Yesterday morning I was called to the bathroom by Mrs Orcs to deal with a rather large spider, probably 2" ling including legs (Blue job)
I dutifully caught said spider using a glass and sheet of paper. I took the spider out to the garden where I flicked him onto the grass. no sooner had I done that than one of the resident robins swooped down while I stood there and seized the spider for breakfast.
So I had done a good deed for Mrs Orcs and the Robin. The spider much less so as releasing him outside was very bad for him.
Given that, if it was a house spider, it's life expectancy is short in any case it may have been a mercy killing.
...With a 99% probability of it being a male, looking for a mate...As Mike says.....he wouldn't have lived much beyond that point.
If you want to feed robins, Mark....buy a bag of mealworms, from your local pet store, and simply fling those around, in the garden.
Cheers - Phil. :)
Quote from: Techno II on 25 April 2021, 03:04:45 PM
...With a 99% probability of it being a male, looking for a mate...As Mike says.....he wouldn't have lived much beyond that point.
If you want to feed robins, Mark....buy a bag of mealworms, from your local pet store, and simply fling those around, in the garden.
Cheers - Phil. :)
They get Mealworms, seed mix, fat balls. Just have to try and keep the Magpies off of it
Good man. I also 'rescue' spiders...also Bees, Moths, Mice... :)
BUT... Flies, Wasps, Slugs, Rats... are 'Shoot To Kill'... or Splat, Pfft, plop, snap, hit with a brick...whatever.
I don't 'like' doing it... just don't want them around. :(
Makes you wonder, really... maybe not a good idea to get 'disliked' by 'A God'. :o
But, Orcs... you NOW HAVE A PROBLEM! 'Somewhere...' there will be a BIG, ANNOYED, HUNGRY and FRUSTRATED (!) Momma Spider. I suggest a shotgun. ;)
Sheesh! Just realised... a BLUE SPIDER ? 8)
Never seen one... yet... Nice to know that when it happens it won't be the Whiskey! :D
Quote from: Orcs on 25 April 2021, 03:57:56 PM
They get Mealworms, seed mix, fat balls. Just have to try and keep the Magpies off of it
Good man, Mark !
Ours 'wildies' get the same with the addition of sunflowers hearts.
The biggest 'problem' for us are the damn flying rats that swoop down, when I chuck the feed on the ground.......
Been noticeable recently that the smaller birds aren't about quite so much...we assume they're taking a lot of time raising their broods...But
then you'd think they'd be after even more grub. :-\
We reckon that the nuthatches, Great, Blue and Coal-tits are snacking on stashes of peanuts they've been taking.
Our peanut holder isn't in the best of condition, and the birds can, and have been taking whole peanuts, from the bottom and then flying off. (Over and over again)
Up until recently, I've been re-filling the peanut holder at least once a day....but more often twice.
I'll only need to top it up this morning, they took so few yesterday.
Cheers - Phil. :)
The birds are gobbling up our feeders at the moment. Them and the squirrels. And the dog likes to hoover up any dropped peanuts. We've been seeing the elusive blue jay quite a few times lately. And a lot of small starlings poking their breaks into the lawn.
Quote from: Heedless Horseman on 26 April 2021, 02:11:04 AM
Sheesh! Just realised... a BLUE SPIDER ? 8)
Never seen one... yet... Nice to know that when it happens it won't be the Whiskey! :D
A blue job means one for orcs to do as opposed to a pink job that Mrs orcs does, not a blue spider! (I think)
We get gulls (not too surprising) Magpies and Crows. Lots of Geese overfly - some stop in Birkenhead Park....
If you're looking to feed the robins exclusively, you can't beat digging the garden.
You'll be turning up worms, and before you know it the local robin will hop nearby and eat its fill.
They're a lot more tolerant of people than the other birds, so not too shy to move in close to score a meal.
Our local robin was hopping around yesterday during the day and getting pretty close. We did have to point out that he needed to be aware of the cats. Luckily they were mainly in mouser mode I think.
I've seen quite a lot of smaller birds in the last couple of weeks, including blue and great tits, chaffinches, a nuthatch, sparrows (which I haven't seen for a while here - no idea why). Of course we get the blackbirds, starlings, magpies, occasional jay, crows plus overflights from red kite, heron, occasi9nally geese or ducks.
Got to go - one of the cats has come through my study window and is demanding food!
Edward
Send him my regards.
Quote from: mmcv on 26 April 2021, 06:55:28 AM
A blue job means one for orcs to do as opposed to a pink job that Mrs orcs does, not a blue spider! (I think)
Correct. 'Blue' jobs are mine, 'Pink' jobs are Mrs Orcs. Some jobs could be either depending on whose free
Is that an evil grin I can see Alexander
Quote from: FierceKitty on 26 April 2021, 08:58:59 AM
Send him my regards.
Looked out the window and saw a great tit preening himself in the car wing mirror. And crapping all down the side of the car...
Quote from: Orcs on 26 April 2021, 09:05:09 AM
Correct. 'Blue' jobs are mine, 'Pink' jobs are Mrs Orcs. Some jobs could be either depending on whose free
Ah! Got it, now! lol.
As to garden visitors / residents? Big, 'wild'...(Out of control!), 'garden', with too many trees and a small stream... so lots!
Robins, occasional Sparrows, Wrens, Long Tailed, Blue and Great Tits, Goldcrests, Bullfinches, occasional Goldfinch, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, L S Woodpeckers, Collared Doves, Owls, occasional Pheasant or Duck... plus the usual Woodies, Magpies, Jackdaws, Crow...and occasional 'fly through' by Sparrowhawk!
Fox generations, Hedgehogs, Rats... and until The Cat gets them... Mice, Voles and Shrews!
Populations 'come and go' in terms of numbers... but all welcome...Rats apart!
Incidentally, have seen irridescent Pink Flies...think garish nail varnish! But that was when working in Boldon!
By pure coincidence I heard it said only the other day that some cultures consider rats to be lucky / a sign of good times.
The explanation was that a bountiful harvest brings plenty of rats (there's more food available), so lots of rats signifies a good harvest and prosperous times.
My father was a poultry farmer so as a child we hated rats with a vengeance. Sure, they'd try to eat plenty of chicken corn but, my goodness, they would also make a mess of waaayyyy more (p00-ing in the corn etc). In those days the old fashioned big/strong/vicious rat traps were legal and all the farmers had 'em.
Geoff
I've got one particular 'snap' trap that I WON'T use.
(You can still buy versions of it nowadays).......It's completely metal...and it's got 'teeth'...This one looks pretty old. (Left behind by a previous owner of Techno Towers.)
Having caught my fingers in the 'Big Cheese' type (and that really sodding hurts) I really wouldn't fancy getting bitten by this old one.
I think there would be a very good chance of getting 'blood poisoning'. :o
Cheers - Phil X_X
Quote from: Techno II on 27 April 2021, 07:03:39 AM
I've got one particular 'snap' trap that I WON'T use.
(You can still buy versions of it nowadays).......It's completely metal...and it's got 'teeth'...This one looks pretty old. (Left behind by a previous owner of Techno Towers.)
Having caught my fingers in the 'Big Cheese' type (and that really sodding hurts) I really wouldn't fancy getting bitten by this old one.
I think there would be a very good chance of getting 'blood poisoning'. :o
Cheers - Phil X_X
.22 rifle every time we get one in the garden. Then I flick the carcass into the middle of the lawn. 30 minutes and its gone - Din Dins for the Red Kites.
Make sure you take the shot out first!
Quote from: Orcs on 27 April 2021, 10:42:28 AM
.22 rifle every time we get one in the garden. Then I flick the carcass into the middle of the lawn. 30 minutes and its gone - Din Dins for the Red Kites.
I use a 177......and I've drilled a mouse sized rat right between the eyes from 20 yards.
Wouldn't be able to do that now. :(
Cheers - Phil.
Re-active your Bren Phil, 303 Mk7Z is still comon
Quote from: Lord Speedy of Leighton on 27 April 2021, 11:44:25 AM
Make sure you take the shot out first!
they tear it apart and won't eat the shot
Quote from: ianrs54 on 27 April 2021, 01:30:13 PM
Re-active your Bren Phil, 303 Mk7Z is still comon
I think I'd get into trouble with Von.....At that range I assume I'd make a fairly large hole in the drive. ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil. :)
Quote from: Techno II on 27 April 2021, 01:44:59 PM
I think I'd get into trouble with Von.....At that range I assume I'd make a fairly large hole in the drive. ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil. :)
Na - 150mm at 600m last time I zeroed one (74/5 with 7.62)
That's plenty big enough to get me a good slap, Ian..
Cheers - Phil. ;)
At risk of being 'Guns And Ammo' ish... as a teen, I had a' pneumatic' air pistol... Crosman Medallist .22.... which would certainly 'fettle' a rat... and would 'hold charge', (even 'over-pumped!')... for months. Sold as skint student! :'(
Now, not available in uk. Bought a .177 variant a few years back... but NOWHERE near as good... 'regulated', so just doesn't 'have the punch', unless 'head shot'. Won't 'hold' charge, either! :( Bl**dy Laws. >:(
Have a big, heavy Weinrauch (?) .22 air rifle... which will still do the biz... but 'scoped in' for 50 ft or so...so short range, might as well 'charge' and use the Butt! ;D
I don't like killing things... even rats! BUT, IF NEEDED...WHY THE HELL can't we HAVE the TOOL to do the job effectively? >:(
LOL! :o Would LOVE to have a SMLE Mk1, even chambered as SG... I would 'sleep with it.'.. etc. ! LOL! ;D But, no need, so :( ;D ;D ;D
Ps: As a 'teen', had a REPLICA Luger pistol. Crap alloy action broke. BUT.... although 'high maintenance' in the field... THAT was a pistol that 'Pointed Itself'... easy to feel how prized they were as WW2 'Souveniers'! 8)
Quote from: Techno II on 27 April 2021, 01:44:59 PM
I think I'd get into trouble with Von.....At that range I assume I'd make a fairly large hole in the drive. ;D ;D
Quote from: Techno II on 27 April 2021, 02:12:09 PM
That's plenty big enough to get me a good slap, Ian..
Cheers - Phil. ;)
Glad to see your more scared of Von's wrath at a hole in the drive than the authorities response to an Illegal firearm ;D ;D
Quote from: Orcs on 28 April 2021, 10:01:55 AM
Glad to see your more scared of Von's wrath at a hole in the drive than the authorities response to an Illegal firearm ;D ;D
But these days almost all firearms are prohibited. One would hardley take a bren on a bank raid :( :P
Quote from: ianrs54 on 28 April 2021, 10:08:41 AM
But these days almost all firearms are prohibited. One would hardley take a bren on a bank raid :( :P
No you can get most things if you can give a valid reason - up to including a 0.5 inch Barratt.
What was the film,,, maybe 'Lock, Stock...' (?) , where the hapless gang needed 'heat' to fend off 'dealers'... and somebody brought back a Bren (!) ? ;D