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Post by chuffedstokie on Dec 24, 2018 16:32:29 GMT
The sun rising and just appearing over the skyline in Stevenage is always a wonderful sight 😁 Cars frosted over this morning If I didn't know better that looks like the Lister. Many a hockey injury sorted out in that place.
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Post by harryburrows on Dec 24, 2018 20:52:11 GMT
Just got back from London , took the kids to the Albert Hall for the carol service ,Royal philharmonic orchestra, national youth choir, Royal coral society. Brilliant show
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Post by murphthesurf on Dec 25, 2018 16:11:09 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2018 6:49:49 GMT
We've been "adopted" by what seems like an extended family of about 8 pigeons. Whenever we go to put food on the bird table, or in the bird food hangers dotted about the garden, there are usually 2 pigeons either sitting on the house roof, or on the trellis halfway down the garden, which gives them a prime vantage point to see what we're giving them to eat. As soon as we put the stuff out for them the other 6 pigeons arrive en masse and before we're back in the house they're all devouring the food.
We've tried varying the food to give some of the other birds a chance but the pigeons will seemingly eat everything no matter what we put out.
At least the local colony of magpies have disappeared for the time being.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Dec 26, 2018 7:48:09 GMT
We've been "adopted" by what seems like an extended family of about 8 pigeons. Whenever we go to put food on the bird table, or in the bird food hangers dotted about the garden, there are usually 2 pigeons either sitting on the house roof, or on the trellis halfway down the garden, which gives them a prime vantage point to see what we're giving them to eat. As soon as we put the stuff out for them the other 6 pigeons arrive en masse and before we're back in the house they're all devouring the food. We've tried varying the food to give some of the other birds a chance but the pigeons will seemingly eat everything no matter what we put out. At least the local colony of magpies have disappeared for the time being. There's a resident pair here and I swear if they get any bigger flying won't be an option for them. Plenty of Magpies as well. What I'd love to catch sight of though are the owls. They must be close by, the hooting is wonderful early morning and late evening.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2018 9:01:02 GMT
We've been "adopted" by what seems like an extended family of about 8 pigeons. Whenever we go to put food on the bird table, or in the bird food hangers dotted about the garden, there are usually 2 pigeons either sitting on the house roof, or on the trellis halfway down the garden, which gives them a prime vantage point to see what we're giving them to eat. As soon as we put the stuff out for them the other 6 pigeons arrive en masse and before we're back in the house they're all devouring the food. We've tried varying the food to give some of the other birds a chance but the pigeons will seemingly eat everything no matter what we put out. At least the local colony of magpies have disappeared for the time being. There's a resident pair here and I swear if they get any bigger flying won't be an option for them. Plenty of Magpies as well. What I'd love to catch sight of though are the owls. They must be close by, the hooting is wonderful early morning and late evening. Our pigeons definitely seem to struggle to get airborne. The magpies have just put in an appearance as well this morning for the first time in a week or so.
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Post by Northy on Jan 11, 2019 16:30:11 GMT
Had a flock of fieldfares in the trees around us and the nearby gardens this morning, they were making a nice noise
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Post by felonious on Jan 11, 2019 16:52:40 GMT
Had a flock of fieldfares in the trees around us and the nearby gardens this morning, they were making a nice noise They had a good slagging off on the tv along with Redwings and waxwings for invading the feeding grounds of the resident Mistle Thrush in flocks and decimating it's berries.
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Post by Northy on Jan 11, 2019 17:02:16 GMT
Had a flock of fieldfares in the trees around us and the nearby gardens this morning, they were making a nice noise They had a good slagging off on the tv along with Redwings and waxwings for invading the feeding grounds of the resident Mistle Thrush in flocks and decimating it's berries. Wood pigeons stripped our trees in the autumn
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Post by felonious on Jan 13, 2019 11:18:38 GMT
I walked into Crowgutter wood first thin yesterday morning from the canal at Consall and the first bird I saw after only 20 yards was a Kingfisher
Not what I was expecting but it darted further up the stream into the wood.
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Post by Northy on Jan 14, 2019 12:02:58 GMT
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Post by potterinleeds on Jan 15, 2019 8:48:28 GMT
As usual, I'm getting Spring fever far too early, and I thoroughly expect to be out in the teeth of a bitter gale with light snow in the Dales next week as a result. But yesterday was a lovely, Spring-like day up here. Out running, I saw the tightly curled green rosettes of wild foxgloves at the base of drystone walls, ready to go, and also plenty of buds swelling on willow trees.
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Post by Northy on Jan 15, 2019 8:56:37 GMT
As usual, I'm getting Spring fever far too early, and I thoroughly expect to be out in the teeth of a bitter gale with light snow in the Dales next week as a result. But yesterday was a lovely, Spring-like day up here. Out running, I saw the tightly curled green rosettes of wild foxgloves at the base of drystone walls, ready to go, and also plenty of buds swelling on willow trees. We have had similar here, all in for a big shock in a few days time though Nice to notice that extra bit of light in the evening when there isn't any clouds about
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2019 8:59:38 GMT
I thought that robins were supposed to be quite territorial little creatures but we've now got four residing in our garden.
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Post by felonious on Jan 15, 2019 10:40:52 GMT
As usual, I'm getting Spring fever far too early, and I thoroughly expect to be out in the teeth of a bitter gale with light snow in the Dales next week as a result. But yesterday was a lovely, Spring-like day up here. Out running, I saw the tightly curled green rosettes of wild foxgloves at the base of drystone walls, ready to go, and also plenty of buds swelling on willow trees. I noticed the daffodils are well on the way at the weekend.
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Post by thequietman on Jan 15, 2019 12:43:34 GMT
I thought that robins were supposed to be quite territorial little creatures but we've now got four residing in our garden. Definitely they are mate, and aggressively so amongst males. Could it be 2 breeding pairs if you have a big garden? Or a very mild winter leading to an early breeding season. Maybe a female is ready to breed & the males are circling.
Stick a little model out made to look vaguely robin-shaoed. Even something as basic as a rolled up sock with a patch of red wool or cotton to simulate a red breast. You'll soon found out how many males are in your garden by how many attack it.
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Jan 15, 2019 12:53:08 GMT
I thought that robins were supposed to be quite territorial little creatures but we've now got four residing in our garden. Four Robins? Better watch out for Chinese twitchers! Rare Bird...
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Post by potterinleeds on Jan 23, 2019 16:57:38 GMT
Working outdoors on the very edge of the Yorkshire Wolds today, not far from Market Weighton. Superb day - hard hoar frost had whitened everything, but sunshine all day and in the woods, plenty of snowdrops out.
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Post by Northy on Jan 24, 2019 3:27:59 GMT
Working outdoors on the very edge of the Yorkshire Wolds today, not far from Market Weighton. Superb day - hard hoar frost had whitened everything, but sunshine all day and in the woods, plenty of snowdrops out. A bit nippy down south as well, got some build defect snagging going on, 2 lads came down off the roof with Stoke City hat's on, had a quick word and they are from Cheadle.
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Post by auntiegeorge on Jan 24, 2019 8:57:34 GMT
This is Boris, our pure-bred American Maine Coon cat. He weighs 25 pounds and is about 3 1/2 ft long. The ultimate in sweet and fluffy!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2019 9:08:00 GMT
I've just seen a blackbird pecking away at the block of fat/seed stuff that the missus hangs up for the birds. He's unusual in that he's got two totally white tail feathers. At first I thought it might be a bit of bird droppings stuck on but the two feathers are actually totally white.
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Post by thequietman on Jan 24, 2019 12:38:26 GMT
I've just seen a blackbird pecking away at the block of fat/seed stuff that the missus hangs up for the birds. He's unusual in that he's got two totally white tail feathers. At first I thought it might be a bit of bird droppings stuck on but the two feathers are actually totally white. It'll be one of them pesky Magpies in disguise, D. Clever little bu99ers, they are.
Birds galore in the garden at the mo. Probably because the dogs aren't spending much time out there. Being greyhounds, they're not too keen on cold weather and slippery mud underfoot. Much like me.
Edit - balckbirds with white feathers = leucism. Not as rare as I'd thought.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2019 12:46:20 GMT
I've just seen a blackbird pecking away at the block of fat/seed stuff that the missus hangs up for the birds. He's unusual in that he's got two totally white tail feathers. At first I thought it might be a bit of bird droppings stuck on but the two feathers are actually totally white. It'll be one of them pesky Magpies in disguise, D. Clever little bu99ers, they are. Birds galore in the garden at the mo. Probably because the dogs aren't spending much time out there. Being greyhounds, they're not too keen on cold weather and slippery mud underfoot. Much like me. Edit - balckbirds with white feathers = leucism. Not as rare as I'd thought. Thanks for that - interesting info. Our blackbird is totally black apart from his two tail feathers which are completely white.
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Post by felonious on Jan 24, 2019 12:51:51 GMT
I've just seen a blackbird pecking away at the block of fat/seed stuff that the missus hangs up for the birds. He's unusual in that he's got two totally white tail feathers. At first I thought it might be a bit of bird droppings stuck on but the two feathers are actually totally white. You've got a pied blackbird then. We've had a couple over the years on the lanes here. A couple of years ago there was one in Cheddleton that I used to see on a regular basis that had a white head.
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Post by potterinleeds on Jan 24, 2019 18:38:03 GMT
Another fantastic day, but at the opposite end of Yorkshire to yesterday - surveying in Great Punchard Gill, Arkengarthdale, off Swaledale. Frozen solid with just a light dusting of snow. Hazy sunshine in the afternoon and a quite trippy-looking winter sunset over Wensleydale. Topped off by driving back down Arkengarthdale at 4pm and seeing a barn owl ghost across the fell side and land on a fence post right beside the road.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jan 24, 2019 18:53:04 GMT
It'll be one of them pesky Magpies in disguise, D. Clever little bu99ers, they are. Birds galore in the garden at the mo. Probably because the dogs aren't spending much time out there. Being greyhounds, they're not too keen on cold weather and slippery mud underfoot. Much like me. Edit - balckbirds with white feathers = leucism. Not as rare as I'd thought. Thanks for that - interesting info. Our blackbird is totally black apart from his two tail feathers which are completely white. Nice sight. My folks had one visiting with white throat feathers, I was convinced {and excited} for a while cus I thought it was a Ring Ouzel. But it weren't.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jan 24, 2019 19:02:19 GMT
I've just seen a blackbird pecking away at the block of fat/seed stuff that the missus hangs up for the birds. He's unusual in that he's got two totally white tail feathers. At first I thought it might be a bit of bird droppings stuck on but the two feathers are actually totally white. It'll be one of them pesky Magpies in disguise, D. Clever little bu99ers, they are. Birds galore in the garden at the mo. Probably because the dogs aren't spending much time out there. Being greyhounds, they're not too keen on cold weather and slippery mud underfoot. Much like me. Edit - balckbirds with white feathers = leucism. Not as rare as I'd thought. I've warmed to Magpies. I hadn't seen any for years around me garden etc. Then last year one of those domed nests appeared {seen when the leaves dropped}. Hadn't noticed any birds about, but there's four or five knocking about now. I don't recall seeing a Magpie dome perhaps since I was a kid, in the Hawthorn hedge/trees Chatterley Whitfield. They're beautiful birds, blue hues, diamond tails, full of myths and legends. I suppose they've come to take advantage of me nesting birds {a great year last year in the boxes etc.} The waves and cycles of nature. I'm happy to enjoy the acrobatic, cackling determination of 'em. While they're here. Competition for Jays and Jackdaws. Corvid carnage.
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Post by felonious on Jan 25, 2019 5:17:44 GMT
It'll be one of them pesky Magpies in disguise, D. Clever little bu99ers, they are. Birds galore in the garden at the mo. Probably because the dogs aren't spending much time out there. Being greyhounds, they're not too keen on cold weather and slippery mud underfoot. Much like me. Edit - balckbirds with white feathers = leucism. Not as rare as I'd thought. I've warmed to Magpies. I hadn't seen any for years around me garden etc. Then last year one of those domed nests appeared {seen when the leaves dropped}. Hadn't noticed any birds about, but there's four or five knocking about now. I don't recall seeing a Magpie dome perhaps since I was a kid, in the Hawthorn hedge/trees Chatterley Whitfield. They're beautiful birds, blue hues, diamond tails, full of myths and legends. I suppose they've come to take advantage of me nesting birds {a great year last year in the boxes etc.} The waves and cycles of nature. I'm happy to enjoy the acrobatic, cackling determination of 'em. While they're here. Competition for Jays and Jackdaws. Corvid carnage. Fucking horrible creatures Cheesy with so little to offer the world if anything. The beautiful Blackbirds let me know when they're about and up to no good. There's loads of the intelligent buggers here and they know I'm hostile to them
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Post by Northy on Jan 25, 2019 10:04:34 GMT
It'll be one of them pesky Magpies in disguise, D. Clever little bu99ers, they are. Birds galore in the garden at the mo. Probably because the dogs aren't spending much time out there. Being greyhounds, they're not too keen on cold weather and slippery mud underfoot. Much like me. Edit - balckbirds with white feathers = leucism. Not as rare as I'd thought. I've warmed to Magpies. I hadn't seen any for years around me garden etc. Then last year one of those domed nests appeared {seen when the leaves dropped}. Hadn't noticed any birds about, but there's four or five knocking about now. I don't recall seeing a Magpie dome perhaps since I was a kid, in the Hawthorn hedge/trees Chatterley Whitfield. They're beautiful birds, blue hues, diamond tails, full of myths and legends. I suppose they've come to take advantage of me nesting birds {a great year last year in the boxes etc.} The waves and cycles of nature. I'm happy to enjoy the acrobatic, cackling determination of 'em. While they're here. Competition for Jays and Jackdaws. Corvid carnage. too many around us, poor Mr Blackbird attacking them whilst they sat nonchantly on the fence eating a chick or with an egg in its beak.
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Post by thequietman on Jan 25, 2019 12:43:57 GMT
I've warmed to Magpies. I hadn't seen any for years around me garden etc. Then last year one of those domed nests appeared {seen when the leaves dropped}. Hadn't noticed any birds about, but there's four or five knocking about now. I don't recall seeing a Magpie dome perhaps since I was a kid, in the Hawthorn hedge/trees Chatterley Whitfield. They're beautiful birds, blue hues, diamond tails, full of myths and legends. I suppose they've come to take advantage of me nesting birds {a great year last year in the boxes etc.} The waves and cycles of nature. I'm happy to enjoy the acrobatic, cackling determination of 'em. While they're here. Competition for Jays and Jackdaws. Corvid carnage. too many around us, poor Mr Blackbird attacking them whilst they sat nonchantly on the fence eating a chick or with an egg in its beak. They're the droogs of the bird world. Some beauty to them but they'll roam in gangs, duffing everyone up & pinching anything that isn't nailed down.
Haven't seen the jay yet this year, although he delighted me on several occasions last summer by sitting in the pear tree & letting the world know he was there. Got a robin & a squirrel sat on the fence next to my window at work as I type. Eyeing each other up warily.
It's the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch tomorrow. Sadly I'll be sat in a bowling alley all morning as I take my godson to his youth bowling club every Saturday. I'll have the night vision goggles out Satdee night though. We get some rare & exotic birds in the front garden of an evening. Usually about half an hour an hour after the pubs shut.
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