare occasions that I travel through them I have noticed, this summer, a noticeable drop in numbers. From different reports that I have read they were late in arriving this year but locally there does appear to be fewer birds.

Have you noticed a reduction in numbers Nina?

I console myself, however, with daily visits to my seed feeder from at least 2 pairs of Bullfinches with their young. The adults have been visiting daily since the winter whereas, previously, I had only ever seen 1 Bullfinch in the garden in the previous 20 years!

[Nina P]

The housemartins here this year, seem to have just about held their numbers in as much as there have been the same number of nests, and at one time there were two pairs trying to share the already occupied one on my home, so although there seemed to be a decline there was a sudden influx very late this year, bringing up the numbers eventually. The fact that this year they have susessfully raised one brood that have now fledged, and the next brood are on the way, I will await the migration session before saying if this has been a successful year, as there are still the weasels to cause another failure, and the female kestrel who has been the downfall of previous years breedings. So far so good though.
I have a pair of bullfinches that still show up from time to time, and the yellowhammers and chiff chaffs still can be heard, the greater spotted woodpeckers are still chrruping around and the greenwoodpeckers have started laughing, so there is rain in the offing, the thrushes seem to have suddenly increased in number but I never saw them with young but there are so many now that early in the morning there seems to be an enormous amount of tapping, and this morning my garden was full of snail shells, almost every stone had smashed shells around it, and my wooden stepping stone has a load of shells too.
Just over a week ago I was watering the garden and where I had watered half an hour before was this thrush, and the only way I knew it was there was by this knocking on wood sound, which made me look for what was making it, there was this rather brave bird using my wood for smashing the snails shell, needless to say I watched with great interest. I felt elated, Nina.

:cat: B (:

[bristolbirder]

Nina. It really does sound as if you live in paradise! What I would give to have a garden like yours in such a wonderful part of the country. Maybe you could share some of it's delights by posting a few photos? It may give a few pointers to others on how to manage and maintain a good wildlife garden. :t: B (:

[Nina P]

Bristolbirder, have spent over an hour trying to post picture without sucess, but if you can let me know an email address to send you a couple of pictures with pleasure, unfortunately my PC will not reduce the size to post here, and I'm not eaufait with PCjargon to work it out right now, so will have to wait for help to arrive to show me how to do it. Nina.

[Nina P]

Hope you like it bristolbirder, and if you can do what I can't then by all means post it here. I ended up four hours trying to reduce the size but still can't find the way so I will have to wait for my daughters new husband to enlighten me, although I have taught myself how to do so much on this thing, but I get confused with all the icons and thumbnails and all that jazz, I asked questions in all the most roundabout ways I could think of but still to no avail, that I ended up last night with very little sleep for having stayed in the one place too long, so today I must not be here too long or my wheelchair will be winning, and I don't want that to happen:- I'm too young to be there yet...., but I know it is on the cards, so I keep fighting.
If I don't who will keep up the garden then?
You may see how closely packed the planting is, but the idea is to have something of interest to see at all times of the year, and to give the birds shelter and protection at the feeing stations. there are some fairly large pink hebes where the little birds dive first before alighting onto the bird bath and table close to the pond so anything trying to creep up will get rather wet. works too! Nina.
:cat: B (:

[Malvolio]

Swifts are amongst the latest spring migrants to arrive and are also just about the first to leave (though cuckoos and male shorebirds/ waders leave early as they have no parental duties).

Most Swifts do not arrive until May and most have left by mid-August. A sudden disappearnce of your local swifts does not necessarily mean they have migrated though, the adult birds will travel hundreds of miles to find suitable feeding areas when the weather turns bad in their breeding area. As the adults may stay away for days until a bad weather system clears away the young go into a state of torpor until they return.

MV

[Nina P]

Thanks Malvolio, that is very useful information, and so this years swifts arriving before the housemartins was a one off then? I know the swallows were here before the swifts, by about a day too, I appreciate the news, cheers.
This is a picture of my unseen from the road view of the open space behind my home, and the only way to pinpoint it would possibly be by air, but airspace is protected by airport, so here goes, courtesy of bristolbirder, with my grateful thanks:-
B (:

[Surreybirder]

Very nice, Nina! You are lucky living in such an idyllic spot... and close to all sorts of other nice areas, too!
I agree with whoever (above) said that cuckoos are one of the earliest 'summer' visitors to leave.
I saw a dunnock feeding a cuckoo that was about 8 times as big as itself earlier this month... while it's lazy (cunning?) parents were already enjoying their summer hols in Spain or somewhere! I'm working on an article on cuckoos which I hope to put on my web site eventually.

[Nina P]

I wonder if the swifts overhead have arrived with the farmers slurry wagons, trundling up and down our road, as the neighbours are complaining about the sudden increase of flies in the houses, but that is all part of living in the country, and comes with the territory. I'm used to the complianers as my father was a farmer and the complaints when muckspreading, were so bad that the ministry made us spray the stuff with perfume which in my opinion made it worse not better, but the powers that be were not in agreement so we had to oblige. Have you smelt the rooster pellets when they are wet? there is no complaint anyone can make at that now, and that is unperfumed!!!! Nina.:bounce:

[Nina P]

There have been no swifts for two days now, but the it has been raining shed loads and the wind really bent the ancient oaks outside, there were quite a few branches scattered over the road and all the birds seemed to hunker down out of the wind, and went very quiet, so this moprning with a sunny break they have come out searching for food, and even the front birdtable has seen birds, (not squirrells) hopping about robin and chaffinch mainly and greenfinch on the hanging feeders. When I went out I heard the Greater Spotted Woodpecker shouting from the oak nest site opposite, but Do they raise more than one brood in a year? If the sky remains clear I wonder if the buzzards will be up and visible, as I have only heard them calling for the last week, and I'm itching to see the young riding the thermals to guage how many have been successfully reared. Nina.

[rdspalm]

Hi Nina,

We still have Swifts here in Northern Ireland. I saw and heard a large flock in Limavady, Co Derry last week.

I've never seen a smooth snake, St Partick fixed them a few years ago!

Best wishes,

Richard

[Nina P]

Some peolpe would have been sad at the loss of snakes, but more would be glad, personally I like snakes, so I'm glad I live here in one of the few southern counties that do have the smooth snake, giving us the bonus of three snakes, with the common grass snake, and slightly less common adder, and the pretty rare smooth snake, hence the surprise on seeing one in my garden, and I think I have located it's nest, or burrow, or whatever you call its home, beneath the apricot tree, behind the bench arbour.
I had an old school friend and her sister pop in today, and as the weather was really good, we sat out on the patio, had a cuppa tea, and watched the swallows, housemartins and yes the swifts came back over, and the swallows were really skimming our heads, swooping low over the pond beside us, catching the flies that were annoying us, seven of them sat on the electric cable that crosses the garden, and the spotted fly catcher appeared, flitting up into the air then returning to its station. The birds did their best to show off, and then little "madam" streaked in the swallows, housemartins and swifts, took umbridge and dive bombed her into the ground almost.
The woodpeckers, green and greater spotteds were all around, and both friends saw several greens, but only one saw the greater spotted, but we could hear them all around, and there were too many clouds to see the buzzards but we could hear them calling. My friends didn't want to go home but they had to, but they will be returning fairly soon as they really enjoyed the peace, and the birds, and the tremendous ammount of butterflies, and today there were thousands, I had so many land on me at one time, that I thought I might get lifted off the ground, and I was trying to tidy up the climbing roses that now reach at least twelve foot high, so I was disobeying Drs orders and reaching up wilst trying to stand on steps, and steady myself with the walking stick, I reckon I must look funny, but where there is a will, there will be a way, at least in Nina's book of wisdom!!!
:cat: B (:

[Andrew]

I have missed this thread for some strange reason. I like local patches and will read it properly later tonight and comment.

[bristolbirder]

Wow Nina! When I pop in for a cuppa next week my expectations will be high! I have never seen an Adder or Smooth Snake in the wild. With so much to see you better get a tea urn in! My camera is at the ready.

No Swifts here at all now, having left a week or so ago although I do get the odd one passing over in a southerly direction.

House Sparrow and Greenfinches seem to have increased in numbers since last year, hopefully as a result of my year round feeding. I like to think so anyway. :t:

[Nina P]

I will have to go out there for some time today and see if I can Identify all the different butterflies, but yesterday as I walked under the arch the air turned black all around me from the peacock butterflies, as there are plenty of flowers on the budlleija bushes, and the pink hebe, all designed to encourage insects, therefore to encourage wildlife, such as birds and bats, and frogs and toads, which then become food in the chain of life, so in eight years my garden has become an Eden for nature, and I'm rather impressed with the results. The new life to my garden this year has been the arrival of Greater Spotteds three youngsters all over the garden, and the smooth snake, not to mention the increases of all the regular birds, and some not so regular ones. If the increases are from what I have done then I must continue, as life is just one long birdwatch nowadays, Yes BB. I'll put the urn on specially for you and yours, and you bring the bottles and camp out one night, but be prepared for the nocturnal visitors, namely one fox and at least one hedgehog, and the early morning dawn chorus with blackbirds and thrushes giving their all with the tapping of snails on paths and stones all over the garden. and the children can search for the hidden ornaments, and see how many they can find, that's a good tip for all adults, as the little ones then become more observant. My granddaughter surprised me by getting out my big bird book to pointout the bird she had seen the other day, and guess what, she had seen a male Hen Harrier, and where she had seen it was where I also have seen one, and I was not with her when she saw it, but had remembered where and what it looked like, even the flight pattern it made!!! She isn't even six yet!!!! I was gobsmacked to say the least!!, better go now as I am on call today and really mustn't block the 'phone line too long. I'll try to log on later Nina.:cat: :t:

[Nina P]

Well today,I had to go to Cranborne,so spent a good half hour looking out for the swifts, and they duly put in an appearance, screaming for my granddaughter to hear, so she now knows what they sound like, and now I also know that they haven't left yet( phew) we have seen the Dorset heather looking great with their purple flowers setting the moorland on fire with its brilliant glow, I was rather amused to see the electric cable full of swallows and housemartins yesterday in the pouring rain, until "little Madam" swept over the garden, then they zapped her until she left again, she is really pushing her luck now, as the hirundines are well aware of her nowadays, I think she is really pushing her luck, and they are not going to be her next meal. I am so glad, as she has wiped out so many of the housemartins, that they now have her taped!!!! She did try again today, but they are on to her now, well before I see her, their buzzing is very spectacular. Bristolbirder, hope you see what I mean!! By the way, Looks l,ike you picked the right week for weather, as it's supposed to be fine, but humid, bodes well for the nightjars!!! Nina.

[Karl J]

Nice photo of your area Nina.

A veritable nature reserve in your own back garden .... with snakes as well, ... it makes really interesting reading .... do you get many lizards ?

Don't get too many Green & Gt Spotted Woodpeckers round here, though across the river from me ( on the southern shore) they're a bit more common I believe. Probably as there are lots more trees over there !

The foxes are interesting to see - there are sometimes 1 or 2 about in the fields on the way to work in the mornings.

[Nina P]

Not in my nature reserve yet, at least I haven't seen them yet other than the slowworms Carlos, but I do know where to find some, and the funny thing is that they are in a car park, that was recently smartened up and then they appeared, I was seen coaxing this sand lizard to safety, and helped to remove it to safety by a wee lass with cool hands, bless her, as my dammies are furnace heat to an herpetological creature, and I wouldn't wish to scorch it now would I. Nina.3:-) :cat:

[Nina P]

I feel so sad today, bristol birder missed something rather special today, he arrived last night with the family, and what a pleasure it was to meet them and for them to see in a very short time, several green woodpeckers (announcing the onset of rain) it was very humid so I do hope he was lucky enough to see the nightjars squatting in the road to cool down, or whatever it is they do that for.
This morning I saw a sparrowhawk/goshawk land behind the hedge with the arch, I couldn't say which for certain as it was too fast, and then I never saw it again, but when I got outside there was a pile of feathers, possibly a blackbird or pigeon, just dark grey mass of very soft feathers, much the same as a week ago when collared dove was killed and partly plucked. the previous kill I'd put down to a fox as the head of the first collared dove had been left, now I'm beginning to wonder? This sultry sticky weather leaves the feeders rather quiet, and not much happening until dusk and dawn, when everything is go... the housemartins seem to have decided to have another brood, so the children did see them wiggling in and out of the nest, and the false comma took a liking to the youngest by landing on his hat and flitting on and off, what lovely children, credit to you both. Nina.

[jayhunter]

Well Nina,
A super read as with some of the other comments you have done a really good job with your garden. I lived for years in Hampshire and saw Slow worms, Grass snakes and Adders but never a Smooth snake. Also dying to see a Green Woodpecker close up, only time I have seen them is when I have been driving, and had to keep one eye on the road. Keep up the good work with your grandaughter, sounds like a similar job I have set myself with my two Grandsons aged 5 and 6 they are keen to borrow my binoculars, and try to recognise birds and flowers.

[cuddy]

Sounds like you have a wonderful garden Nina thanks for sharing your sightings, i have seen a slow worm only once up here but never a grass snake adders are not uncommon though.

[Karl J]

Yes, more super stuff Nina.

What sort of numbers are there and how often do you see the false comma ? .......... I was looking at a link ( from another thread somewhere) and it seems they're quite a find

[StevieEvans]

Must be nice Nina, having your very own Nature reserve...

Still got Swifts here, but not for too much longer.

Whats the current total of bird species for the reserve/garden ?

Stevie

[Nina P]

Let's see if I can recall, Tree sparrows at least three pairs nested, dunnocks at least three pairs, housesparrows, at least ten nests close by, starlings, thirty or more descend amid their raucous chattering. three pairs of green woodpeckers, one pair of greater spotted woodpeckers,(who raised three young successfully this year) there have been about twenty pairs of nuthatches breeding this season, two pairs of bullfinches, thirty pairs of greenfinches, blackbirds a plenty, two pairs of thrushes at least, long tailed tits three nesting pairs this year,blue tits,great tits,coaltits, the odd marsh tit,
There are hundreds of corvids flying about, ravens, jackdaws, rooks, crows, and magpies, also plenty of gulls, but as they don't land I don't regard them.
Then there are the housemartins, who are now well on with their second brood, swallows, the occasional swift has appeared this year.
Raptors, sparrowhawk,goshawk, kestrel, Buzzard, and a fleeting visit from a peregrine early this year.
Owls, we've got the lot, barn, tawny, long eared, short eared, and not far away little owl.
Within my walking distance, just, we have yellowhammers, chiffchaffs, willow warbler, and several little birds that I'm sure belong to the warbler family, but I have been unable to clearly identify, so I don't claim them.
No doubt I'll remember those not listed after I post.

[Nina P]

Carlos, the false comma landed five or six times on bristolbirders sons hat, whilst sat in my garden having a drink of squash, so he can verify, I think the children also enjoyed their visit, as I have some little ornaments dotted around the garden, like pixies, snails, tortoises, frogs, faries and cats, they can spend up to two hours hunting, but depends on how sharp their spotting is and how well I've hidden them.
I have just realised that I forgot the game birds on the former list, like Pheasants, partridges, pigeons, collared doves. And there are likely to be more later.

[Karl J]

Nina, you certainly don't need to verify it ! (the false comma) ..... just keep this thread going, it's fascinating.

[Nina P]

I'd really like to say thank you to the five stars presenter/s makes me feel that my love of this tiny patch, and the sharing of it with all avid followers is well worth it. I have always lived in the Dorset/ Hampshire border region, but I have never been happier than I am now, I may have lost a lot of mobility, but I really make the most of the good days, and curse the days when I'm unable to even get out of bed without medication, and an hour of physio excercises, that is just to stand up, and if my dear Graham isn't about then I don't manage to put on my bra, but then I say I am what I am and if you don't like it, don't look. I feel a right Charlie, but if she can get away with it so can I...
the nuthatch has started to visit the front table again, but the feeding stations have gone rather slow, apart from the ones furthest from the house, which are still going great guns, mainly the passerines, with much noisiness, but their chatter reminds you that this is a garden not a reserve, and every day life goes on all around. Nina.

[Gerry Hooper]

Had to write a quick post to say what a lovely garden you have Nina.Enjoy the sunshine today.
p.s. Couple of things about Slow Worms:

1. They're not slow

2.They're not worms

[Nina P]

Quite right Gerry, whoever decided to call them that must have found a cold one as when they are up to temperature, they are like rockets, my dear Graham and our friend Mervyn were tidying up the bank behind the greenhouse, and disturbed them quite by accident, so they left the area until the following week to clear up the rest.
It reminds me of the splitting up of the bamboos earlier in the year, they had been in tubs burried in the border and got dry by being pot bound, so when they lifted the black bamboo mr vole shot out and away, but mrs vole had six babies hanging on to her teats, and she bolted up the escape tunnel, but left one baby behind, so everyone backed away and left them to sort themselves out, returning later when they had gone, to finish off.
Nina.

[jayhunter]

Nice one Nina, everything in your garden sounds fabulous, from my Collins Guide there is no picture of the False Comma and gives its distribution as north of the Balkans. Have you seen one, prior to Bristolbirdres visit.

[Nina P]

I can only find this one in my european butterflies book which covers Britain and europe, also known in Canada and America, I have been looking through all my butterfly books, and it was definately not a large tortoiseshell, as the wings were too sculptured but not quite as sculptured as the comma, and in all the hunting this was the only one resembling the butterfly that landed on the lads cap, so this is how it was identified. unless you can say any different and have more ways I would bow to any better ideas. Nina.

[Nina P]

I had the judges here today, a lot later than I was led to expect, but whilst waiting for them to arrive I was sat in the shade under the gazebo, when the youngest cat made a beeline for the border just behind the garden bench, pounced on something and realized it was smooth snake, I poked her with my walking stick and made her let it be, and it slithered into the hole I had suspected was its nest, so bristolbirder I can now say it is definately the place.
I also saw my first gatekeeper butterfly that I could definately ID, though there have been many times seeing this was the first time to actually see it at rest, and that is the problem with most butterflies. hoping to find them still enough to get a proper look. I also think that we have had a woodland ringlet too, but there are plenty of meadow browns too. Peacock, small tortoiseshells, paintedlady's, and red admirals, but as for the whites, which one is which, when they move so much? Nina.

[Nina P]

Yesterday I was visited by another different butterfly, I suspect it to be a speckled wood, it landed right in front of me on the leaf of a rose bush, and wouldn't keep its wings still for long, but I went in and got my camera, tried to take it's picture, took three, then checked it but I am unable to fiddle with it to just have the butterfly itself or to enlarge it so as to post it, I really must find someone to show me how to locate the twiddly bits on my PC. Tell me what to look for and how it works, as I am certain that all it needs is someone with PCskills in picture working to show me what to do, and then I might be away?
I have always admitted that I am to photography what Hitler was to peace, and that is very true, but I have this digital camera that takes rather nice shots, in spite of me, but to get close up pictures, forget it!! I have pictures of loads of birds, all taken at close range, and yet look as though they were a mile away.
The harvesting is going on apace right now, tractors whizzing up and down the road, with bales and rolls, and taking up the whole width of the road in the double bend, I hope folks take care on the rural roads right now as some of the implements are really wide these days, I hope they cut the field behind me soon, as then the buzzards will be back in their usual place.
Last night, while watering the parched ground, I was down the bottom half of the garden and heard the inimitable Kiewing of the buzzard in the right field, and the distinctive hooing of the Tawnys in the trees on the left, not dark but headed that way, those sounds that make the hairs on the neck stand up, but the heat seems to have only benefit to the insects, swallows and housemartins, all the other birds seem to be hiding in the foliage around about, you need to be able to distinguish them from their calls, as they don't come into view other than early morn or late eve.
When the field gets cut, perhaps the rodent that scoots under the fence as I approach, will be caught by one of the owls if I'm lucky, I would love to see a catch that close, The icing on the cake of age for me. Well I can dream, cant I?Nina.

:bounce: :cat:

[bristolbirder]

If you send it to me Nina I will see what I can do!

[Nina P]

Cheers me dear, I'll take it off the camera, there are a few other ones but I'll only pick the ones I think may be worth it and send 'em. Nina.

[Andrew]

There might be one or two pics of a speckled wood in the gallery. I expect the cut fields will be to the Owls liking at night. Are these fields the ones beyond your garden in the photo, if so then you are lucky then.

[Andrew]

Here's one . . . . http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8186&password=&sort=1&cat=512&page=1

[Nina P]

Dead right Andrew, I have got the pictures back from Bristol birder yesterday but ran out of time to post so I will try and put it on after this posting.
Last night Graham spotted something coming in low with a pigeon in its claws, (a buzzard?) I think it is the sparrowhawk, but it was having difficulty staying in the air, and finished up in the field behind, the one we are all waiting to see cut, and although he looked all over he never found it, Not entering the field though, I tried to watch but had plenty to do, so never saw it rise again.
This afternoon my daughter was putting the washing out and called me out to see, 4 buzzards up and circling, that is the first time the young have been up and the kiewing was continuous, but that indicates the first buzzard babies on the wing, so two for the first pairing, so maybe I'm on for the 20 next year? Who knows? but I'm looking forward to see it.
Done it wrong, so I'll put the pic up in a mo.

[Nina P]

The speckled wood as we think it is and agreed by Andrews former picture site named.

[Nina P]

and this one shows it more open.

[Nina P]

Sorry folks got the wrong one, daft old bat eh?

[Andrew]

Yes, that's a Speckled Wood. Quite common but not so much as a Small White or Toroisehell in a common garden. I love them very much.

[Nina P]

Thanks Andrew, and to Bristolbirder, for the amazing job on dreadful photo's, and I've foundout what the macro is, and why it always looks so blurry, the old age shakes ruins zoom. Poor old biddy, I'll see if I can get a tripod to put it on to reduce the shivvers, Nina.

[Nina P]

Yesterday having posted about how devastating the pyromaniacs treatment of the dry open lands I went outside to peg some washing on the line, heard three fire engines and looked out to the heath only to see palls of smoke rising in the direction of Westmoors, with the breeze blowing the smoke towards the rest of the heath and to the swan rescue centre, I was rather concerned but decided to look out from the upper floor to see if I could see flames, which I could just see occasionally.
I came in to post on the board, so typed up the news, and then got WEB SITE NOT RESPONDING, did something happen here or was it just me?
Anyway the fire was soon put out, Thank goodness, and there has been nothing on the news, so that is one in the eye for the attention seekers.
Turned out to be much ado about nothing!
Nina.
3:-) :cat:

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Nina, nice to catch up on all your excitements. Hope the fire didn't cause too much devastation. I think I'm right in saying that, in the long term, fire can actually help heathland to regenerate?

On your 'false comma' are you sure it wasn't a wall brown. I saw my first ones last week and I was struck by how similar they looked to commas in flight. Just a thought.
Ken

[Nina P]

Hi there Ken, This one sat still for some time, but I didn't take its picture, as the disturbance may have made it fly away and the lads photo would have meant permission needed, and not one I would have liked to post for security reasons, but as described in a previous post, the wings were not quite as sculpted as the comma, but more sculpted than the large tortoiseshell, but very similar colouring.
Do you remember me saying about these brown butterflies with tattered wings, this was one of them, tattered should have used sculptured to convey the message better. Nina.

[Screech]

Hi Nina, Spent the last hour reading your delightful posts! A beautiful garden you have there.
Great to hear that even though handicapped you still maintain your garden and interest in the world about you. So many just sit and let the world go by. I'm in the same situation, have oxygen 24/7. Do my share of gardening and go birding almost every day.
Your writtings are like reading posts from the relatives up north.
Keep them comming and keep smiling! Bob

[Nina P]

Well I thank you Bob, I know that my viable access is somewhat a problem but then I will somehow find a way around a problem, but if not then I'm a bit Gung-ho, if I get frustrated I have been known to go too far, that is when I get the wheels stuck, and gone out the side gate!!! Silly old "B".
Do you find that frustration is one major problem too?
My biggest problem though is the refusal to accept that I really shouldn't do most of the things I still do!! I get one of my daughters arrive and catch me doing something I know I really shouldn't, then comes the lecture, "you'll be sorry in the morning" who does she think she is, MY MOTHER, but then she is dead right, next day I can't even get off the chair/bed, whatever, then comes the "I told you so, but you wouldn't listen", perhaps they should put me down 'cos I'll never learn, not in a million years!!
No wonder the Drs call me a recalcitrant old devil!! And they don't know the half of it.
Nina.

[Screech]

Frustration, more of an annoyance. Can't do what I once did but do what I can. I never smoked but ended up with emphysema,scarred tissue in lungs. Makes one plan their day with O2 tanks but no big deal. I volunteered at a local Hospital and have seen a lot worse .
I do my gardening with the help of a strong teenager for digging and lawn cutting. Birding and digiscoping is by 4-wheeler out the driver window, the key is knowing your local patch as you say over there. The only thing that keeps me on my guard is the heat. We have had enough this year, so I've been inside at the puter, without that I'd go batty. ;0)

I listen to my Doctor, but if I want to do it I'll find a way! His license says to practice, but not on me
bob

[Nina P]

Hi Bob, That is a good'un, I'll appologise for not answering very soon, as have had a bad case of jelly legs, so not mobile today, and most of yesterday too.
Emphysema not at all funny, had a friend who had that and cancer, told me not to cry when she died as she wished they would put her down, rather than make her suffer so.
Bit of a fag having to carry cylinders just to breath, but you and I must have been the devil incarnate to be lumbered so??? Ha Ha!!
Now Nina don't be naughty!!
I'm hoping to go to Bowling Green Marsh in a couple of weeks so the "Old Man" will have to walk with me to do a bit of birding as my Birthday present, but he also has problems, a pituitary tumour that has been removed but not before damaging his health, so he cannot walk very far and my buggy cannot cope with the weight he carries, so he'll have to walk, so my journey will only be short. Nina.

[Andrew]

I really do hope you get to BGM and we will have summat to talk about then! :t:

[Nina P]

Don't you worry Andrew, I'll get there even if it kills me, and I can't see that happening too soon, I've been too wicked for that!!
They don't call me the Bl**** minded bitch for nothing!! All I can say is shame you won't be there at the same time.... Nina.

[Nina P]

Here is an update on the local area, last night I was caught by my husband , and had the p*** taken for talking to a little young bird, but I still cannot make up my mind what it was, the choice is between dunnock chick (alone?) or spotted flycatcher chick 19th August, (bit late?) but it was very white underneath and very spotted chest, and brown and white streaked/spotted head, pointed beak, like robin's. Any other suggestions?
Am pretty certain what happened between Buzzard and Goshawks now, I think the goshawks got one of the buzzard chicks that had just started flying, and hit it over their nest site, possibly got too close to them, and parent birds went to do something and got sent packing by the goshawks as I believe the buzzards are really quite unaggressive and didn't wish to take on two powerful Goshawks, but the screaming was intense for quite some time, and made me feel awful as the poor thing must have suffered, and after it went quiet the female buzzard flew over to see what she could see or to hunt for the rabbits there as there would be no danger now. I havwe wondered why the buzzards had shifted their nesting area, over to the right of my patch but if the goshawks had chosen to nest there it would be self explanetary. Do let me know if you have any ideas of your own to expound as I would welcome all assistance, Nina.

[Nina P]

Got a stunning view today, as one of the goshawks landed in the silver birch tree nearest my back boundry fence, pretty close to the feeding station under the hazel bush, down side was:- no camera and no bins, ****** so I was the only one to see it!!
Next bit of good news, the 2nd pair of buzzards had their young up on the wing, this pair have two male chicks, I do hope they do better than the previous pair who lost one of their female chicks.
Still have another pair in the back fields to up with their babies, and that could be any time now. Nina.
B (: :cat:

[Andrew]

Those Gossies will soon be having tea with you if you have a barbie!

[Nina P]

What do you mean? They already have!! two collared doves one blackbird /racing pigeon and now a buzzard, Which reminds me, I haven't seen "little madam" for about two weeks now, I wonder where she is as the housemartins are flying the fields with the swallows, and they are no longer being harrassed by kestrel, and they certainly seem happy enough. Nina.

[Nina P]

The goshawks are still flying low and fast, I watched several attempts on two pigeons, who jinked just in time, then they tried a corvid, again without much luck, but then a buzzard was wheeling about and that was chased out of sight, so I never saw a catch today.
This is for Geraldine, at the moment I have a large fumitory growing in the vegetable patch, but I'm loath to pull it up as it is such a pretty flower, but my photography is not much good and I still haven't found a way of downsizing it for posting, but I'm hoping a friend will soon be able to show me how. Nina.

[Karl J]

Sorry Nina, haven't looked in on Dorset since I got back. Seems to get better and better. Those Goshawk .... wow !

Could they be the reason for the lack of the Kestrel ?

[Geraldine]

Dear Nina, I've been reading some of the previous Dorset News, but at the moment the computer won't let me read page 2, and I haven't got a small child around to help me sort it out. My oldest grand-daughter's boyfriend comes in sometimes when I'm struggling, (he's a bit of a computer whizz), and says, "Oh you just press that!" as if it is so obvious, and Hey Presto, it all works. Never mind, I expect the computer will relent later. Managed to see the picture of your gorgeous garden. I have trouble with gardens, we only have a two metre by three metre strip at the front of the house, and about twice that at the back, so not much to play with, but I can never bear to pull up the weeds, as I love them too. Sweet woodruff has taken over the back, along with hart's tongue ferns, soapwort, and cuckoo pint, and a huge bay tree which threatens to push the house over, and herbs in the front including watermint growing in an old sink, and buddlia and lavender for the butterflies, plus all the corn and oats from the birdseed, figwort from seed I brought home, and some dreadful invasive plant which looks a bit like a strawberry, but with yellow flowers, and no strawberries. James and I both crave a huge garden.
If we find ourselves in Dorset, we'll say hello. We travel the whole country with our work, don't usually find time to pause anywhere for long, as we are usually dashing to miss the rush-hour traffic on the next motorway. We drive through some beautiful places, often too tired to take it in. :hippy:

[Geraldine]

Ha-ha. Managed to catch the computer unawares, and read page two. Fabulous stuff, Nina. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. :hi:

[Nina P]

Hey Geraldine, sounds like you've got one of the cinquefoils there, Strawberry like leaves and yellow flowers, this garden is riddled with it, along with the wild ajuga reptans, I think they call it bugle flower? but not positive of the common name. I didn't study latin at school but picked up wads since. Nina.

[Geraldine]

Hi Nina, I love the Ajuga Reptans, the flowers come up like little pagodas!

[Nina P]

I really should start reporting properly again as the birds have started coming in again on the front table, the weather has cooled considerably, and this am had two greenfinches and two chaffinches still sporting reproductive colours, robin sparrows,and nuthatch, thrush still smashing snail shells.....and the cyclamen that I planted now four crowns each with several flowers are starting to show up in the dry border under the ash tree. and the eryngium has put a real pale blue over the top of the azaleas, and the japanese anemones in several hues of pink and white look so graceful nodding their heads in the breeze. The passion flowers have reached right over the bay roof with flowers and fruit, and the tubs on the roof trailing pelargoniums now bouncing just into view through the window from the roof.
The squirrel playing in the vine of the passion flower sounds like an army with hobnailed boots overhead, and the pigeons and collared doves come down like leaves to the bubble fountain, quite a distraction. Next year it looks like I'll not see far out of the window as last years foxglove seems to have sown all its seeds beside the birdtable so I'll not see far when they reach their full height.
The hebes out the back had got so big that I've now cut half of their height out, and tied in the outer ring so the birds can still hide but they can still get at the water and food table and the rest of the planting has needed thinning out to enable light and air to circulate reducing the danger of mildew and death. What has been cut has been shredded to use when there has been a substantial rainfall.
I do hope to get the chance to harvest the sunflower seeds before they get really wet, as I was rather late in planting them this year, normally growing in March but not until June this year!!
that is the latest for now, Nina.

[Nina P]

It rained very heavily the previous night and most of yesterday, so I didn't get outside until late and when I did it seemed very quiet? something was missing! then I realised, no swallows!!, still no swallows this morning!! Have they gone? No gathering on the wires? just up and gone!!!very strange, they normally gather on the electrical cable that crosses my garden for a week or more before departure, but not this year.
I have seen "little madam" skulking in the field beyond our back boundary so she is still around but obviously well aware of the Goshawks, so tends to skulk from the edge of one field to another searching for the voles, mice and rats that are so prolific in the fields beyond.
Someone on this forum gave out a photographic map site and I logged in my postcode and now know how many fields lie beyond my rear boundary, four!! I can just make out three, but one is hidden by the band of trees that are so favoured by the raptors, and I can distinguish all the features in my garden too, now I'll not have to nude sunbathe any more, as even the skies are full of spies!!;)
The housemartins are still feeding their young, but this year the first brood are not helping to feed the next brood, is this usual?
Nina.
B (: 3:-)

[Surreybirder]

All good stuff, Nina!
I must look out to see if our swallows have gone yet. I think the swifts have all gone, though I expect we'll see a few passing by as they head south.
We have a purple plant in our garden which I think is a sort of bugle. It sends out shoots that then root themselves so it soon spreads all over the place. We have several invasive weeds including bindweed, creeping buttercup, cinquefoil and what I think might be a sort of perennial cornflower (??) which sends out roots that then produce more flowers (it's an attractive blue flower). Despite all of them, we do have some garden centre flowers, too.
Hope you have a wonderful day at Bowling Green Marsh!
Ken

[Nina P]

Thanks Ken, I'm really looking forward to it, as this time we can take the battry buggy, and still have room for clothes, I just might get a bit further this time, see the canal on the Bude seafront too. Nina.

[Nina P]

Return from Bowling Green Marsh, The housemartins are still in the nest, there is much noise from the field beyond but cannot see who is making the noise, the nuthatches are coming in again along with the sparrow families and tit families, robins, wrens, greenfinches, woodpeckers, doves and pigeons, blackbirds, and all the regulars.
Discovered a new fungus in the front garden, I believe it to be a Cep, but it is not under beech but oak, and is quite hard as I tripped over it before I knew it was there.
I think I should report on my sightings on a different post as It is not my local patch, so Trip report is what I'll put that on under, Nina.

[Nina P]

Went out early to check the feeding stations, and put out the mealworms this morning, brrrr it was decidedly chilly, and the birds were flying in and out of all the trees, and on and off the feeders, all the sparrows, greenfinches, chaffinches, robins, wrens, blackbirds, thrushes, tits, and pigeons were singing their heads off, the buzzards were calling, no sign of the gossies any more, but the corvids were up in droves, and someone about was shooting, but clay pigeon is very popular here.
Came in to watch the table in the front garden, and the coal tit was the first one to be seen, followed by the nuthatch, who pays several visits each morning, and then the perrishing squirrell decided to get the nuts on the pole feeder, missed finding out how the little devil does it again, I suspect he climbs onto the roof of the birdtable, and does an acrobatic leap onto the tube, but I have yet to prove my theory.
The front table is a very good guide to how much feeding the birds really need, but the feeders at the bottom of the garden need replenishing every day, but there is a lot of food flung onto the ground, messy devils, still it helps the ground feeders get some food too.
Still fairly quiet but as the temperature drops then the frenzy begins. Nina.
:hippy: :cat:

[Nina P]

Special update result:-
The swallows are still here!!!!! swirling around with the housemartins, the Buzzards have dissappeared into the clouds, can't say how many as they have risen in ones and the odd two, only saw one dive down, but they are calling quite often, and I have been busy trying to hoe the weeds before the rain, forcast for today, sets in.
The clouds have started gathering so I must go soon to finish off the gardening and put the tools away, Nina.
:hippy: :cat: 3:-)

[Nina P]

Not very much to report on the Gossies, not seen them for a while the swallows are still in the village and here, the housemartins are still squeaking from the nest, the GSW's have been rather vocal today but I can't believe the green ones are not laughing their heads off as it is so damp and drear, the nuthatches have been increasing their visits to the front table, and the chafinches and greenfinches are starting to attend the front table which has been very quiet during the season of plenty.
The robins are still paired in the back garden, which I admit to finding a bit of a surprise, the feeders at the boundary are very busy, and the table there is cleared every day, so the birds dissappeared when my grandson came out with me this am to fill the feeders, but if I go alone they now tend to stay nearby and watch, and some are now coning to the mealworms while I'm still there, so they are getting used to me at last!!
I don't know if the sprawk flew just over my head earlier, as I only had peripheral sight and it was very close over my head, that I felt the wings wind ruffle my hair, but of course I couldn't identify as my head won't turn easily. Nina.

[Nina P]

The sun was shining, the air was warm and the birds were busy, I reckon I must have spent three hours watching the birds as I tried to get some gardening done. there was early activity this morning and feel confident that I saw one of the Gossies quartering the fields beyond the trees, towards the buzzards that lost one youngster's sector, but there were no buzzies about, but the crows were definately very edgy, taking off in clouds, and occasionally they buzzed the raptor, same as yesterday. a bit later, the buzzards put on an areobatic display, swirling on the thermals. The other little birds are getting brave, as they are starting to come up to the table whilst I'm still filling the feeders, even got a shy little dunnock coming up close, that bodes well for some decent photographic chances, if I can get a camera that works properly!!
I seem to see more butterflies coming out in the strong sunshine at the moment, there are plenty whites but a few red admirals are also showing, and with very fresh colouring, wonderful for the time of year. May this weather last into another month!! Nina.
B (: :cat:

[Nina P]

I got runner up !!!!!!!!
The garden competition was entered without expecting anything as I felt it wasn't quite ready, but to get runner up, I can't believe it, there is to be a presentation in November, but I never expected to get anywhere!! I just had to share this delightful news with you all, and thanks to all those who gave me the encouragement I'm delighted, thank you all. Nina.B (: :t: :bounce:

[Karl J]

Excellent news Nina, well done. I'd send one of them thumbs up things if I knew how to.

Good to read the updates.

[Andrew]

:t: (showing off Carlos!) Well done Nina, was it for the whole garden or a specific plant/vegetable/arrangement? I think our garden might have been worth entering last year in my first year but in my second year of gardening it all went wrong as I tried to fix what wasn't broke!

[Nina P]

The runner up prize was for the whole garden,and in the less abled category, which I never knew existed, but obviously when they met me they saw my unsteady gait, plus the blue badge on the car, and therefore assessed the garden from the evidence.
Im really chuffed and hope to make the prizegiving, but it may collide with my photograpy course, well we'll wait and see, next Tuesday I'll know. Nina.

[Andrew]

Hope you make it to both and get a pic in the local paper!

[Nina P]

Who'd want to see my ugly mug eh? no thank you, just a little piece in the housing newsletter will be the best and a picture of the garden a possibility, but me... NO WAY, I'd bust the camera, honestly!
Nina
3:-) B (: ;)

[Surreybirder]

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
There would have been more but the moderator says there's an upper limit on the number of smilies--you learn something new every day!
Well done, Nina!

[Nina P]

I had been cut down to five as a max some time ago so how come you managed seven, Doing a lopsided curtsey, Wall Thank y'all for such great praise, I didn't realise you all cared so much, Now I'mm being silly but many thanks for all your support and encouragement, but the garden is still on going and in the last fortnight I have managed to pull the willow and hazel down enough to make quite a fair sized "Bower" over which the climbing roses (pale apricot colour) and honeysuckle will be covering within another two years and covering a 15ftx15ft area just before the vegetable bed and with the bamboo bed (seen through the arch) making a secluded seating area, and sheltering all from the strong sunlight there.
The next item to create will be a willow bench with a willow windbreak cover, all still growing. My eldest daughter reckons that will be great, so I reckon it will be at least a three year project, and it will need several willow witheys to get it started, and I got rid of all this years seedlings that planted themselves in all my containers. OH well, next year will be soon enough.
I haven't seen the swallows this week so presume they have now left and the housemartin numbers are dropping now, but those in our nest are still there at the moment, poking thier little heads out and squeaking, doesn't pay to stand there and look up at them as you may end up with a housemartin parting, bad enough sitting down as they swoop in and out, bless them, I'll miss them when winter sets in!! Nina.

[goonerz]

Amazing Garden/Nature Reseve, This would make a cracking Book,
Amazing person

[Surreybirder]

Originally posted by goonerz
Amazing Garden/Nature Reseve, This would make a cracking Book,
Amazing person
There's a challenge for you, Nina!

[Nina P]

Oddly enough I have been toying with the idea, but I am also trying to cover the county's delights on the county index, for other people to decide where they would like to visit when they come to this delightful county. This stems from so many people requesting good venues for holiday breaks to include things for other members of their party.
Maybe after that and learning digital photography, I'll settle down and do just that, but with so many distractions, on the birdtables, I will find it rather difficult.
I was told some other interesting information; my coming second in the less abled category, was possibly the best I could do as there is another less abled gardener, who has won this three years in a row, and oddly enough this person is related to me by marriage, and I knew nothing until speaking to my mum, who then informed me that my youngest sister's husband's sister is the winner! Hows that for coincidence?
Goonerz, have you read my private message yet? and does it make sense?
Yes folks I will try to sort out a book if you really want to hear everything, but it will probaply take years to finish, as I am bound to tear it up frequently. Nina.

[Nina P]

I just couldn't make it out when I went out in the garden yesterday, all very quiet, whereas on Saturday we were all getting our hair ruffled by the low flying parent housemartins, and all the other neighbouring birds had long gone, but one little housemartin wouldn't leave the nest, despite the parents desperate pleas to fly, and there was still some activity on Sunday, but yesterday it was eerily quiet, and today I feel they have gone on the long haul to warmer cilmates. I'm so sad, as that means the winter is now on its way.
Looks like it will be time to put the plants to bed for the winter, and the tubs have already gone into the greenhouse, and I will have to gather in the rest of the tender plants that I want to save for next year, so you may find less from me for a short while, as I rescue the tender ones. Nina.
B (: :cat:

[Nina P]

I'm going to try and give you all a big surprize, I have been out in the garden with my new toy today, and although there were 4 buzzards up riding the thermals, they were out of range for my efforts, and then The Little madam appeared, but wouldn't hover near enough to do what I wanted.
I then spotted a little butterfly, Brilliant, got lined up and ready, and then a bally cat poked its nose in the way!!
Any way, forget that lot of frustrations, here is what I did:=
I have constantly been ranting about the view from the bottom of the garden, so here you are? If it works, this will be all my own work if it happens!
:t:

[Andrew]

Good view for birding. Our garden used to be lining the edge of a farm, now it is all houses for miles. Hope that view does not go that way!

[Nina P]

You wanted flowers? try this first!

[Nina P]

Thank you Andrew, I hope that stays the same view for ever too, I think you may just about be able to see what I saw from over the back, while I was playing with the new toy.

[Andrew]

Are we looking at the Wood Pigeons or something else?

[Nina P]

This is the last one for today, and really proving I do have cyclamen in the garden, but as I thought I'd lost my other cyclamen I got some more and then my missing ones decided to come on too! That'll teach me to be impatient!

[Nina P]

Well done Andrew, but I thought I'd improved the image with a little zoom and sharpening, perhaps I didn't save it properly?
You did well there my friend, and the fact that four of them were quite happy for me to photograph them, but the Robin, Wren, Bluetit, Sparrow, Kestrel and Buzzards refused to remain stationary, and the small copper that the cat saw off, but I don't blame the butterfly whatsoever! Nina.

[Andrew]

Your Cyclamens have leaves as they should. I have noticed in two places a lot of Cyclamens with no leaves at all. Odd!

[Karl J]

Nice view Nina, do you get much sitting on those power lines ?

[Surreybirder]

Now you're cooking on gas, Nina!

[Geraldine]

Fantastic, Nina.
Now I see what you've been doing today. :t:

[Nina P]

Andrew I think the cyclamen you have noticed are the wild ones like these with a minature variagated pieris. the other ones are the hybridised mini cyclamen.
Thanks Ken and good luck with the move, will look forward to you reporting from your new home, and the new garden works that you achieve.
Geraldine I thought you'd approve those postings. you won't keep me off here now!!
Carlos, not half, there were a mass number of corvids there the other day, but the gossies are still hunting under the pylon, as there is a field I cannot view between us and the pylon, and that is the main goshawk hunting ground, and all across to the right the activity can be more noise than sight, but th funniest thing I have seen under the wires there was just over a week ago. I heard this noise and had to investigate, so I wandered down to the bottom and came face to face with the pilot of a helicopter, what he was looking for I've no idea, but I wonder who was most surprised!
Here are the wild cyclamen:-

[Andrew]

Ah, now it is clearer. The leafless ones I have seen have been growing wild in the country. One small plot running along the Goat Walk near Bowling Green Marsh is covered in wild cyclamen.

[Nina P]

Andrew,:t: Got it now, my daughter has a load of white ones too.
Glad to be able to help you. Nina.o:D

[Nina P]

Just to let you see what I've told about the wonderful moorland behind and less than 1 mile distant, the noticeboard tells you what is so special!

[Nina P]

Then there is the place where I have seen clouds of linnets feeding by the roadside.
The previous picture of the dragonfly on the noticeboard shows the four spot Libellula which I have had visit my pond, and lay eggs, and hatch.
This is often the target for the moronic pyromaniacs, but this section so far remains intact, this year.

[Nina P]

This was ablaze during March, and although the wildlife may have suffered, and many birds perished as they were nesting at that time. the ground cover soon picks up and eventually the wildlife returns, but I have yet to see the Dartford Warbler myself, but it is supposed to be seen in this place!

[Nina P]

I had to ask what this was but for final verification I asked the forest rangers at Moors valley, (noted in county by county) to give me the lowdown, apparently this grows on old compost piles, and is called Shaggy Parasol Lepiota rhacodes, and as this border is made up of old compost heap mulch, gives it its true ID.
Now this rather tasty mushroom is in my tummy, I'd better give it celebrity, as it was very nice eating too.
:eat: B (: :t:

[Nina P]

Well it has been a week since last posting, and although it's supposed to be autumn, we still have not had any real rain to speak of so I spent a fair time today, watering, the ground is so dry I fear I may have lost many of my new plants, and I'm getting wary of watering as one sharp frost now would kill off the plants!
The feeding stations are not very busy yet, apart from the table down the bottom, but I have stopped filling it as I made a sad discovery, the birds are not getting much, but the rats from the back field ARE, I even found one yesterday morning climbing up the slippery metal pole to get at the fatball on the top of the metal hanger!! I discovered this by watching out of the upstairs window with the binoculars I have hung up there, and the way it climbed was a great surprise as it was just like a monkey, arm over arm hugging the pole, you've got to hand it to them for adaptability, but I'm not in the wealthy bracket to feed them too!!
I hear the robins, occasionally see them too, but the sparrows, chaffinches, nuthatches, starlings, collared doves, blue tits, coal tits, great tits and blackbirds are regulars, and the wren and thrush have been seen today, a solitary Jay and woodpigeon have been the garden visitors today.
I still hear much calling over the invisible field, but I doubt I'll ever see what is there, as it nestles in the dip, that I tend to refer to as the valley, this part is tree lined on both sides and unless I were to go up in an air transport vehicle I will never obtain anything more than the sounds. I only discovered this field when I got an ariel photo shown to me, as originally I thought there were only three fields there, imagine my surprise on finding out the fourth one, and it also explains why I can hear but not see what is happening unless the contenders broach the tree line.
The flora is turning colour, and some spectacular colours too. The cotoneaster is a solid vibrant red and loaded with berries, the neighbours pyracantha trailing over their fence is loaded too, a good feast for the thrushes and blackbirds when food becomes scarce, the hedges around have plenty of haws and looks like the holly will be good too.
Nothing else to report today so I'm off to see what is worth photographing now.

[Nina P]

You can see the cotoneaster on the left of the path, and how full it is of berries here.

[Andrew]

Here's hoping you get a Waxwing on that Cotonester and the raptors develop a liking for the rats.

[Nina P]

WAXWING, If only, I've never seen one in my life, I don't think they come this far across the country, Golden Orioles have been seen in the towns but I have never heard of a waxwing sighting in Dorset. The Blackbirds and Thrushes will have those fruits most likely, and the little madam doen't seem very interested in the rats, even though she does hovver over the area they are in, I haven't seen her catch anything in that place. I wish she would!! Nina.

[Andrew]

Waxwings do come down this far sometimes. A single was reported last winter in South Devon and one in North Somerset. I will check the Dorset records for the last few years for you.

[Nina P]

Thanks Andrew, sorry I have been a long time replying, but there was a large open space which needed working on and my friend helped to get it started and will finish it next week, as it really is hard graft on the old carpark, which is the bottom half of the garden! I have been trying to find something which will survive the deep hardcore patch, so I have come up with a prarie type of planting but with a little bit of colour, so New Zealand flax, Bamboo, Zebra grass, and greens, bronze, and variagated grasses, and black grasses, with penstemons, shold help to liven up a boring patch, and give a place for the birds to seek cover too.
I wished I'd got the camera set up yesterday, as five Buzzards were up and right over our heads, one was constantly "mewing" but what a great sight, outspread wings low circling, stopped me for quite a while. I then saw four cock mpheasants prowling in the back field, something had startled them as they started shouting, so I went to see what the ruccus was all about, but they were spooked by me too, but I managed to calm them with a purring noise, which I have found very effective with a startled bird or animal, and they wandered around for another long time, gradually working their way down the field, peeping over the grasses occasionally, they are such funny birds really. Nina.

[jayhunter]

Hi Nina,
My Blackbirds are already stripping my Pyracanthas, so don't know whether they are stocking up for a hard winter. Or, they are just lazy little monkeys and don't want to wander too far afield.

[Nina P]

The Blackies here are not raiding yet so maybe there is a shortage of suitable food for them where you are, try putting out some soft fruit or dried fruit, as they will need sustaining if the weather turns harsh. the Rowan trees are usually the first to get stripped here, but the conditions here are still extremely mild, only had a couple of light frosts so far, and the trees are starting to drop their leaves, but we hav'nt had the colour change that is usual, just dropping the foliage. Nina.

[goonerz]

Just had to get your Garden on Canvas,


regards, Paul

[Nina P]

That looks rather nice, did you do that on the computer or did you use oils on canvas? I like the oil painted look, but I use more paint on canvas, so you can't see the canvas through it! Artists tend to develope their own style, and mine is thick on paint, or smudgy on paper with pastels. Nina.

[goonerz]

Hi Nina,
Adobe Photoshop is the name of the artist it really only took seconds, I shall tell you how its done in due course, I will get some time on the forums soon ,work permitting, bye for now.
Paul.

[Nina P]

Hooray! it's raining at last! the garden has almost died from thirst but hopefully it will pickup now. we had a pretty hard frost yesterday and that has brought the birds back to the feeding stations with a vengeance, I need to fill the feeders on a daily basis now, as I have found no need for daily sessions for weeks now, so it is wonderful to see the little feathered friends back, and it means that we have now gone full circle once more. The nuthatch has been coming in frequently this week, perhaps a precursor to the weather coming in. Storms are forecast for the next 24 hours, and the wind will cause breaks in the PC links, so I will be struggling to remain online for the usual postings, so bear with me if I don't appear to answer replies to this thread. Nina.

[Nina P]

The leaves have now started to fall, and the colours are quite good but not as good as previous autumns, the robins are now coming in to the tables without panicking when I'm there, and the front garden has our regular Nuthatch visiting throughout the day and the back table has many passerines tits and finches, the collared doves usually visit early in the morning, followed by the woodpigeons, one very aggressive male drives off all the other comers, bar the nuthatch who can drive him away. The buzzards are still calling and being mobbed by the "crows" the woodpeckers are around and calling, there are also visits from the kestrel, and sparrowhawk, bubt the goshawks are determinedly lurking in the treetops of the hidden field, only getting glimpses as they return to their tree, proper frustrating are they!
We are getting fleeting visits from a local heron as it does it's flypast on a weekly basis, I did think it was going to land last week but at the last minute changed its mind. Nina.

[Mike Cross]

Goshawks?? Do you mean Sparrowhawks?

[Nina P]

Goshawks were here before I moved in, but this year they raised one brood, but unable to say how many as they have nested in an inaccessible place, and brought down an immature female buzzard this year, Nina.

[Nina P]

I have got very used to four male pheasants bumbling around in the fields that surround my patch, and wandering up and down the lane beside us that when filling the feeders yesterday I did a double take, where I usually see four males, there were four females? I then realised they were watching me filling up the seed feeders, but still quietly working their way into cover by the trees at the edge of the back field, I was so delighted as they never show themselves to anyone, but unlike the males they are so quiet, whereas the males go off shrieking, and panicking. Very interesting as it was something I'd never noticed before, quiet females, noisy males, I'm trying to think where I have noticed the same? any Ideas?

[Nina P]

I was looking out over the garden from the upstairs window and saw a flash of yellow, grabbed the bins and looked at what I wondered was yellowhammers, and having sighted up found I had siskins, one rooting in the new border, and the other in the blackthorn bush. I was so delighted to see them so early in the winter season, so went out to sniff the air!! You may think that is strange but I can now inform you that SNOW is on the way! I can smell it! My father used to laugh at me when I did this, but got used to it in the end. It is not a strong smell so may not be much but it means snow within a fortnight in the south! Add in the siskins it will come from the east, so you have been warned!

[Andrew]

Still waiting for my Siskins so looks like we won't get snow in Devon ;)

[Nina P]

This morning there were so many birds on the front table, there was no standing room, seven greenfinches, three bluetits, two nuthatches, one greattit, one coaltit, four starlings and one robin and one blackbird, and underneath were countless chaffinches and sparrows, and a couple of dunnocks, with a pair of woodpigeons in the fountain.... The first time there have been any real number of birds since last winter. I was begining to think there would never be any birds on this table! I was very pleased to see them all today.

[Andrew]

Wow, if you have so many birds I better get round there cos there must be good grub on offer!!! Those Nuthatches are smashing things!

[Nina P]

They can be a trifle dangerous too, as I often get buzzed by them when putting out the mealworms and peanuts.... I am constantly told when they are on the birdtable as my daughters cat tells me with chattering her teeth at them.... She only goes really mad with the nutties, and occasionally chatters at the robin, but ots the whole body reaction when the nuthatch comes in!!

[Nina P]

This is what happens when the cat gets carried away while you try and take pictures of the nuthatches.

[Nina P]

Don't you just love the pets? GRRRRR.
You set up and wait, and wait, and wait, then they do that!!It only happens with the Nuthatches and Robins.

[Nina P]

Having seen about the RSPB survey today on Surreybirders thread and been enlightened by Ken and Elizabeth I printed off a couple of sheets to cover the front and back garden, which are like two different habitats, I have spent the greater part of the day watching the front table and feeders, along with the regulars nuthatches of which I have at leasyt two regulars I have had a pair of robins ( on the table together) three bluetits, two great tits one coal tit, and one Marsh or willow tit cannot be certain as the cat was doing her usual trick, there were four greenfinches a pair of chaffinches a starling andblackbird, but I have had to give up as the sun is so low and dazzling that identification is near impossible now. What an eventful watch!
I will have to concentrate harder on the back garden tomorrow, as that is where the Greater Spotted woodpecker goes for food, along with loads more blue tits and hopefully the long tailed will show up, as they like the feeder uner the arch, but to aid visibility I'll have to clip back the C Tangutica, which is a shame as the birds like the secret area so much!

[Nina P]

I wish I'd had my camera with me this morning when I was feeding the birds, as I ducked under the arch there were several Longtailed tits all around the feeders, but when I reached the bottom feeders and started to fill the seed feeder a longtailed tit landed on the nut feeder, with both hands up at the other feeder, I could have touched the bird, I'd have been too close to take a photograph! The look on its face was quite funny, almost as if ooerrr should I really be here! The hazel tree had several birds singing and chirping, I do believe it is enchanting when they are that close!

[Nina P]

I fully intended to post this picture last week, but events conspired to defeat me, and I feel as though I'm over run with things to do or to be done, so I'm just snatching five minutes to report, what there is about here in the warmer county of this little island! I have christmas roses in flower since the last photograph that will be posted with this "hopefully" and many wild primroses are giving their all,plus one of the rhododendrons I planted several years ago is showing bud for the first time! The cyclamen are still giving their wonderful display, along with the cultivated primroses, but I am getting regular visits from so many members of the tit family, the garden is well alive with movement, and the pheasants are coming for food now, I occasionally flush a couple of them when I go to fill the feeders at the bottom of the garden, they fly up from the shrubbery near the house shrieking their inimitable call, scaring all and sundry!
This morning was quite a severe frost here:- -2 degrees! I got up early and took the mealworms out before light, 7 a.m. and the robin was there as fast as I left the region, and my dear husband was able to just make out the little fella in the dark, so told me as I was nearly at the arch, but all around was birdsong! Absolutely wonderful! Frosty mornings bring the birds closer at feeding time!

[Nina P]

I am unable to post at the moment, but know not why? I'll try and reduce the file further, in case that is the problem!

[Nina P]

I was outside and heard in the trees all along our road (lane really) I could hear this chattering sound a little like the blackbird's but much less strident, and tried to look up into the trees, into the sun, I could just make out flocks of birds, similar to thrushes, but they were only sillouhettes, so I thought I'd resource the bird call on this forum, as I'd suspected it to be either redwing or fieldfare, and lo and behold, fieldfare is the name for the sounds, Well if fieldfares are here then we will be getting snow, WOW! They usually arrive ahead of the north to northeasterly wind and weather, and although we have had several frosts, and todays was a white one, due to fog freezing on the branches of the trees. The last time I actually heard or saw fieldfares was in 1992! I wonder if we are in for a fair covering this year then! as that year we had a foot and more!! I just thought you'd like to know!;)

[Nina P]

The Fieldfares are still hanging around trying to get more fruit, but too wary of coming into the garden still, I can hear them calling in the trees opposite but I'm at a loss as to why they don't enter the garden?
The Greater Spotted woodpecker is in frequent attendance on all the nut feeders, the Green woodpecker is constantly calling, indicating more rain but otherwise the flowers are only few and far between, the Christmas Roses are looking very pretty along with the Cyclamen under the Ash tree, and in the back garden the winter Jasmine is looking rather good all through the conifers and other shrubs, and the last rose of summer is just about to open, right in front of the window. there is also masses of flower on the Mahonia, and buds showing on the Daphne and one of the rhododendrons look as though they may open any day now. I'll try and post the Jasmine picture again and if I can't then I'll have to get some help!
Looks like it won't add the attachment, so now to ask for advice!

[Nina P]

I haven't heard the Fieldfares for a couple of days now, but this morning I watched from the landing all the feeders with no less than three birds at each feeder, even with Mr GSW on the nuts at the bottom of the garden, he still had blue tits or great tits on the feeder with him, and greenfinches and chaffinches all around the table down there, and Mr Blackbird under the tubes, and starlings all over the place attending each space for food.
In the centre of the garden the four hanging feeders had Mrs GSW and starlings greenfinches chaffinches and tits, sparrows and blackbirds squabbling all over the garden.
The table and three other feeders nearest the house, in the back garden were alive with birds flying in all directions, starlings, bluetits, greattits, chaffinches, greenfinches, robins and wrens dunnocks and sparrows, darting in and out of the Hebe cloes to the table, and a stone table behind the pond has some sunflower heads for the birds to remove the seeds from, and a spiky Yucca to hide in when danger threatens, this has always been a popular place for the birds, I cannot fail to thrill to the sheer volume of hidden birds that make the shrubs come alive with movement at feeding time!
After getting down the stairs I like to see what birds then are on the front table, but this morning I found TWO tree rats helping themselves to what is for the feathers, not for the fur! I struggled out and clapped my hands, and away they went, under the fence, up the tree, running over the branches that take them across the road and away over the fields! The birds seem to say thank you every time I perform this task as they are back on the feeders before I can turn around to get back in the house. The first visitors are usually Nuthatches, robin, chaffinch, Mr Blackie, ( the five baby feeder) and plenty of tits and greenfinches. I must go and replenish the sunflower hearts as they are rather going fast, It must be the cold that is causing the feeding frenzy.

[Nina P]

Finally got the picture to go! Thanks Techies!

[Nina P]

On the brief occasion I was outside yesterday I was so surprised to find wild daisies flowering for all they were worth in the front garden grass! Not just on or two, but dozens! Crocus and snowdrops, lenten roses full of bud, Daffodils and primroses have been flowering in the neighbour hood for over a fortnight, the cyclamen have continued to flourish too, so my garden has buds on the Duch Iris and Retulata, and there has been one Sweet William flowering over Christmas too in the front garden. The seasons are all to pot so it seems, fuschias haven't stopped flowering either.
The white summer Jasmine still has full foliage, not any winter fall yet, I cannot understand how that is still full of leaf, especially with the violent winds that have been in evidence. Has anyone else found the same lack of winter problems?:h?:

[Nina P]

The Male Blackbird is singing his little heart out just now, I wonder what he will make of the next few days, I have also heard another strange singer and I cannot identify it yet, the closest I have so far thought it could be is a blackcap, but it is a few gardens away, and the song is really rather beautiful, but as to where it is singing from I haven't located it, as it could be as much as four gardens away, so visibility will be near impossible. The singing is really spring like and very beautiful, makes you feel really good, I feel spring has sprung, but know it hasn't.
The feeders and tables are certainly getting very busy but no real strangers have yet shown themselves, no siskins, nor redwings, so with any luck the wintery snap will be very short lived, if it ever gets here!

[Nina P]

Spring is most definately in the air, The Greater Spotted woodpeckers have done their houswork and are now filling in with new material. They are so funny as they try to pretend they are not using the hole from last year. A quick look all around then another then, dive, straight into the hole in full flight, zoom!!
I just so love their antics, and I presume they are reusing the nest as it was a very successful year, last year, Am I glad they are too, as I can watch until the leaves sprout. Hopefully they will bring their young into the garden again then, just as they did the previous year!
Robins in the front are paired up and building in the front hedge again, obviously a good place to return to as they must have done well too, but the robin down the bottom hasn't yet paired, as far as I can tell, but there are signs the two pairs nearest the house in gardens close to my boundary are coming into the table near the house but with greater caution than those in the front.
Flowers are plentiful now, as snowdrops are prolific here, in huge swathes, daffodils are nodding their wild heads in the winds, Christmas and Lenten roses are both in good flower too, and crocuses are now getting bolder.
Roadsides are very yellow with gorse and the Highways are removing huge swathes from close to the busy roads, in some ways I feel it is a shame but for the sake of the nightjars, and other little birds perhaps just as well, as they then become victims of the fast traffic! The place will look very smart when the holidaymakers arrive! This is also done to reduce the fire risk, as gorse is the best tinder for getting fires to light, so, as you can see, removal is essential.
I can now see the end of winter is in sight, roll on summer, but let's enjoy the delights of spring first!

:gh:

[Nina P]

I have several birds now on nests here, the Nuthatches are definately feeding little ones the adults are coming in taking mealworms in clusters dissappearing and then coming back as fast as they can.
The Chaffinches are being very funny, the male has laid claim on the bird table and any other male is sent off in a flurry of feathers! the females are allowed to feed but the males get driven into the bay window, the cats fall off the back of the settee with every thump, I think it very funny.
I have a very wonderful singer (birdsong) but cannot ID from the song, but I wish I could as it is very warbler like, and yet fluty.If you have any ideas please let me know. I haven't yet managed to see the bird from whom it is issuing, but what warblers are about at the moment?
I returned to find a mole has decided the grassy area is just right for tunnelling so I may have to find a way of removing it, but I have no wish to see it killed if possible, I have put in two childrens windmills, but this little rascal has pushed up a pile of soil right under the things! Normally it sends them away without harming them, I suppose it will be pop bottles minus lids next?
There are so many plants flowering in the garden, Pulmonaria, and the clematis Armandii is full of buds, the Camelias are flowering well, and the fruit trees are showing colour so they will be out soon. I am amazed at the rhubarb, I could well be cutting it this weekend, and it hasn't been forced.
I did notice the Honey bells are on the way up along with Crown Imperial Fritillary, and the Ixias are fully grown, that was a big surprise.

[Nina P]

This is what greeted me this morning, and I couldn't think how else to describe it, the only way is to show how fickle the weather can be, yesterday was beautiful sunshine, too bright to get much in the way of photographs, but look what happens over night!

[pduxon]

Goshawks?? Do you mean Sparrowhawks?


Hang on did you say Goshawk. That's a lifer for me, exactly WHERE do you live Nina?

When you say Wimborne do you mean Wimborne Minster?

[Nina P]

Three miles out of there, but in a nice little village, but hush on Gossie for now, as I have no Idea if he will return this year, I did see two young at the end of last summer, but not too often seen as yet!

[Nina P]

I have a very unusual coloured bird here, I believe it to be a female Pheasant, but it is the darkest one I have ever seen, usually they are very much paler than the male but this makes me think of a female grouse, but is hasn't the eye patch or the shorter tail so I really do think it is a Pheasant (f) I hope someone can enlighten me?

[Andrew]

Recently I saw a very dark female pheasant and jokingly passed it off as a Black Grouse!!! They do occur in dark colours.

[Nina P]

Thanks for that Andrew, I did think it was but having never, ever, seen one that ,it really did make me question my own judgement.
She certainly allowed me a good look at her, and I was able to reel off several pictures.

[Charles Harper]

Just caught up with your website here, Nina. You've been blogging for nine months?

[Nina P]

Has it really been Nine months I've been typing away? I think I must have been on this site that long but as for this thread, I suppose it must seem like it. I haven't really been keeping the score but I have been enjoying the experience! Glad to say I've been noticed. I do know I have only been using a PC for 16 months, and most of what I have been doing has been an eye opener!

[Nina P]

Time to update the thread now spring is officially here, I have discovered two very brave Song Thrushes who for food have taken to darting under the plastic cover that is protecting the Patio table and Chairs that are usually under the Gazebo, and I watched as they both emerged with a snail in their beaks! Well I was delighted, I never use poisons to rid myself of slugs and snails as I believe in the true balance of nature, and no I'm reaping the rewards as I have now got two pairs feeing here!

[Nina P]

I have to report I have spotted the Thrushes, at least one pair are nesting close to my house, I watched one gathering the dry leaves and grasses that are lining my compost box and take the beakful into the cherry tree close to the shed on the house, then swoop down into the Ivy growing alongside the shed, so I feel prety certain that is where one nest is set. Wonderful! I have now certainly got two pairs of long Tailed Tits nesting in the garden, three pairs of Robins, and two pairs of blackbirds on the boundaries, in the thickening conifer hedges I planted a few years ago. Nuthatches are nesting in the neighbouring nest boxes, at least two but I suspect there are actually three pairs giving their all at present. Mr and Mrs GSW are in the old Oak again and I believe they have been joined by a pair of green woodpeckers within the same tree. but I haven't heard the tawny owls for some time so I'm getting rather concerned. This year there has been very little heard from all the regular owls, no long eared "booing" nor the clatter from the little owl on the roof, but then maybe I'm just getting deaf!
I can distinguish one of the pairs of blackbirds as the female from the back garden pairing has three white flight feathers on each wing, which when held against her looks like glistening water, but when in flight clearly just white feathers, so distinctive, makes ID of pair easy, last years female in the front had a necklace of white pearls so I soon noticed when she dissappeared.
There are plenty of Great tits, blue tits and greenfinches, also loads of chaffinches, starlings, sparrows(who have totally destroyed the house martins nest) dunnocks and woodpigeons, and do they really scrap. I witnessed a pitched battle between two males, spurs and wings clashing, it went on for about twenty minutes, until one gave in and the winner certainly hollerred his head off, and strutting around the garden, soon changed when I came back up the garden though, so he landed on the telegraph pole, looked at me then started up again! Cheeky perrisher, but also rather funny to watch.
I have so many holes in the garden I am wondering what exactly lives in them all, I do know I have plenty voles, and can watch them scurrying in the grass and through the borders, so far the cat's haven't bothered with them, and the old girl sits and watches without persuing, but yet she plays with bits of paper on the carpet, hopefully she is worn out before going out. The youngest one though sees off the cockpheasant, I think she had a run-in with one and now just hates them all on sight, so chases them away.
Life is getting better as thenweather warms up, I did spot two swallows near the town yesterday and those are the first seen this year, I haven't seen any in the usual places yet, so think they are leaving it until later, so as not to get caught in the gales that lash in March, but by now I'd be expecting to hear the cuckoo, swift, swallow and possibly even the housemartins! Plenty time yet though.
I do hope you all had a wonderful Easter, and some great birds wherever you were.

[Nina P]

Just a quick message to say the swallows arrived today in the village so the summer visitors are on their way! I'll report on the first cuckoo when I'm positive I have heard it, but I thought I may have done this afternoon but not a positive declaration, yet!

[Nina P]

This morning I stepped outside to find the grizly remains of a mossy nest and what was left after the raid, this was pulled out of the Jasmine on the wall by the front door, I was surprised to find there was enough cover really, all I can think was the nest was either longtailed tits or wrens, but from what was left I really couldn't say what bird it was, but I do suspect the stoat may have been the murderer, as they are rather rife here.
I did have a little session with the camera so thought I'd show the beautiful wild dog violets that have sprung up on the bank where I planted the wild primroses, and where I should soon have the wild ajuga reptans soon.

[Nina P]

I couldn't get online yesterday but have finally made it today so I can tell you the newe birds on the front feeder that so thrilled me when I drew back the curtains early yesterday morning were----- Goldfinches X 2 and guess what they were feeding on.... not the Nijer seed but sunflower hearts!! I bought nijer seed deliberately to encourage them, but they decide after a couple of years to try my station and then they choose something different to what everyone reckoned they would take. Nothing like being awkward, eh?
I really was delighted and like a kid in a candy shop, hopping up and down, I really shouldn't as I'm now paying for the effort in pain!! Serves this silloy old fool right but, what the... anyway, I'm really delighted and sooo happy, who cares!
Something I missed on the previous report was the hearing of the cuckoo on the 20th April, and it was giving it all it could to attract a mate, I did think I heard it on the previous thursday but I'll not claim that for certain as it sounded as if it could have emanated from a neighbours house, I don't believe they have a cuckoo clock but as it only called twice, in the afternoon, I won't say it was with any certainty.
The garden has had a new shake up and the bench has now gone into a place where I can see clearly across the fields where last night as the sun was setting I was watching a buzzard try and get a rabbit, sadly it missed and returned to the tree to watch, but then the perrishing crows started mobbing itso off it flew trying to escape the marauders, but it ended up grounded behind the trees so that ended my viewing, all I could hear was the cawing of the mob. Interesting as it was I then decided to return to the house and get warmed up as the temperature is still dropping quite low in the evenings.
Just a pretty picture of the corner viewed from the kitchen window, and how it gladens the heart at this time of year.

[Nina P]

Saturday late in the evening the housemartins arrived, chittering and chattering, Sunday morning they decided to look over the old nest site, as the nest had been trashed by the exuberance of the sparrows (yet again) I had bought in some double nest boxes but not got them put up, I just called up to them saying if they hang on until later they will have some that they don't have to rebuild, I never saw them again until later when they decided to investigate the nearest to the old nest site. I noticed them go into the nest box a few times and by dark they had set up home! We decided to position them with a gap from the old place so if they didn't like the new ones they would still be able to use the old site, here is what we did:-

[Nina P]

Sadly the housemartins never stayed, the hobby must have put them off if not got them!
A new influx have decided not to use the nests either, I just wish I knew why? Too new? didn't like the style? Oh well, never mind!
I never realised how long since I posted, and really should have done so sooner, so much has happened, so forgive me if I rattle on.
First I must relate the session here in less than fourteen hours! A real rumpus the other evening, corvids kicking off like nothing I have ever heard, then a roe deer was startled into leaping out of the long grass in the field behind me, when suddenly, out of the trees bordering the other side of the field, a buzzard tried to skulk away, but it had to veer upwards to avoid the deer, only to come back into the corvid bombing! All hell seemed to break loose, and the noise was deafening, so much so I thought I'd gone deaf when I saw this bird coming towards me, then I realised it was a Tawny owl! Wow! It wasn't even evening!
The following morning I was feeding the birds and had just finished the table and on my way to the tubes when I heard a ruffle of feathers and turned to see this Sparrowhawk under the table, it had tried to get a Chaffinch but missed and looked at me then tookoff, straight over the house like a rocket! Wow again!
I had to tell you about this, as I don't even have to go anywhere to see such sport!

[pduxon]

You have a wonderful range of wildlife there Nina.

[Nina P]

This morning I caught sight of a stoat diving into the bottom of the front hedge, and being scolded by the wren sitting in the hawthorn tree! I had noticed the rather large hole in the ground, and seen feathers from the Robins who had nested in that hedge, not much distance from this hole, I did wonder why no little ones where there, now I know!
I feel so lucky to have such a diverse natural resource as my outlook on life, within the confines of my feeble body, to be able too look out the window and see so much is really the icing on the cake! I just want to share all I see with others.

[Nina P]

I seem to have no housemartins this year, but I'm not the only one, all down this road we are all very sad to find no martins nesting on any of the houses, and I was wondering why, I had heard a raptor with young mewing from a nest in a tree out of sight, now I wonder if it is not the sparrow hawk but perhaps the "Hobby" the swallows don't shriek out at that one, just take evasive action in total silence! The last view I got was when it flew low over my head last Monday afternoon, what a view, and a stunning bird! I had only ever seen one once before, when I lived in a village not far from here, I had never seen one before or since, but this year I have had several sightings over the garden, over the road on the top of the hill here, outside the pub, and the housemartins have not been there very often either! I was taking an elderly man to hospital last Friday and a Hobby flew right in front of the car, I seemed to follow this bird for a few yards and the elderly gent had never heard of, let alone, seen one, so he was quite interested. That makes three seen this year in different places, are they on the up in numbers?

[Karl J]

Hiya Nina, nce to hear from you again. Sounds reasonable to me that the Hobby scared them off, Maybe you've got ours, hobby numbers around here i'm told are lower than usual. Maybe this dull summer has kept them further down south ?

[Nina P]

Hiya Nina, nce to hear from you again. Sounds reasonable to me that the Hobby scared them off, Maybe you've got ours, hobby numbers around here i'm told are lower than usual. Maybe this dull summer has kept them further down south ? You could be right Carlos, I never saw so many as this year but do they go for swifts too? and yet there are plenty of swallows sweeping the skies, must be getting ready to migrate now.I really hope the martins return next year as I have really missed them.

[Stevie babe]

HI Nina,

Just discovered this thread. Very interesting since hundred of years ago (exagerating)
i worked on a farm in Studland and now my parents live down in Bridport. As a result of the latter we often drive down the Ferndown bypass and know the Uddens road
turnoff.

Our next pass by that way is on 13th Aug and would probably be about 9pm. DO you think it would be worthwhile looking at that time for nightjars - which would be a lifer for me.

Many thanks

Steve

[Karl J]

... do they go for swifts too? ...

According to my Collins book they do, but i shouldn't think it's the easiest catch for them though.

Shame about the martins but if you've a nesting Hobby then thats quite noteworthy i'd think

[Nina P]

Steve, I am sorry to say that you may well be too late for the Nightjars, if you are very, very lucky it is possible, but they have usually gone by the beginning of August, and to see them on the road is a July only possibility, well that is my experience, but then this year has been very strange, so I hope you will get lucky, but don't bank on it! Good luck to you though as I wouldn't totally rule it out with the cold June setting all back it could be lucky, as the latest I have ever seen one was Aug 8th, in checking my log, that was three years ago, and if I remember it was also a cold early summer! They nest along the track that is used for the sunseeker rallye in February, so go with a torch and walk the tracks, but use a good strong beam, as their eyes tend to look like coke cans laying in the path, and when you get near to them they can look like collared doves just sitting there, and they don't usually move. Best of luck to you, and I hope they are still there for you.
Carlos, I did think that even swallows are a bit faster so less predated by Hobbies? My husband heard a sound like cats fighting (I heard it too) but he says it was a pair of birds in the field behind, have never heard this before, so as he is not a bird enthusiast could this have been Hobbies screaming? I am very intrigued as I would have said it was a cat fight, but he saw the birds, but is so bad at descriptions I wouldn't try to say how he described them, as it would bear no relation to what they really look like. If I were to say a Nuthatch looked like a bluetit with a hump on it's head, that is how he described it, I had to go and look to work out what he'd seen, but this was a pair of birds not sure what colour or size but not a Buzzard! Any good at guessing? I gave up immediately as I wasn't long awake although the light was good! DO you think the housemartins will come back next year?

[Stevie babe]

Thanks Nina,

hope I'll get lucky

Keep on with the updates though, much appreciated

Steve

[Nina P]

I wonder if anyone can describe the sounds of raptors and liken them to a cat fight?
I heard last evening the screaming of at least two raptors, one was a definate buzzard but the other was something completely different, then I saw it, but way across the fields in the back, crossing from right to left and going at some speed, but almost colliding with a similar one going in the opposite direction, I did think they were the goshawks, but the noise was something else, a couple of corvids took flight, the swallows were creating too, a buzzard was mewing pitifully too, but this has been going on quite a lot recently and I had put it down to work being done on the pylons and disturbing the various hawks, but this time I could just see them in the distance.Close to the treetops, and with death as their main aim, I have never seen any raptor hunt in packs before, but this looked like two going for the same thing, but that thing was just behind the trees, I was thrilled but saddened as the Buzzards seem to be the prey? I hope I'm wrong but their numbers are definately down on last year, as this year the most in a thermal has been six, after last years ten a dissappointment to me, but there are still a good number so not a total wipe out.
Can anyone enlighten me?

[black52bird]

Dear Nina et al
Swifts are certainly not the first migrants to arrive - frequently one of the later ones, depending very much on weather and availability of insects on migration. Many die of starvation en route. However, they are generally the first of the common UK species to leave. Here in Budapest my local gang were performing the usual dusk-time roof-top screaming all last week, and then I saw three mobbing a juvenile sparrowhawk circling over the park (across the road) on Saturday, but now I think they've left here, too. Unsurprising, as there were just 3 pairs when they arrived and I counted 16 in the 'racing pack' last week, which indicates the young are fledged.
One of my favourite birds, the devils' bird!
best
david

[Nina P]

I found they were the first this year, not following the normal trends, as my first Hirundine is usually the swallow, but this year everything seems to have gome mad, I lost all my Philadelphus blossom with the storms that hit, but this week I have had sprigs of blossom on them again, not to mention the Wisteria coming into full flower this week? the seasons have gone haywire, 28 C today and thundery, but still no rain, and the air is heavy. Little movement at the feeders, and only the frequent shrrp from the new Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, the occasional greenfinch, and early flocks of Chaffinches. Even the Sparrows are hiding, I hope it is just the weather, and nothing more, as the screaming raptors are the only really noisy birds over the whole area.

[helenol]

as the screaming raptors are the only really noisy birds over the whole area.
you lucky thing, you! :)

[Nina P]

Not as lucky as you with your Red Kites! But I really do love to see them, especially as I have a broad open expanse of fields beyond the back fence! All four of them even though I can only see over three of them, but the raptors are over there all the time. I would love to share it with others so this is the only way I can. My list is really rather small but last year I got Peregrine, this year I got Hobby's, wonder what next year? Doubt I'll get a Kite then, but they are getting closer, as they are being spotted in Ringwood Forest on odd occasions, and I'm not that far from there! I would love to get the same as YOU!

[helenol]

"The grass is always greener etc."...as they say. Plus, you have open fields to the back, I'm surrounded by trees, trees and more trees!

Where's me axe and lumberjack shirt... :)

[Nina P]

I have only a slot of open fields othewise I'm surrounded too! Just a gap in the hedge, that I got my friend to make for me, otherwise I'd be totally boxed in! I gather you have some pretty good trees, I bet you get loads of Owls! I have just heard the tawny with the sore throat and its partner calling outside, I haven't heard them for a long while, must be I'm up very late tonight!
Have you decided to log in your new place as your local patch? I know I'm accused of blagging for over a year on my "website" but I think it interests others, and I can share my joys and sorrows with other like-minded enthusiasts! Hope you had enough time to read it all, and see the views I have from the landing! I fell it is such a treasure, and had a friend look out yesterday and thrill to the garden from above! I must be doing something right, eh?

[Nina P]

you lucky thing, you! :)
Done better than that today!! Right over my head!! Buzzard mewing, but two, yes TWO Goshawks, Mrs first stoop Mr second stoop, poor young Female Buzzard, really got into a tangle, but she survived. This all played out right over our heads at midday today! WOW! I was thrilled but my granddaughter was all concern as she is very sweet and hates anything being hurt, so I had to reassure her that the young Buzzard was only being driven away from whatever the Goshawks were doing. But what a sight!

[helenol]

Must have been a great sight to see Nina. Let's hope you see more of them

Regards

[Nina P]

This whole weekend has seen the Kestrel getting mobbed by the swallows at least once a day, then the sparrowhawk had a go at the pigeons in flight, not very successfully, then there was another session of mewing from the Buzzards and Kewing from the largest raptors after the Buzzards, but too far away to specify which one it was. I feel as though the raptors are trying to wipe each other out at present, but the noise is astonishing, and draws attention to them, I used to think they prefferred to be unseen, but right now they couldn't care less!
There are the occasional sighting of a few Housemartins overhead but none of us has a nesting batch, so I do hope they are looking for next year. I have left the nestboxes up, then perhaps they will prefer the smell next year? Does anyone know if the sparrows can get into these nests? I know they usually get into the nests left in autumn by breaking into the mud built homes, but these are like concrete so I hope they can't get into these, as they can get into the boxes around the rest of the garden.

[Karl J]

The noise from the raptors ... are they adult or the young calling out ?

[Nina P]

The noise from the raptors ... are they adult or the young calling out ?
All adults now, I have heard the Hobby's calls on the BF song and now realise that the birds calling in the trees behind the neighbours leylandii were all from them, so I also know where they nested!!
Had a surprise over the weekend, twenty plus Housemartins decided to rest up in my semidetatched nests, they were there for the whole weekend and still swirling about locally, The hobby's have gone away! They left the previous week, with the majority of swifts and swallows. The Martins that have arrived are this years youngsters as they are still in their hatchling groups of five.

[Karl J]

Nice little surprise eh, with a bit of luck the martins will remember it when they come back next year.

[Nina P]

That is what I am hoping, the delux models should encourage them, well I can hope eh?

[Nina P]

Seems liike they have decided to nest here now!! Wow, I would have thought it a little late , but better late than never, and as I have the new boxes all ready and vacant awaiting posession I'm right glad!! They are still here and have long enough to have one batch, plus there were five swifts here yesterday flying overhead (I had thought they had long gone,) and a flock of about thirty swallows still milling around, but they must be the last of the youngsters too.
The Hobby family have gone now, so I think that is why the martins have appeared, safe to nest now, and as most mud nests are broken the new ones are using all the preformed ones in the area, giving them some chance of increasing the population, hence the need for more ready made nest sites all over the place.

[Nina P]

Here are the results of some pictures I have taken recently.One Housemartin looking out, and one young Greater Spotted Woodpecker from the PC window, just so wonderful to be able to see them whilst sat here!

[Nina P]

The housemartins are still here, about a week ago I saw one tail appear and the deposit ejected from the entrance, but then I must have missed the main business! I was happy to see the ammount of them still quartering the fields around and about.
The Hedgehog has rather decimated the ammount of frogs here, and as I put out hedgehog food I was left a delicacy I'd rather not have, frogs legs! There on the Patio was the back legs of a very small frog, right next to the feeding place for the hedgehog. Delight on one hand but sadness on the other. I do hope the smoothsnake isn't hanging around, or that will go the same way.
Autumn is fast approaching but I have some good news, I hope to be showing some of my favourite places off today, and if all goes well I could have a regular birder with me....... Thanks Birdforum!
I can then extend my local patch, or join in a small unit of bird enthusiasts?

[amh2029]

The housemartins are still here, about a week ago I saw one tail appear and the deposit ejected from the entrance, but then I must have missed the main business! I was happy to see the ammount of them still quartering the fields around and about.
The Hedgehog has rather decimated the ammount of frogs here, and as I put out hedgehog food I was left a delicacy I'd rather not have, frogs legs! There on the Patio was the back legs of a very small frog, right next to the feeding place for the hedgehog. Delight on one hand but sadness on the other. I do hope the smoothsnake isn't hanging around, or that will go the same way.
Autumn is fast approaching but I have some good news, I hope to be showing some of my favourite places off today, and if all goes well I could have a regular birder with me....... Thanks Birdforum!
I can then extend my local patch, or join in a small unit of bird enthusiasts?

Hi Nina,

Well, I'm off on my whirlwind birding cycle around the purbecks tomorrow. My brother lives in sandbanks, so I start there looking over poole harbour and the sandbanks ferry. Then it's over the water to the hide on the shell bay side, and then off to swanage and durlston country park - will that grasshopper warbler still be there? Then over to winspit, down to corfe for a cup of tea with my gran and then over to arne - stopping off on the way in the hope of seeing that pair of ospreys everyone's talking about. Finally, up to wareham for some dinner with parents - phew! Will let you know how I get on.

Andrew

[Nina P]

Do take your time about Winspit, there have been known some real rarities down there, it was my favourite place before my accident, now totally inaccessible with wheels, I can remeber clambering over the boulders all the way down to the shore! The limpets, sea anemones, birds wheeling around and some wonderful airobatic flights from the top of the cliffs! I wish I could still do that spot, but there we go, hope you see the classic "Bluebird" 'tis wishful that I am, just remember to let me know how it all goes, eh? Jampot to you, but definately ENJOY!

[John P]

Hmmm, nice to know there are Ospreys in the area; it means I was almost certainly not mistaken when I thought I saw one over the Lower Avon about three weeks back.

[Nina P]

The housemartins have now gone, only as far as the harbour (16m) but the buzzards are back in force after the distress of works being done on the pylons, but need must when maintenance is required, the work was done with nature least troubled as possible, but some will happen. the Owls are very noisy right now, Kewwing and Hooing most of the night these days, still got the hoarse one in the Ash tree by my window, that means it's been there for six years now, I have no idea how long Tawnys live, so I'm recording this distinctive voice on here, to see how long it continues.
Plenty to do in the garden with clearing up for winter, Pumpkins for Halloween and the grandchildren, sweetcorn to cut, and the vedge patch to weed,and tender plants to greenhouse for the winter.
Most of the regular birds are back but the goldies are still absent for now, but I may just have missed them, as they sweep inand out pretty quietly now, the collareds have come to tables with great frequency, or are there more?
PLenty to do and I'm really missing the camera so I can show nothing that I see, so looking forward to getting it back all repaired.

[Nina P]

I suppose I really should have told you all that this year I have got joint winner in the less abled category, for my garden!! Happy about that but hopefully next year an outright would be most appreciated!
I noticed the birds going mad in the vegetabel patch last week, but never realised the birds were having a feast on caterpillars, the cabbage whites mostly, so I was well pleased, as they have been the scourgge of my no pesticides gardening! I have now found after nearly ten years that nature has finally found it's balance in my minor acreage, Am I happy!! Too right!
I got a rude awakening last week, there was an almighty screeching from a Barn owl followed by Four Tawny's hooing and towhiting, I did wonder if the Tawneys were having a battle with the Barn owl, but I have never known them battle against each other. Two mornings ago we all heard a couple of Tawneys in the ash tree out front at seven a.m.? quite light at that time, but I still never got outside in time to see them!
Lovely to hear them anyway...... I have yet to see them very often, twice in the time I have lived here!

[Rob Williams]

Sounds pretty eciting to me. I have had only the merest of glimpses of Tawny owls, usually when I am on night shift and they flit across the road. Unfortunately I woke up a couple of days ago to find one of the largest trees in my area gone. A very large conifer just disappeared under the whine of a chainsaw. All very sad, many birds will miss that tree for the vantage point it gave them.


Rob

[Nina P]

Sounds pretty eciting to me. I have had only the merest of glimpses of Tawny owls, usually when I am on night shift and they flit across the road. Unfortunately I woke up a couple of days ago to find one of the largest trees in my area gone. A very large conifer just disappeared under the whine of a chainsaw. All very sad, many birds will miss that tree for the vantage point it gave them.


Rob
Sad that is, sorry to hear it too, I think I must be the only person trying to replace trees! I plant about two each year, I hope the small trees I planted from seed turn out to be the Spindle trees from the seeds I sowed last year. I set three dozen seeds picked from a tree I found and left them out all winter, so far I have found a possible two seedlings, but I have never seen them as seedlings so I have to hope! This garden has been planted with plenty natives to encourage the wildlife, so from a barren grassy wilderness it has become a native shrubby spot, with a few trees developing. the hawthorn, blackthorn and hollys are really starting to grow so in a few years it should be perfect!

[Nina P]

Hooray! I have my camera back, correction replaced as it was irreparable, so they said, but I got it replaced through the insurance, so thought I'd attempt to show what the weather is like today, this was taken at about 8.45 today.

[Nina P]

I should still be keeping this thread up to date and with pictures of fungi!
PSILO told me what they were, zonal bracket fungi and orange peel fungi.

[Nina P]

Oh dear Trish I doubt anyone will see this picture, I'll see if it can be put on November 20th Mudeford Harbour thread.

[Nina P]

I was getting out of the car today and heard the most glorious song coming from the large oak tree across the road, I had great difficulty in seeing what bird it was until it moved and chirred like the old fashioned football rattles, then I knew it was a thrush! I had heard the bird before and though I knew it wasn't a blackbird proclaiming its territory I never thought of the thrush, silly me! I was reallt delighted as its song had so cheered me up.
Having been out and about most weekends I have been neglecting this thread, so I had better relate the birds I'm getting at the stations at the present.
A sweet little Wren is calling on the front table most days now along with the Robin, Nuthatch, Sparrows, Bluetits, Greattits and coaltits have been chasing each other off the table, dunnock, Collared Doves, Woodpigeons, Blackbird, and Chffinch, in the back garden I have more starlings, Pheasant, Greenfinches, Nuthatches, chaffinches, bluetits, greattits, Greater spotted woodpecker, sparrows and dunnocks, robins and Pigeons, and the occasional Greenwoodpecker, who is often startled as I go out to fill the feeders, and the spooky bird makes me jump too!
I do believe it is all change in the respect of the Tawny Owls now, no longer hearing husky hoo, just got some new voices, so I think the olds have been ousted to be replaced with new blood. Plenty of calling most nights and even at dawn and dusk, so sounds like a healthy population are about, lots of Kweek, kweek, and Hoo Hoo! so very young methinks! I shall keep a listen out as they just may be this years young, there were certainly plenty of voles, mice, rats and shrews about, I often found them scurrying away as I tried to do the garden. Frogs still about too, as it is back to mild weather, but they do dissappear when it freezes. I hope those who like a flutter will put an eachway bet on a white Christmas!

[Surreybirder]

Hi, Nina,
Good to know that your award-winning garden is attracting so many birds (and other things!).
Our garden is pretty active, too, with many of the same species. I'm hoping for another waxwing as the guelder rose is bristling with red berreis. We occasionally get jackdaws and starlings, goldfinches and glimpses of a bullfinch. I too hear the tawny owls at night and possibly little owls (but I'm useless on calls).
Keep up the good work,
Ken

[RockyRacoon]

Very interesting posts Nina, I have enjoyed reading most of it, but I haven't read it all yet!

[Nina P]

Very interesting posts Nina, I have enjoyed reading most of it, but I haven't read it all yet!
Nearly two years worth would most likely take a wee while to get through, but nice to know others are still finding the"site" a good read! I suppose I should have a journal of trips to run with this thread, might be a good idea sometime!

Thanks Ken for your note, nice to see you still interested in the moths, I bet you will put me to shame soon, I will then ask your knowledge on them eh? I'm still into the plants side though.

[Surreybirder]

Thanks Ken for your note, nice to see you still interested in the moths, I bet you will put me to shame soon, I will then ask your knowledge on them eh? I'm still into the plants side though.
I went round my patch with my county recorder (moths) recently, looking for leafmines (the larvae of moths that live inside the leaves of various native trees and shrubs). It made me realise how little I know about trees! There's so much to learn!!
All the best
Ken

[Nina P]

I wonder where the rest has gone, it seems there are about 9 pages lost, must have been the great crash took it all away. I was looking for someone who had posted on this thread, but it is not there.
I really should bring this back to life and add more information now, to update the looks of the garden too!

[Nina P]

Just to show the garden now it has matured. I took this from the upstairs window, this will show you the fantastic outlook I have every morning when I cross the landing. I believe I have the most amazing aspect and love it so much I want to share it with everyone.
This place has been ours for over 12 years now, but there are many things yet to get done, and next year I will have the whole garden in upheaval due to mains sewerage being put in. This means the bottom half will be dug up for the pipeline and then the garden from top to the pipeline will be a new pipe to connect the sewer to our house!

[Wendy Morris]

I wonder where the rest has gone, it seems there are about 9 pages lost, must have been the great crash took it all away. I was looking for someone who had posted on this thread, but it is not there.
I really should bring this back to life and add more information now, to update the looks of the garden too!

Hi Nina...what's this Great Crash that you are talking about? I put a post on this morning about a Red Kite and that came up OK. Now there's nothing from December '04 until your 2 posts today. Weird!

[Nina P]

Hi Nina...what's this Great Crash that you are talking about? I put a post on this morning about a Red Kite and that came up OK. Now there's nothing from December '04 until your 2 posts today. Weird!
Precisely, I did try and keep the thread going but I had some posts from a friend, and I was trying to find her profile, for my calendar, but there is none of her posts left. The site went down with a huge loss of threads and posts, seems like I will not be able to find out without asking her husband now! That'll teach me to be more organised, which is what I am trying to do now. LOL!
It was my turn today to see the Red Kite, dadngerous really as I was driving ....yet again! I seem to see my best birds whilst behind the wheel :C so I daren't stop suddenly, so just get glimpses! Frustrating really when there is never a layby close enough.