Friday at the Flicks - Those LTTs Again

During the week I made another log feeder for the peanut butter. Also I now have two varieties of the butter. A few days ago Shirl (of Shirl's Gardenwatch ) mentioned the variety she uses so I had a look on the net to see if it was available mail order. Not only did I find several places where it could be ordered but it was better value, money wise, than that sold specifically for birds.





On the left is the 330g jar of peanut butter for birds at £2.99

On the right a 1Kg tub of pure unsalted peanut butter at £5.49












The new peanut butter feeder. Made with smalller holes, half inch diameter instead of one inch. It is taking a while for the birds to get used to the new peanut butter but, like most new foods, it is slowly catching on.







A quick capture of a few Long Tailed Tits sampling the new stuff.




Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker

Talk about being in the right place at the right time ..... I was literally just positioning the camcorder to video anything of interest attracted by my home made peanut butter feeder when a female Great Spotted Woodpecker arrived. At least, I assume it was a female and not a juvenile. The adult male has a red patch on the back of its neck.

This one stayed for a couple of minutes and was the first bird I have seen see off a Starling which tried to barge in on the act. Just as well as once the Starling brat pack arrives it is difficult for other birds to get a look in.



Audio track was made using the Animoog app on an iPad2
The peanut butter used is specially formulated without salt for feeding to wildlife. Many varieties made for human consumption have added salt which is not good for the birds.
It looks as though I got the length of the log just about right as woodpeckers press their tail feathers against the wood for balance as they cling on.

Macro on Tuesday + Name That Lamb

Yesterday was a bit busy so I didn't get round to showing the answer to last week's Guess What. No one gave the fully correct answer to the puzzle photo:



Most got the idea that it was an insectivorous plant but thought it was a Venus Flytrap. In fact it was a pitcher plant - Sarracenia purpurea.  My plant is looking a bit worse for wear at the moment:

 


No new Guess What for a while. Many thanks to those who have had a go at guessing the various puzzle pictures I have put up during the year. I will probably start again in the new year.

This week it's name that animal time. Monty the Moose had a short hard life as Penny's favourite toy. She had hurled it around the room so often it eventually fell apart enough for her to remove the stuffing. That has now been replaced with a lamb.





Sixteen squeakers plus an internal bell and definitely her favourite for now but it needs a name so if  you want to make any suggestions I will choose one.

Determined Magpie

Where there's a will there's a way!
If you can't cling on to a vertical surface to get at the peanut butter, use the battering ram technique:



Video processed at half speed.

Friday at the Flicks - Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tits

A few birds have now started to use the peanut butter feeder I bought from CJ Wildlife - Starlings and House Sparrows have to hover as they can't get a grip on the metal. Blue Tits do manage to stand on the lip:



Long Tailed Tits are rare visitors to my garden so I was very lucky to get these shots a few days ago. It was a pity they used the peanut feeder which was hidden behind the log feeder but they can still be see. As usual they move around in groups and are the only birds I have never seen squabble as they cluster together. Yes, that is the first of the snow you can see falling:



Most amusing to watch, but too short to be filmed, have been attempts made by a couple of Magpies trying to get at the log peanut butter feeder. The fly at it and try to snatch a beak full before they fall back down to earth. As the morning started with a temperature of -2.5C and a layer of snow all the feeders were in great demand. The Winter gathering of Blackbirds in the garden has started which is guaranteed to spark of squabbles when one invades another's private space. Spotted yesterday was a Mistle Thrush which was too timid to stay very long.

Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.

Blue Tit at the Peanut Butter Feeder

A regular visitor to the home made feeder.
I have also seen them use the commercial feeder as well.



Really pleased today when I spotted a whole bunch of Long Tailed Tits descend on a peanut feeder. No photo though there may be some video for Friday.

Secret Thoughts of a Hungry Greyhound