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Post by chuffedstokie on Oct 14, 2018 21:45:44 GMT
Discovered a great way to keep the fat pigeons off the holly berries, laser pen. Works a treat.
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billc
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Post by billc on Oct 16, 2018 16:37:56 GMT
Nature Notes – the Kingfisher
Have you seen a kingfisher? I have had the good fortune to see this wonderful bird once. The flash of electric blue was enough to confirm its presence on an early spring day some years ago by a river in Warwickshire. My wife has been far luckier and has seen the bird 4 times. Once in Snowdonia where she spent many a weekend as a child and the remaining 3 occasions beside the River Churnet in Leek . The most recent was when she was at work at a factory beside the river last week. She heard a bird’s distress call and looked out of a window to see an avian triangle of drama. A pair of yellow wagtails ere calling with the greatest agitation as a magpie was getting too close to its nest and just a few inches away from them sat a kingfisher on a branch. As my wife watched the kingfisher escaped the hullaballoo by diving into the river in search of a meal.
There was a time in the not too distance past when such a scene would have been unconceivable as the River Churnet from the late 19th century was terribly polluted. Reports from 1868 referred to thousands of dead fish have been taken from the river due to large amounts of chemicals being released into the river from a dye works in Leek. A newspaper account from 1925 describes the river as one of the worst polluted tributaries of the River Trent and even as late as 1973 local MP David Knox asked a Government minister about progress on cleaning up the river he described as one of the most polluted rivers in Europe. Whether that is an exaggeration or not the Churnet was used by industrialists as a dumping ground, not only in Leek, but further downstream at Oakamoor and Froghall with toxic copper waste being fed into the river. Without fish living in the river it would have been impossible for kingfishers to thrive near the Churnet.
A writer to a local paper in 1890 mourns their disappearance
“In an area where the kingfisher was common and the linnet abundant I have found that there are none to be seen. Industry has developed to an unprecedented extent and repeated visits to favourite haunts have failed to reveal their presence. The invasion of these quiet spots by marauders has had the effect of driving away all the former inhabitants who have not been destroyed.
Water quality is a key factor in the kingfisher's survival. It feeds on tadpoles, aquatic insects and small fish such as minnows and sticklebacks - so the water needs to be clean enough for the bird to see its tiny prey as it skims across the surface so its increase in numbers is a sign of improvement in water quality. Those lovers of this colourful bird will be grateful.
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billc
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Post by billc on Oct 16, 2018 16:39:43 GMT
Nature Notes- Mushrooms and Toadstools
I noticed on face book Megan Davies who makes and sells chocolate at her very nice shop in Getliffe’s Yard pictures of mushrooms taken at a walk around Bosley Woods.
I don’t know if she ate the fungus but I guess the dangers of picking the wrong type of mushroom can be fatal. According to the Roman historian Suetonius the Emperor Claudius was killed off by his wife by a lethal dose of poisonous fungi and a Renaissance Pope Clement VII was also bumped off in the same fashion by a rival keen on acquiring the Papacy.
Apparently there are myths that surround whether a mushroom is safe or not. My Mother told me that her father believed that if mushrooms were boiled in water the resultant pink colouring meant that the mushroom was safe. It appears not to be the case- so better take care
Megan did not say on her walk around Bosley whether she had encountered a ring of mushrooms, known in France as “sorcerer rings” and in Sussex as “hag tracks,” which can vary greatly in size and can even remain in one spot for years. The circles were thought to have supernatural origins. In country areas it was believed that they arose from witches dancing the night prior. In Dutch lore the ring was the mark left behind by Satan’s milk churn. The flaming tails of dragons were believed to cause the circles in Austria, and in Celtic folktales the ring was where the fairies danced.
A former quarry worker claimed to have seen thus at Cauldon Low or so he claimed,( he may have been under the influence of magic mushrooms) The power of the fairy ring was as variable as its origin with some believing the ring good luck, promising good luck while others seeing it as a curse . Often the ring was seen as an entrance to another world and caution was recommended before breaking the sacredness of the circle.
Caution, however, should also be exercised in approaching the toadstool the fly agaric. It has achieved something of an iconic status. It often appears in Enid Blyton stories with elves and fairies sheltering under them from the elements . The white stem topped with the red and white spotted head which proclaims that it is poisonous although it can be eaten and some have ingested the toadstool for its known hallucinogenic effect. It got the name fly agaric because in olden times it has been used as an insecticide.
But perhaps the most famous story draws on a Viking association. Modern research has also shown the chemicals in the fungus can affect the brain inhibiting fear and causing a state of elation. This would support the theory that the ferocious Berserker warriors used fly agaric prior to going into battle, bringing on the fearlessness for which they were renowned.
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billc
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Post by billc on Oct 16, 2018 16:42:16 GMT
Nature Notes – Blackberries and Bilberries
I was at Froghall Wharf a few weeks ago all around were the signs of approaching autumn. A palpable indicator was the appearances of blackberries and brambles by the tow path . It was still the school holidays and children holidaying on a nearby boat were taking the opportunity to seize whatever container or bag they could find and were avidly taking advantage of this benison of nature. The kids were greedily cramming their mouths with the blackberries until fingers and lips were stained with the dark juices of the fruit
The annual appearance of the blackberry is one of the pleasures of childhood and the delight from the antics of the children at Froghall indicated that even with this tech savvy generation the pleasure still remains strong . It is , after all, the season to take advantage of nature’s free gifts and I myself recall gingerly picking the berries myself taking care not to be scratched by the thorns when I was a child .
Another experience from my ppast was picking the bilberries at this time of year which grew in profusion on Wetley Moor although there was the added frisson of concern as signs warning the unwary of the old mine workings around the common were dotted around the land . Little did I know it at the time but my mother’s family the Sherwins have a strong connection to the moor. I was somewhat surprised years later of a murder that occurred on Wetley Moor in 1841 in which my great great great grandfather Thomas Sherwin was a principle witness in the death of William Myatt found beaten to death in a quarry . But I digress and we must distance ourselves from such sordid events of the distant past.
People have been taking advantage of this gift of free fruit for many years and during the time of shortage the desire was never the more powerful or urgent . Exactly 100 years ago towards the end of the First World War at a time of rationing the Ministry of Food issued guidelines to help people take advantage of the blackberry crop among the hedgerows . The advice is still valid today
• The south side of the hedge being the sunnier side will contain the best berries • A stick with a crooked handle is a good idea for reaching the long brambles • A basket with a strap for the shoulder will enable you to have both hands free and lighten your labours • Close all gates after you as straying stock will damage growing crops Landowners and farmers were also asked in the guidance not to trim hedges so that people take advantage of the blackberry harvest until the season was over.
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billc
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Posts: 490
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Post by billc on Oct 16, 2018 16:45:21 GMT
Nature Notes- The Trout
As an educational practice it is long past now, but there was a time when school children had to learn at heart poems in order to pass exams. I well remember having to commit to memory verse in order to pass my CSE in English in 1971 at Carmountside High School in Abbey Hulton.
One poem I learnt was by the 19th century poet and priest Gerald Manley Hopkins called “Pied Beauty”. It begins Glory be to God for dappled things For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim.
This brings me neatly to the River Churnet and Trout. As I wrote a few weeks ago in my article on the Kingfisher the Churnet having suffered tremendously in the past has now recovered and wild life is returning including the fish which a colleague of my wife saw in the river close to Sainsburys.
It was large and looked well fed making the most of the flies that were foolish enough to fly too closely to the surface of the water. It has the repute of being a voracious creature and will take prey far larger than insects and there are accounts of large trout eating wildfowl and small mammals devouring them with its sharp teeth. It has a character not so far removed from the Pike in its fierceness and rapacity. The Churnet had once a good reputation as a trout river and an angler writing in 1933 recognised its past status whilst complaining about how polluted it was then although this has now changed in recent years.
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billc
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Post by billc on Oct 16, 2018 16:46:53 GMT
Nature Notes – Hedgehog
I rescued a hedgehog when I was ten. It was going to be skewered with a pitchfork by some oaf from the Rutland village that my cousin lived. It seemed to adapt well to living by the canal side in Stoke when I bought it back. It was fed on cat food, bread and milk and insects. I got on well with Spike as I called it. I liked the bristles and its ability to roll in a ball. It was a safe enough environment and the cat did not bother it.
They are becoming a rarity now and some believe that the Hedgehog is set to disappear from the countryside altogether. I must admit that it is some time since I have seen one in the wild. Various explanations have been given for the decline in numbers; the changes in farming technique, the increase in the badger population and the destruction of hedgerows have all been offered as culprits. It’s claimed that the numbers of hedgehogs have declined by 80% since the 1950s. I can well believe it.
I came across a newspaper report from the 1950s of a walk near Martin Mere in Lancashire where a terrier would find and gently carry the urchin depositing the creature in a ball at the feet of his owner. During one autumn walk the dog carried out this feat 6 times in an hour’s stroll. What had become amusing to begin with, proved less so as the walk progressed.
Hedgehogs are creatures of the gloaming and when I lived in Upholland in Lancashire I could hear them shuffling and snorting as they wandered through the garden especially on mild autumn nights in search of food.
Their favourite hibernating place is in a wood deep among the leaves or in a leafy ditch beside a hedgerow where they sleep the winter through.
But they do have their enemies.
Badgers are said to be able to prise open the rolled up hedgehog and some say foxes can manage this act as well. Stories are also told of foxes rolling hedgehogs into water to compel them to relax although I think we should allow an element of doubt with this.
And of course there are cars which has killed many Hedgehogs have proved valuable to man. In the 1930s a national newspaper featured a story of Cornish housewives who used hedgehogs to keep down insects in the family home and there are a few accounts elsewhere of them being kept in gardens to destroy enemies of flowers such as slugs and beetles.
Their disappearance, if that is the case, should be fully resisted by this ally of the gardener. Something can be done about it; gardeners can do their bit by ensuring that this endangered species survives by making sure that hedgehogs have dry, undisturbed shelter available in their grounds
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Post by chuffedstokie on Oct 16, 2018 20:28:14 GMT
Been fortunate enough to see Kinfishers fairly regularly not far from where I used to live in Bedfordshire. There was a modest river / stream close by and if you waited quietly for long enough they would dive for the fish from their favourite branch over the water. Stunning sight you never tired of.
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 16, 2018 20:45:45 GMT
Nature Notes – Hedgehog I rescued a hedgehog when I was ten. It was going to be skewered with a pitchfork by some oaf from the Rutland village that my cousin lived. It seemed to adapt well to living by the canal side in Stoke when I bought it back. It was fed on cat food, bread and milk and insects. I got on well with Spike as I called it. I liked the bristles and its ability to roll in a ball. It was a safe enough environment and the cat did not bother it. They are becoming a rarity now and some believe that the Hedgehog is set to disappear from the countryside altogether. I must admit that it is some time since I have seen one in the wild. Various explanations have been given for the decline in numbers; the changes in farming technique, the increase in the badger population and the destruction of hedgerows have all been offered as culprits. It’s claimed that the numbers of hedgehogs have declined by 80% since the 1950s. I can well believe it. Their disappearance, if that is the case, should be fully resisted by this ally of the gardener. Something can be done about it; gardeners can do their bit by ensuring that this endangered species survives by making sure that hedgehogs have dry, undisturbed shelter available in their grounds Last week (or maybe the end of the week before) on BBC Breakfast News there was feature about a wildlife rescue place in Somerset and the focus of the feature was hedgehogs - they, too, stressed that numbers are sadly dwindling. I'll double-check for the info and will post it in case anyone else would like to see a link to the place.
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 16, 2018 21:38:16 GMT
Last week (or maybe the end of the week before) on BBC Breakfast News there was feature about a wildlife rescue place in Somerset and the focus of the feature was hedgehogs - they, too, stressed that numbers are sadly dwindling. I'll double-check for the info and will post it in case anyone else would like to see a link to the place. Here we are, and they do some amazing work, so it's worth having a look at their website: www.secretworld.org/get-involved/donate/
Secret World Wildlife Rescue
New Road Farm, New Rd, East Huntspill, Highbridge Somerset TA9 3PZ Tel. 01278 783250 info@secretworld.org Preventing British wildlife suffering needlessly and inspiring an understanding and love of wildlife and the countryside. They say: Your donation makes a difference, whether it’s money or gifts in kind:
Please donate whatever you can – every penny makes a difference. Thank you for anything you can give. • £3 covers the cost of caring for a recovering baby bird for a week • £12 will feed one otter cub for a day • £20 will allow us to place a deer, injured in a road collision, on a drip • £50 will enable us to x-ray an otter or badger hit by a car • £80 will cover the care of an underweight hedgehog over the winter • £150 would pay for an operation on a swan that has swallowed discarded fishing tackle • £350 is the cost of purchasing one incubator for an orphan • £500 would help to raise an orphaned owl and support its release back into the wild • £1,500 is the total cost of rescuing an orphaned badger cub, providing specialist milk feed and caring for this animal through to release back into the wild Looks like an amazingly dedicated place.
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 18, 2018 21:54:51 GMT
Redwings ArriveJust imagine them flying non-stop all the way from Scandinavia......ie. all the way across the North Sea.....
(.......which can be ROUGH, as I know from personal experience as a past Fred Olsen passenger en route to Norway!) - Wow! Anyway, it says: 'This week has seen a huge arrival of Redwings from Scandinavia spread over several days with many grounded temporarily on the East Coast in wet or foggy conditions before moving on inland as the weather improved.
Redwings are the smallest of our regular thrushes and many thousands winter here each year, making the journey across the North Sea in a single hop to benefit from our milder climate. Slightly smaller than Song Thrush they can be identified by the bright cream supercilium above the eye, short tail and a rusty-red patch along the flanks, though occasionally this can be difficult to see.' Here's the full write-up: voice.gardenbird.co.uk/a-garden-birders-diary-redwings-arrive/?utm_source=GardenBirdEnjoy! Murph x
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Post by potterinleeds on Oct 19, 2018 13:14:54 GMT
Out running first light this morning, and passing through a scrubby plantation I saw a Goldcrest very briefly. My books tell me they are supposed to be fairly common but I hardly ever see one from one year to the next - small size makes them easy to escape the eye?
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Post by Northy on Oct 24, 2018 6:25:30 GMT
When your working day has time to scratch a giant tortoises neck, no euphemisms Lucky sod.
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Post by Northy on Oct 24, 2018 6:27:56 GMT
Redwings ArriveJust imagine them flying non-stop all the way from Scandinavia......ie. all the way across the North Sea.....
(.......which can be ROUGH, as I know from personal experience as a past Fred Olsen passenger en route to Norway!) - Wow! Anyway, it says: 'This week has seen a huge arrival of Redwings from Scandinavia spread over several days with many grounded temporarily on the East Coast in wet or foggy conditions before moving on inland as the weather improved.
Redwings are the smallest of our regular thrushes and many thousands winter here each year, making the journey across the North Sea in a single hop to benefit from our milder climate. Slightly smaller than Song Thrush they can be identified by the bright cream supercilium above the eye, short tail and a rusty-red patch along the flanks, though occasionally this can be difficult to see.' Here's the full write-up: voice.gardenbird.co.uk/a-garden-birders-diary-redwings-arrive/?utm_source=GardenBirdEnjoy! Murph x We get loads of redwings and fieldfares around us in the winter.
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Post by marylandstoke on Oct 24, 2018 18:41:08 GMT
Whilst living in the Llandrindod Wells area of Mid Wales in the early eighties would see kingfishers virtually every evening that I fished. A little like when you see the first hummingbird of the season here. At first you are not sure what you actually saw then the eye acclimates to the speed and colour.
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Post by Northy on Oct 25, 2018 15:56:34 GMT
Sat watching a male sparrow hawk eating it's tea, its been there about 5 minutes.
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Post by felonious on Oct 27, 2018 13:36:18 GMT
The Long tailed tits were back in the garden in force a couple of hours back, around 8 of them darting everywhere at speed it was hard to count. Really pleased because the Beast from the East all but wiped them out earlier this year.
The Nuthatches are in overdrive.
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Post by potterinleeds on Oct 30, 2018 16:30:33 GMT
The Long tailed tits were back in the garden in force a couple of hours back, around 8 of them darting everywhere at speed it was hard to count. Really pleased because the Beast from the East all but wiped them out earlier this year.
The Nuthatches are in overdrive. Had a mob of about 15 long-tailed tits in the garden this morning. Shame they don't hang around - in and out of the trees, and they were gone.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Oct 30, 2018 17:06:09 GMT
Had a cracking afternoon aboard the 'Norman Conquest' travelled to the end of the Leek branch of the Cauldon. Crisp weather, me can hand frozz up. Didn't see much in the way of wildlife, a green woodpecker and loads of moorhens. Always thought of moorhens as fairly solitary creatures, but there were troops of half a dozen or so along the cut. Possibly this years families preparing to split up. Beautiful wooded route through to Tunnel Pool tunnel and a bit beyond, at the back of Ladderege. Exhilerating {and a little bracing} floating through the lungs of North Staffs.
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Post by felonious on Oct 30, 2018 20:43:48 GMT
The Long tailed tits were back in the garden in force a couple of hours back, around 8 of them darting everywhere at speed it was hard to count. Really pleased because the Beast from the East all but wiped them out earlier this year.
The Nuthatches are in overdrive. Had a mob of about 15 long-tailed tits in the garden this morning. Shame they don't hang around - in and out of the trees, and they were gone. I saw a similar amount of Wheatears yesterday morning on the hedgerow when I was out walking the dog.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Oct 30, 2018 21:14:29 GMT
Had a mob of about 15 long-tailed tits in the garden this morning. Shame they don't hang around - in and out of the trees, and they were gone. I saw a similar amount of Wheatears yesterday morning on the hedgerow when I was out walking the dog. Lovely bird, another fave. First one I saw was on Dartmoor, was convinced for a while I was spotting a Shrike. No matter still a great sight. Seen a few on Marshes Hill since, but never been lucky enough to witness a gathering.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2018 3:30:23 GMT
Saw a really large kingfisher by the canal yesterday -fantastic piece of evolution.
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 31, 2018 8:18:45 GMT
An Arctic blast is on the way, so it's time to check birdtables, feeders, etc!Garden Wildlife Direct say: 'This weekend we're set for an Arctic blast - Help your garden birds survive by stocking up on high energy food and provide shelter in your garden.' They then list the usual sort of products, but I've ordered some of these which I've never noticed before - so I wondered if anyone else might be interested in knowing about them: Premium Mealworm Suet Pelletswww.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/bird-suet-foods/bird-suet-pellets/premium-mealworm-suet-pellets.htmlAlso spotted sth else new, so am going to try one and see if they like it: Peanut Butter Mug, £2.99- A bird peanut butter in a reusable glass jar. The peanut butter contains no additional salt and is specifically made for birds. (Cheesy loves peanut butter - what's the betting he'll buy one for himself………. ) www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/bird-suet-foods/peanut-butter-mug.html
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 31, 2018 8:25:06 GMT
Similarly, another birdfood company, GardenBird, have emailed folks with the heading 'Help your birds as cold weather threatens. Stock up with high-energy foods.' They then go on to stress the importance of providing garden water / birdbaths - this is a cut/paste: The importance of water over winterAccording to the RSPB, many people put out food for birds, but fewer provide a regular supply of clean water. Hydration is absolutely essential for any living animal; for birds over the winter months it is more so for the fact that natural supplies may be frozen. “It is a fact that most small birds must drink at least twice per day to replenish lost water.” Why is water so important?You may or may not know this, but birds do not have sweat glands, so in principle they require less water than mammals due to their ability to retain more water. However, this isn’t to say birds don’t lose any water. Of course they do, and it is mainly through respiration and droppings. Depending upon the specific dietary requirements of a bird, for instance one that eats mainly seeds, there may be a different level of rehydration needed. Despite this, most birds get the majority of their water from the food they eat, for instance grubs, caterpillars and earthworms. Winter bathingBathing can help garden birds keep their feathers in good condition. This process of dampening helps to release any dirt that gathered on and stuck to the feathers; cleaning makes it easier for birds to preen, which is critical for a bird because preening help to rearrange feathers in order to make them waterproof. Water, being as abundant as it is, can be taken from a variety of sources such as ponds, streams and even droplets that form on the end of leaves. In fact, this is particularly common among forest-dwelling birds. Preventing water from freezingBirds visiting gardens in search of alternative food supplies over winter may also be looking for a source of water. This you can provide by putting out a dish or, if you prefer, something more decorative like a bird bath. It is important to try to prevent water that gathers from freezing, as birds will not be able to easily access the supply. A variety of solutions are available, the most cost-effective of which being the use of a ping pong ball, which moves around in the water as the wind blows, preventing the water from freezing. In extreme cases of cold weather, this method may not work, and in such a scenario it is advisable to use a safe ice-free solution such as that made by ecOpond. Here's the www link if you want to have a closer look…….voice.gardenbird.co.uk/importance-water-winter/?utm_source=GardenBird+%28Main%29&utm_campaign
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Post by Northy on Oct 31, 2018 8:32:32 GMT
We order from the RSPB, a bit more expensive but hopefully the money goes to helping the wildlife and the environment with some of its current projects
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 31, 2018 8:46:28 GMT
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Post by felonious on Oct 31, 2018 9:15:23 GMT
Spotted two nuthatches on the feeders at the same time this morning. They disappeared in opposite directions.
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 31, 2018 9:52:53 GMT
Spotted two nuthatches on the feeders at the same time this morning. They disappeared in opposite directions. I don't think I know what a nuthatch looks like, Fel. (**Blushy facey thingy**)My all-time record is three woodpeckers at the same time on three different hanging peanut holders - this was perhaps a couple of years ago, and I couldn't believe my eyes - I was like the proverbial all day. I'm always seeing woodpeckers here because there are quite a few hanging feeders, but the three only ever happened once.
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Post by Northy on Oct 31, 2018 9:55:28 GMT
a lot of people think that as well. Somebody on our village facebook page posted a picture of a heron on a neighbours roof yesterday, and asked 'does anybody know what this bird is' most people replied heron, one said Buzzard, another said owl
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 31, 2018 10:02:34 GMT
a lot of people think that as well. Somebody on our village facebook page posted a picture of a heron on a neighbours roof yesterday, and asked 'does anybody know what this bird is' most people replied heron, one said Buzzard, another said owl (**pauses for a while, deep in thought**) ........... "c............o............n............d............o............r..............".................
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Post by murphthesurf on Oct 31, 2018 10:12:23 GMT
Ha! Thought ' Nuthatch' rang a bell.......... Note to self: Read your own posts. (**Blushy facey thingy again.**)
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