Country File

[Steve J]

You're welcome . I'm looking forward to seeing if the solitary and mason bees use the holes I've drilled in old wood to make their nests or not. A neighbour has an old dead tree and she's  for me to put holes in this too.

[Heedless Horseman]

Probably too late for this year... but if a concrete or pottery Planter gets broke, instead of skip, why not emplace any 'sizeable' chunks in shady corners as 'Bunkers' for Frogs or Toads?
Some soft weed/ grass clippings inside to burrow into... and maybe partially bury to taste, leaving entrance gap.
Piled rocks / broken flags, etc. also good.
You may not have a pond yourself... but there may be one nearby.
Numbers declining... but,who would not be cheered by having a little chat to a Frog?   

[FierceKitty]

A Kiwi, I suspect.

[paulr]

They're not too bad so long as they don't get close to a rainbow

[Heedless Horseman]

And Again! Yet another Mouse has inconsiderately discarded his Trousers and other 'bits' at MY back door! Damn good job we have a Cat to curtail many such atrocious 'goings on' in MY Garden! Cat appeared most apologetic for this lapse in picket duties... but needed his supper dish...asap.

[Steve J]

A lot more bird song of late as territories are being established etc. Also  our nest boxes are being checked out by Robins and Blue Tits .

[Techno II]

Certainly a huge amount of chattering from the area just outside the back door, when I go out and fill the feeders each morning.
It's almost as though I'm being ticked off for making them wait. Cheek !!

At the mo'....Thirty or forty starlings come down and pig themselves before the smaller birds get a look in......They seem to being joined by a dozen or so rooks.

Saw a buzzard for the first time for ages. 

Cheers - Phil.

[Heedless Horseman]

Pretty sure Foxes lie up and wait for evening food bowls to be put out... though they don't immediately pile in... movement noise in bushes out the back.
Starlings... very few about now.  Used to he a horde... but their roosting tree down the road was cut down a few years ago... and, even though many alternatives, they just seem to have done off.
Not many 'big' birds, this last year... just one or two Magpies. Jackdaws and the Old Crow... absent.
Small birds giving nut/seed feeders/ coconuts the hammer... and Hedgehog Poo in the feed bowl!

[Steve J]

Magpies, Jackdaws, Crows and Rooks much in evidence around here. We have a small murmuration of Starlings, which is slowly increasing after there roost was cut down maybe 10 years ago. Lots of tress have been cut down in nearby gardens of late, so I expect we'll see fewer birds next year .

[Steve J]

I saw a butterfly on a walk this afternoon, but sadly it flew by too quickly to get a good look. Really surprised to see one on the wing, given it was very dull and somewhat cool.

[Heedless Horseman]

Years back, a neighbour was surprised to find a load of Butterflies attempting to overwinter in the folds of her curtains.

[Techno II]

Find the occasional tortoiseshell hidden in the folds of the curtains...or in the upstairs area of the polebarn...during the 'winter months'.

None so far, this year.

Cheers - Phil.

[Steve J]

I had a nice couple of hours pottering about in the garden this afternoon, having a bit of a weed (they grow all year round here in Bristol) and tidy up. Whilst doing this I noticed so many more of the bulbs have started to come up, which seem to be much earlier this year than previous ones.

[Leon]

My eldest has managed to cultivate quite the hungry bird collection in the front garden now, there's about 20-30 house sparrows, tree sparrows and starlings that can empty 5 feeders in 24 hours, so we're going through a mountain of bird feed at the moment.

[Steve J]

We have more families near us feeding the birds, so don't see as many as we used to, but good to see others helping out .

[Heedless Horseman]

Small birds giving feeders / Fat Coconuts a hammering in the cold and wet. Something, probably Sparrowhawk, made a 'fast pass', the other day... everything 'Ducked'!

Nice to feed 'the wild'... cheering to see. But, when I think about it... 'creatures' and Pets are getting fed better than WE are! lol. 

Birds: Peanuts, Seed, Fat Coconuts and Bread mainly bought for purpose! Dry and wet dog food for Foxes / Hedgehogs. Dog gets 2-3 feeds a day... dry / wet, with Bran and a Fungi supplement 'garnish'! Up to him when he eats it. Cat has 4 pouches... plus 'thieving' and 'hunting'... sicked up 'something' on return last night! 

Bought Fat Coconuts,, seed and nuts for Birds Xmas. Foxes might get double rations. Dog and Cat a bit extra.
Ma might be able to manage a mashed Mince Pie with Milk... and I might get Turkey Sandwiches as OUR Xmas treats!
L.O.L ! 

[Steve J]

The Sparrowhawk was in our garden yesterday, but caught nothing and in the neighbours the day before. Stunning birds. Plenty of corvids and sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds and robins, with the odd bluetit showing up now. still very mild though despite a brief cold snap yesterday.

[Leon]

The Sparrowhawk was in our garden yesterday, but caught nothing and in the neighbours the day before.

I'd love a sparrowhawk in our garden, we rarely see them around here.  There's a local chap on Facebook called 'Boro Garden' who livestreams his garden each day and he gets one quite often.

[Heedless Horseman]

Sparrowhawks have 'visited' garden for several years / generations. Have seen perched on bird table roof for a breather, but usually a 'fast pass'. As Garden is Very wooded, their maneuverability at speed is astounding.

[Heedless Horseman]

Just a reminder to anyone thinking to put out waste Xmas food for wild animals, etc. Some constituents may be harmful to some creatures. Xmas cake/ mince pies have raisins and stuffing, onion which can harm Foxes/Dogs. Etc. DO NOT feed Horses/ Donkeys unless with permission of owner. Keep Xmas season Happy!