Yesterday was a non-day. I was so tired I joined Bobby most of the time in sleeping the day away. Don't know why I get days like that. It just happens from time to time even though I haven't been missing night time sleep or doing anything energetic. I didn't even get the cameras out.
I am not in the best of moods as it has taken over an hour to get a connection to Tiscali this morning - not for the first time. Anyway here's hoping that the connection stays open long enough to upload a couple of videos.
First one of Honey taken a couple of nights ago.
Secondly - While I was watching the invasion of Starlings and their broods this morning I spotted these youngsters who had decided that a small dog bowl of water I put down for the Hedgehogs would make a fine bath. Now I know why the water was so filthy yesterday when I changed it.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Monday, 25 May 2009
Poem and Pictures
When Glo from Porcelain Rose visited the other day she kindly left me a poem. I am so pleased with it I have printed it here. It was written the day I installed the new Hoggy Cam and named my visiting Hedgehogs Henry and Honey. Also there were videos of a Hedgehog and a Magpie.
When Henry met Honey at night,
They thought they were hidden from sight!
What they didn’t know:
They were stars in a show,
Entertaining us all with delight!
Now Maggie is seen clear and bright
With colour cam set up just right,
But her basic hue
Is not red or blue ~
The fact is she’s just black and white!
Thank you again Glo for that lovely apt poem.
............................
A few portraits from yesterday:
Female Chaffinch:
Male Chaffinch:
He was only six feet or so away from me and I had to move the camera into position very slowly in case I scared him away.
Bobby, awake for once, and listening intently:
The past few days the Starlings haven't been the only ones creating a racket. From time to time there have been some very noisy altercations amongst the Sparrows. This is a few shots of one such set to which occurred on the lawn not far from me:
After much noise and fluttering each Sparrow flew off in a different direction.
Missed Opportunity:
If it hadn't been raining for the afternoon walk I would have had the video camera with me. As it was I missed being able to video a Blackbird courtship. To set the scene: Imagine a wide brick gatepost with a flat slab on the top.
Mrs B. was on the slab and Mr B. was on the gravel underneath look up at her. He spread his tail feathers and performed a little dance going round in circles a few times at the same time uttering a few quite sounds. Then he flew up to the slab and repeated the performance. By then Mrs B. had flown away - I did feel sorry for him but she may have already produced one brood and thought enough is enough for now!
When Henry met Honey at night,
They thought they were hidden from sight!
What they didn’t know:
They were stars in a show,
Entertaining us all with delight!
Now Maggie is seen clear and bright
With colour cam set up just right,
But her basic hue
Is not red or blue ~
The fact is she’s just black and white!
Thank you again Glo for that lovely apt poem.
............................
A few portraits from yesterday:
Female Chaffinch:
Male Chaffinch:
He was only six feet or so away from me and I had to move the camera into position very slowly in case I scared him away.
Bobby, awake for once, and listening intently:
The past few days the Starlings haven't been the only ones creating a racket. From time to time there have been some very noisy altercations amongst the Sparrows. This is a few shots of one such set to which occurred on the lawn not far from me:
After much noise and fluttering each Sparrow flew off in a different direction.
Missed Opportunity:
If it hadn't been raining for the afternoon walk I would have had the video camera with me. As it was I missed being able to video a Blackbird courtship. To set the scene: Imagine a wide brick gatepost with a flat slab on the top.
Mrs B. was on the slab and Mr B. was on the gravel underneath look up at her. He spread his tail feathers and performed a little dance going round in circles a few times at the same time uttering a few quite sounds. Then he flew up to the slab and repeated the performance. By then Mrs B. had flown away - I did feel sorry for him but she may have already produced one brood and thought enough is enough for now!
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Food and Flight
The hoards have arrived - the invasion of the Starlings and their offspring. So started the day at about 6.30 a.m. with the raucous sound of young, hungry Starlings. Fortunately the bit of video is silent!
This youngster was hungry but didn't seem to approve of what was being offered:
This sort of thing continued on and off all day with various offspring coming to the birdy Bistro.
A Starling finally managing to get some food in the right place:
Later in the day a young Blackbird was brought to be fed:
While yet another Starling was going frantic collecting food:
Even amongst all this activity the usual visitors were helping themselves whenever the opportunity arose:
Every so often some youngster would seem to be forgotten or maybe the parents were taking a well earned breather.
Ma! I'm Hungry!!
As it was a very pleasant sunny day I spent the time pottering about at home - far from the madding crowds. Made a new latch for the gate. Planted some Sunflower seeds - beautiful flowers to admire later in the year and food for the birds in the Autumn. During the afternoon I sat out for a couple of hours, mp3 player and headphones, cup of tea or three and camera within easy reach. I had some practice trying to photo some of the birds flying about. Mainly miserable failures but here are three I kept.
A Starling launching from a branch:
A Blackbird dropping down to the feeders:
A passing Jackdaw:
Writing of Jackdaws - they appear to have become very regular visitors.
A piece of video to finish with:
Phew - it's warm indoors so I'm going back out with a nice cool glass of amber nectar!
Oh - nearly forgot. No wonder there always seems to be a juvenile Blackbird around. While I was enjoying the Sun I spotted these two resting on the garden seat and at the same time another was picking up scraps from under the feeders.
This youngster was hungry but didn't seem to approve of what was being offered:
This sort of thing continued on and off all day with various offspring coming to the birdy Bistro.
A Starling finally managing to get some food in the right place:
Later in the day a young Blackbird was brought to be fed:
While yet another Starling was going frantic collecting food:
Even amongst all this activity the usual visitors were helping themselves whenever the opportunity arose:
Every so often some youngster would seem to be forgotten or maybe the parents were taking a well earned breather.
Ma! I'm Hungry!!
As it was a very pleasant sunny day I spent the time pottering about at home - far from the madding crowds. Made a new latch for the gate. Planted some Sunflower seeds - beautiful flowers to admire later in the year and food for the birds in the Autumn. During the afternoon I sat out for a couple of hours, mp3 player and headphones, cup of tea or three and camera within easy reach. I had some practice trying to photo some of the birds flying about. Mainly miserable failures but here are three I kept.
A Starling launching from a branch:
A Blackbird dropping down to the feeders:
A passing Jackdaw:
Writing of Jackdaws - they appear to have become very regular visitors.
A piece of video to finish with:
Phew - it's warm indoors so I'm going back out with a nice cool glass of amber nectar!
Oh - nearly forgot. No wonder there always seems to be a juvenile Blackbird around. While I was enjoying the Sun I spotted these two resting on the garden seat and at the same time another was picking up scraps from under the feeders.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Flowers, Bathing, New Hoggy Cam
Regulars may recall that near the beginning of the month I had a wild flower growing in the edge of the lawn. Greenfingers and ShySongbird identified it for me as Cardamine pratense - Lady's Smock.
Greenfingers told me how to propagate it as I wanted to grow it in a more suitable place. Detach a leaf or two and lay them on damp potting compost and cover with a plastic bag. This I did and now, 20 days later, there are new shoots which I hope will give me some plants to plant out when they are big enough.
One of my favourite flowers in the garden is a succulent, unknown, which is very drought tolerant. You have only to look at the fleshy leaves to see why. In wet weather they swell and then gradually shrink as the plants uses up the moisture. They can go months without watering. It is at its best in a container where, given time, it will tumble over the sides and grow longer and longer. Just now it is coming in to flower with a mass of bright yellow blooms each about three quarters of an inch across.
Addendum: I finally found out this plant is Delosperma nubigenum (Ice Plant)
While I was photographing this plant I could hear a lot of splashing behind me. I turned round to see a Blackbird having a good bath in the pond waterfall. First it looked at me and then decided to carry on only stopping for a brief moment each time the mirror clattered in the camera.
Splash it all over:
Have a good wash all over and then a decent scratch:
Make sure the ears are nice and clean - Bottoms Up!
Yesterday I received and installed a brand new video camera for Hoggy.
Over the past few days I have been thinking I need to name the Hedgehogs as I can't keep calling them smaller and larger. After some thought, assuming the larger one is the male, I came up with:
Henry for the bigger one - means ruler of home and estate, because he seems a bossy boots.
Honey for the smaller one - means sweet one.
Night time viewing - one Hedgehog:
Day time vewing - a Magpie: what a long tail they have.
Sorry - this turned out longer than I intended when I started.
Greenfingers told me how to propagate it as I wanted to grow it in a more suitable place. Detach a leaf or two and lay them on damp potting compost and cover with a plastic bag. This I did and now, 20 days later, there are new shoots which I hope will give me some plants to plant out when they are big enough.
One of my favourite flowers in the garden is a succulent, unknown, which is very drought tolerant. You have only to look at the fleshy leaves to see why. In wet weather they swell and then gradually shrink as the plants uses up the moisture. They can go months without watering. It is at its best in a container where, given time, it will tumble over the sides and grow longer and longer. Just now it is coming in to flower with a mass of bright yellow blooms each about three quarters of an inch across.
Addendum: I finally found out this plant is Delosperma nubigenum (Ice Plant)
While I was photographing this plant I could hear a lot of splashing behind me. I turned round to see a Blackbird having a good bath in the pond waterfall. First it looked at me and then decided to carry on only stopping for a brief moment each time the mirror clattered in the camera.
Splash it all over:
Have a good wash all over and then a decent scratch:
Make sure the ears are nice and clean - Bottoms Up!
Yesterday I received and installed a brand new video camera for Hoggy.
Over the past few days I have been thinking I need to name the Hedgehogs as I can't keep calling them smaller and larger. After some thought, assuming the larger one is the male, I came up with:
Henry for the bigger one - means ruler of home and estate, because he seems a bossy boots.
Honey for the smaller one - means sweet one.
Night time viewing - one Hedgehog:
Day time vewing - a Magpie: what a long tail they have.
Sorry - this turned out longer than I intended when I started.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Hoggy Cam Revisited and Others
As usual I keep trying different things with Hoggy Cam. A couple of days ago I changed the camera to one which is colour in daylight and black and white at night. The camera is quite old and, like me, sometimes temperamental. I wanted colour in daylight as many birds go on the paved area under the bird feeders and I can watch them from indoors this way. Night lighting consists of three solar powered LED spotlights which have just three LEDs in each but at close quarters give quite a reasonable light. Also I put an infra red light above the paved area to give more light which the camera could see but would not affect the Hedgehogs.
Last night just one Hedgehog showed up while I was watching.
This morning there was a Magpie gathering any spilled seed from under the feeders.
Disappointing that the colour view from the camera is not as sharp as the b/w view. This afternoon it was replaced with a new camera which looks better in daylight - just got to wait and see what the night vision is like.
This is the first time I have seen the Robin use a seed feeder. It normally flies in and out of the bird table all day.
Yesterday was the first time I had seen the Coal Tits for about a month. As they are back visiting the feeders I assume they have raised a family and the young have now flown the nest. Also the Blue Tits are back as regular visitors. They do look quite scruffy now. The hazard of bringing up a family? Here a Blue Tit is eating a Sunflower heart.
Finally - the juvenile Blackbird seems to be thriving and continues to spend part of each day in the garden feeding on the seeds the other birds drop.
Last night just one Hedgehog showed up while I was watching.
This morning there was a Magpie gathering any spilled seed from under the feeders.
Disappointing that the colour view from the camera is not as sharp as the b/w view. This afternoon it was replaced with a new camera which looks better in daylight - just got to wait and see what the night vision is like.
This is the first time I have seen the Robin use a seed feeder. It normally flies in and out of the bird table all day.
Yesterday was the first time I had seen the Coal Tits for about a month. As they are back visiting the feeders I assume they have raised a family and the young have now flown the nest. Also the Blue Tits are back as regular visitors. They do look quite scruffy now. The hazard of bringing up a family? Here a Blue Tit is eating a Sunflower heart.
Finally - the juvenile Blackbird seems to be thriving and continues to spend part of each day in the garden feeding on the seeds the other birds drop.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Saving Energy
Well, the morning started off beautiful and sunny and I thought we were going to have another lovely day like yesterday but as I sit here I am being deafened by the sound of hail pounding on the plastic roof of the conservatory.
Just a couple of videos today. First a compilation of three clips showing a male Blackbird gathering as much seed as he can get in his beak at one time. Certainly saves energy on the number of flights back to nest to feed the kids. In the last clip there is even a worm in with the seeds.
Second, a little video of Bobby doing what he does best - saving energy. He is desperately trying not to nod off while his ears are searching for the slightest sound which means there might be an opportunity to deafen someone.
Just a couple of videos today. First a compilation of three clips showing a male Blackbird gathering as much seed as he can get in his beak at one time. Certainly saves energy on the number of flights back to nest to feed the kids. In the last clip there is even a worm in with the seeds.
Second, a little video of Bobby doing what he does best - saving energy. He is desperately trying not to nod off while his ears are searching for the slightest sound which means there might be an opportunity to deafen someone.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Update
This is more a test as yesterday's TWO HEDGEHOGS and a JACKDAW entry didn't show in the updates from Blogger for some reason.
Only the large Hedgehog showed up on camera last night. I had put a little chopped tinned cat food on a saucer to see if it would be eaten. Hoggy had a good sniff at it a couple of times but by the time I went to bed it had not eaten any. This morning the saucer was empty so something had a good meal.
Also I have gradually been increasing the amount of visible light where the Hedgehogs feed. I have used some solar charged spotlights which are not too bright and should allow the hogs to get used to the idea.
Only the large Hedgehog showed up on camera last night. I had put a little chopped tinned cat food on a saucer to see if it would be eaten. Hoggy had a good sniff at it a couple of times but by the time I went to bed it had not eaten any. This morning the saucer was empty so something had a good meal.
Also I have gradually been increasing the amount of visible light where the Hedgehogs feed. I have used some solar charged spotlights which are not too bright and should allow the hogs to get used to the idea.
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