Every day I have checked the camera view from the nest box and nothing had changed for weeks - until this morning. Things looked different and it wasn't long before I saw a Great Tit arrive with some new moss.
Since recording that a short while ago she started to bring in some softer material to add to the nest. I wonder if it is the same bird that started the nest three weeks ago.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Friday, 29 April 2011
Friday at the Flicks - The Amorous Hedgehog
A few evenings ago I was able to take some video of a pair of Hedgehogs as the amorous male was attempting to mate with a female. All she was interested in was eating and drinking.
The automatic monitoring system caught some of the action.
At the same time I happened to be watching from the kitchen window so I was able to video from that angle as well.
The male seems to have had no success that time and I have heard them snuffling together on several evenings since then. They are usually under one of the bushes in next door's garden.
The automatic monitoring system caught some of the action.
At the same time I happened to be watching from the kitchen window so I was able to video from that angle as well.
The male seems to have had no success that time and I have heard them snuffling together on several evenings since then. They are usually under one of the bushes in next door's garden.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Blackbird with a Crossed Bill
From time to time a bird is seen with a bill which has become distorted in growth. One such is this blackbird which has been visiting the garden for months. I would imagine it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for it to hunt for worms in the ground but it has learned to put its head on one side so it can pick up any seeds which drop from the feeders. So far it seems to have thrived well.
One species whose numbers have declined rapidly in this area is the Greenfinch so it was a real pleasure to spot this one waiting to find a vacant perch on the seed feeder,
One species whose numbers have declined rapidly in this area is the Greenfinch so it was a real pleasure to spot this one waiting to find a vacant perch on the seed feeder,
Monday, 25 April 2011
Macro on Monday - Guess What
Glo, you managed it again, Well done. It was plant sap, which was all I was looking for. I think you will need a bigger bucket to add this week's gold star to the collection. The plant is one of my Cymbidium orchids. They all exhibit the same problem and I have never managed to find out what is causing it. Every year these little 'bubbles' of sap appear. I suspect a plant pest of some sort but have never found one. It doesn't seem to harm the flowers, just makes the plants extremely sticky to the touch.
Wilma: The plant is in the conservatory and the building seen in the sap is next door to me.
On to this week's puzzle. Even I am not sure what it is. All I know is I took it out of my arm where it had been for about a week - I just didn't know it was there. I had been bitten and the resulting pain and swelling masked it until things settled down a bit.
Two views of the same object, total length about 18mm
No prizes, Just for fun, though you get a virtual gold star if your guess coincides with mine.
Wilma: The plant is in the conservatory and the building seen in the sap is next door to me.
On to this week's puzzle. Even I am not sure what it is. All I know is I took it out of my arm where it had been for about a week - I just didn't know it was there. I had been bitten and the resulting pain and swelling masked it until things settled down a bit.
Two views of the same object, total length about 18mm
No prizes, Just for fun, though you get a virtual gold star if your guess coincides with mine.
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Wren in Residence
It looks as though the Wren is now nesting in the roosting pocket. It is too dark to see inside so from time to time I have taken a flash photo from about fifteen feet away. Up to yesterday there was nothing to be seen inside. The last photo showed a somewhat blurry occupant which looks to me like the feathers of the Wren.
It is impossibe to focus inside the pouch as it is in complete darkness and I don't want to disturbe Mrs Wren if she is now hatching a few wrenlets.
It is impossibe to focus inside the pouch as it is in complete darkness and I don't want to disturbe Mrs Wren if she is now hatching a few wrenlets.
Friday, 22 April 2011
Friday at the Flicks - Stock Dove, Singing Wren, Hedgehogs Sharing
I was beginning to think a new PC was going to be the next expense. It may be yet as it took a lot to get it started this morning. Also the USB hub is playing up and a new one I bought stops everything from working. Don't you just love computers.
Anyway - on with the show.
Every morning for quite a while now there has been a pair of stock doves feeding in the garden. I guess they are nesting fairly close by. I did manage a bit of video of one of them the other morning. Better sunlight would have made those neck feathers really glint.
I haven't seen any activity in the Wren nest since it was finished. This morning though, when I opened the shed door, I'm sure I saw both wrens fly from the roosting pouch so there may yet be some wrenlets later in the year. One is often singing from one of three vantage points around the garden and the other day I managed some video taken through a far from clean window.
I am going to have to buy, or make, a 'sprung' mount for the microphone as it picks up too much motor noise.
A few nights ago a couple of Hedgehogs were spotted feeding peacefully together which seems to be a rare event, here anyway.
Just as I was about to pack the camera away last night there were two hogs at the feeding station. This time I thought I was finally going to video them mating. The male nearly managed it and that piece of video will have to wait for another day.
Have a great holiday weekend observing the wildlife near you.
Anyway - on with the show.
Every morning for quite a while now there has been a pair of stock doves feeding in the garden. I guess they are nesting fairly close by. I did manage a bit of video of one of them the other morning. Better sunlight would have made those neck feathers really glint.
I haven't seen any activity in the Wren nest since it was finished. This morning though, when I opened the shed door, I'm sure I saw both wrens fly from the roosting pouch so there may yet be some wrenlets later in the year. One is often singing from one of three vantage points around the garden and the other day I managed some video taken through a far from clean window.
I am going to have to buy, or make, a 'sprung' mount for the microphone as it picks up too much motor noise.
A few nights ago a couple of Hedgehogs were spotted feeding peacefully together which seems to be a rare event, here anyway.
Just as I was about to pack the camera away last night there were two hogs at the feeding station. This time I thought I was finally going to video them mating. The male nearly managed it and that piece of video will have to wait for another day.
Have a great holiday weekend observing the wildlife near you.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
The Green Men
I have always looked on with envy when I have seen the occasional wood carving outside houses. Most have been large and well beyond my wallet but recently I found a company on eBay.uk which sells various sized carvings. Needless to say I just had to have a couple of them for the garden. The Green Men are about 55cm tall and fixed either side of my imitation wagon wheel where I used to have hanging baskets. At least the Green Men don't need watering.
One of our usual power cuts tonight for about 80 minutes. They tend to come in batches and then everything settles down for several months. Tonight they said it was a fault on their high voltage line and affected a large area. At least my emergency lighting did its job as did the UPS (uninterruptable power supply) units I have on the computer (which runs for just over half an hour and at least allows a clean power down without courrupting any data) and on the satellite box (which can keep it going for well over an hour, useful if it is recording).
One of our usual power cuts tonight for about 80 minutes. They tend to come in batches and then everything settles down for several months. Tonight they said it was a fault on their high voltage line and affected a large area. At least my emergency lighting did its job as did the UPS (uninterruptable power supply) units I have on the computer (which runs for just over half an hour and at least allows a clean power down without courrupting any data) and on the satellite box (which can keep it going for well over an hour, useful if it is recording).
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