Gardening for Wildlife and Wildlife in the Garden

[Rebel Pebble]

DSCN0372.JPG

DSCN0383.JPG

DSCN0387.JPG

[Cerise]

Oh my god! That middle blue tit above!

Right, I’m going to clean and refill my bird bath. It’s got a bit forgotten.

[Rebel Pebble]

It's a proper fluffball.

[Bat Macdui]

That fat fluff ball is WONDERFUL. It could almost rehabilitate board feeling about blue tits.

I keep thinking I might get a bird bath. They bathe in the pond and drink from it, but I can't see that directly from my desk.

[Rebel Pebble]

Ooh, do it! This set up is in clear view of my patio doors and it's wonderful right now.

[Ella77]

Oh my god! That middle blue tit above!

Just. So. Gorgeous.

[Duophonic]

It certainly could turn board opinion around

I put out a bird bath during the summer but it didn't get used and I wondered why. I noticed the other day that my neighbour who professes to hate wildlife has a dish out full of water and I noticed all my birds splashing around and drinking from it.

I keep forgetting to take pictures but we've got another woodpecker - it's not as large as the original one and the colouring is a bit more faded, not as vibrant black and red more of a dark grey and pink. I have no idea if it's a juvenile or a female. I was thinking more juvenile as it has red (pink) on its head.

[Rebel Pebble]

it's not as large as the original one and the colouring is a bit more faded, not as vibrant black and red more of a dark grey and pink. I have no idea if it's a juvenile or a female. I was thinking more juvenile as it has red (pink) on its head.

Could it be a Lesser Spotted one?

I love the idea of the rehabilitative power of fluffhead as a kind of anti - Kevin.

[Rebel Pebble]

The BTO used one of my pictures as photo of the week in their Sunday email. I am pathetically chuffed.

[Ella77]

Very nice! My picture is really shit but I was so excited because about 9 bignets and 4 adult swans have just appeared under my balcony . Fortunately I have sacks and sacks of swan food.

It’s really blurry, sorry. I was basically squeeing away at them and trying not to drop my phone .

[Rebel Pebble]

Look at them all! How marvellous. A proper bevy* of them. Glad you have lots of food for them.

*yes I did have to look this up.

[FiveO'Clock]

Congratulations, Rebs!

What a view, Ella!

[Duophonic]

Congrats Rebs. On the subject of the woodpecker I don't think lesser spotted are this far north. I think it's a juvenile. The adult male has been flitting in and out of the garden daily which is good.

That's a fab view Ella and your bignets are really cute.

[Chicky]

Bignets

I love Rebs’ Tit as well

These are terrible pictures (photo of my computer screen and my camera wasn’t set up properly) but we spent some time this afternoon watching a Kestrel in the field next to our garden. They are such beautiful birds.

[Ella77]

Thank you for being nice about the cygnets. Where I live is basically entirely surrounded by “ponds”, but really big ones (it’s all the original docklands, some of which is now reclaimed land), so in all directions there are these large bodies of water that are home to lots and lots of waterfowl. I’ve been keeping an eye on (feeding) several clutches of cygnets since the early summer, and I have no way of knowing of course, but there were at least two clutches of seven each, so I was wondering if these ones were some of “my” smalls . (Obviously they could have come from anywhere, I know.)

I forgot to say! The other day in the early morning just as the sun was rising, I saw some (different) cygnets having what looked like their first flying lessons, right on the river! They took off beautifully, but started squeaking a bit with nerves when it was time to land .

Sorry . I am a shut-in now.

That kestrel is quite something!

[Duophonic]

That kestrel is amazing.

It's great seeing the full cycle of chick to adult iiiiit's the cirrrrcle of liiiiiiiife

We have tons of glossy, fluffy birds in the garden now. A massive difference from when we moved in last year when there was hardly anything.

Mr D likes to comment that we have the best-looking birds on the block.

[Ella77]

Aww. They’re obviously getting good quality food round your way.

[Bat Macdui]

The BTO used one of my pictures as photo of the week in their Sunday email. I am pathetically chuffed.

I have just seen that! Brilliant. It's a gorgeous photo, too.

I am currently in an enduring battle with squirrels. They have wrecked three feeders in the space of a week. I am going heavy duty on them next.

[Rebel Pebble]

That's an excellent kestrel.

Ah, squirrel battles. We're in a lull in activity here but Autumn is usually when the Spring birth contingent start trying out their long jump skills at the back, or from the pergola onto the one at the front. And anything plastic is doomed - we got a metal nyjer feeder ages ago.

We had to get a dome to cover the feeder at the back because they would make the leap and even though it's "squirrel proof", so they can't really get to the seed, they learned that just by landing on it and swinging about they could shake loads onto the ground anyway.

[Ella77]

I’ve just spotted a male Common Scoter (black sea duck) outside. We never see them here, ever. I’m a bit worried about it even though it’s a wild animal and it’s probably fine. What’s it doing here, and why is it alone?