on their way to garden near you! - Page 3

Has anyone ever seen a jay feeding from a nut feeder. I was dumbfounded to see this a couple of times in the last day or so.

Yes, all crows are opportunists!

jays use to come to the hospital garden and would have a go at the nut feeder,they were not shy at all.

today in somerest saw a flock of starlings dancing across the blue sky as well as a buzzard sat on  a fence close too.

I like to watch the jays with the fat balls. Pulling them up onto a branch with a foot and destroying them. I've given up on the string vest balls now and they go in a feeder, not so much fun for the observer

Ravens here are ready to nest. Their display flights over the house are spectacular - gliding around, wingtips almost touching (think of a pair of skaters); sometimes doing tumbles and rolls and almost flying upside down. And a special melodious piping noise quite unlike their usual snorts and croaks.

had four wood pigeons squabbling on the shed roof this morning ,all over the bird seed,it was funny to watch as they slid off the roof due to the ice,and the fox I met at the front door looking for offerings,looked healthy and with cubs due in spring,she is a darling but runs the risk of humans in cars each night.

Fielfares arrived with the snow on Saturday, about 6 of them who seemed a bit disorientated in the garden.  I think they were attracted by the flock of goldfinches usual eating frenzy at the feeders and about a dozen blackbirds eagerly tidying up around them.  Blackbirds were not that friendly towards them and I dont think they were keen on what was on offer even though there was a variety of goodies out there. They were a bit shy too so it wasnt possible to get a good pic.  I also had no berries in the garden this year, but I had put a wreath of berries I had in the house over xmas, on the patio table which they dug through the snow and ate the dehydrated berries off it!

I saw in the pyracantha ,a little bird very much like a fire crest,very small and rounded,not a gold finch ,haven't seen it since.I love to watch jays and flocks of red wings and field fares,one year I had bush laden with them pinching the berries.

Hope that doesn't mean the snow's on it's way back.  Had to risk life & limb taking the biggest little one to school, the flipping pushchair needs snow chains.  On a completely different note, am I the only Mum that walks her child to school no matter what the weather?  A lot of the Mums around here (even the ones who live nearer the school to me) take their little darlings in the car the minute clouds start to gather.  God gave us legs for a reason, and then they wonder why their children are fat!

Saw some fieldfares in the big rowan tree at the bottom of the garden when there was snow on the ground, there are still lots of berries left on the tree, it was really laden down with them this year, but since the snow has gone, so have the fieldfares.

Am I the only person who thinks Winter hasn't finished with us yet?  I predicted the last lot of snow (it was 2 days earlier than I thought),  I still think we're due another heavy fall this year, around  the beginning of March, so I'm delaying the sowing of anything outside until I see what the weather's doing then. 

My mother always calls a late snow a Daffy Snow - a snow that comes just before the first daffodils bloom.

Muddy Paws,

Perhaps you could suggest that the school starts a walking bus. It's great socially and even one day a week makes a big difference.

very true,a great way to get kids to see their envirement and perhaps notice a few things going on around them.Here the blackhead gulls have come back to paddle in the pools of water on the common ,they have not been here very often for some years and have re-appeared in number this week.

The fieldfares and red wings have been to my garden and stripped all the beries off my cotoneaster and next door's holly tree. It was while the snow was on the ground and was a wonderful sight.

Been down to Steart nr .Bridgewater ,its a lovely place to come to watch birds as there are hides here although you do not need a hide to see them.I saw Lapwings there funny little cry ,like a rabbit,a cattle egret ,always flies off as I about to photo,flocks of field fares and red wings,a big flock!it is very flat and very water logged but lovely to get out again.