Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Milo]

2 hours ago, jgtuk said:

How’s it looking? 

Was too wet each time I tried. 

Any topsoil and/or seed just washed away. 

 

Needed a bit of rain, not the fvcking months of monsoons that we seemed to get. 😕

 

I’ll see how it is this summer. 
 

Yours is looking mighty impressive 
 

 

[jgtuk]

 

42 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Same thing happened here. Went out to the shed to get a shovel and saw out of the window a Great blacked-back gull swoop down and pick it up. Watched it fly down the hill and settle on the apex of a roof where it let go and the carcass slid down the tiles into the gutter! Not sure what happened after that but not my problem 

Almost daily occurrence here. Went out a couple of weeks ago to find a Buzzard sitting on a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 
It’s funny how they’re called Sparrowhawks, they seem to take everything but Sparrows in my garden. So far it’s been Blackbird, greenfinch, Siskin and Collared Dove but mostly Blackbird and Siskin. 

[Spudulike]

48 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

 

Almost daily occurrence here. Went out a couple of weeks ago to find a Buzzard sitting on a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 
It’s funny how they’re called Sparrowhawks, they seem to take everything but Sparrows in my garden. So far it’s been Blackbird, greenfinch, Siskin and Collared Dove but mostly Blackbird and Siskin. 

Very rarely see House Sparrows in my garden. Apparently their numbers are down 70% in recent times. Not likely to be due to Sparrowhawks but uPvc cladding.

 

Apparently only female Sparrowhawks take doves/pigeons as they are much bigger. Shame they don't take domestic moggies.

[Trav Le Bleu]

55 minutes ago, Milo said:

  Was too wet each time I tried. 

Any topsoil and/or seed just washed away. 

 

Needed a bit of rain, not the fvcking months of monsoons that we seemed to get. 😕

 

I’ll see how it is this summer. 
 

Yours is looking mighty impressive 
 

 

Absolute filth!

[Trav Le Bleu]

3 hours ago, jgtuk said:

Everything going mad this week, cracking day for garden work 

That's not a garden, that's a park!

[Countryfox]

Last month I finally saw a bird I’d been really hoping to see in the wild at some point in my life .. but thought it would probably never happen  .. The goshawk ..  a turbocharged sparrow hawk on steroids capable of carrying off hares and chickens. I was out with a friend very very early one morning in a small wood near thetford forest when we both froze in out tracks as we heard that distinctive call above us ..  I eventually sported a big nest at the very top of the tree we were standing under and saw the females tail feathers sticking out over the edge.  After a while the smaller male appeared and circled above us to check out the danger.  We watched it through the binos for ages. Beautiful to see and an absolute treat as this bird is incredibly elusive and not nicknamed the ghost of the forest for nothing.  My friend told me that many years ago when they were reintroduced a nest was seen in the forest and all forestry commission work in a 500 metre radius was completely stopped. Cameras were put up all round it and when a man was spotted going up for an egg he was grabbed before he got up there and did some time at her majesty’s pleasure. 

[jgtuk]

42 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

Last month I finally saw a bird I’d been really hoping to see in the wild at some point in my life .. but thought it would probably never happen  .. The goshawk ..  a turbocharged sparrow hawk on steroids capable of carrying off hares and chickens. I was out with a friend very very early one morning in a small wood near thetford forest when we both froze in out tracks as we heard that distinctive call above us ..  I eventually sported a big nest at the very top of the tree we were standing under and saw the females tail feathers sticking out over the edge.  After a while the smaller male appeared and circled above us to check out the danger.  We watched it through the binos for ages. Beautiful to see and an absolute treat as this bird is incredibly elusive and not nicknamed the ghost of the forest for nothing.  My friend told me that many years ago when they were reintroduced a nest was seen in the forest and all forestry commission work in a 500 metre radius was completely stopped. Cameras were put up all round it and when a man was spotted going up for an egg he was grabbed before he got up there and did some time at her majesty’s pleasure. 

This is a Gos I stalked early one morning, been taking chickens for a few days, same time every day. Caught in the act devouring a young hen. 
I worked with Goshawks in the 90’s with the RSPB, finding nests and ringing youngsters, incredible birds. One of the most persecuted birds of prey,gamekeepers hate them and I’ve seen dozens killed by poison, shotgun or trapped and despatched. 

[jgtuk]

1 hour ago, Spudulike said:

Very rarely see House Sparrows in my garden. Apparently their numbers are down 70% in recent times. Not likely to be due to Sparrowhawks but uPvc cladding.

 

Apparently only female Sparrowhawks take doves/pigeons as they are much bigger. Shame they don't take domestic moggies.

Mostly but not strictly, I’ve watched males take wood pigeon. 
Sparrows are indeed threatened and are now a red data species. 
 

I have sparrow nesting boxes up so have several colonies. 

Edited 11 May by jgtuk
Addition

[Countryfox]

32 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

This is a Gos I stalked early one morning, been taking chickens for a few days, same time every day. Caught in the act devouring a young hen. 
I worked with Goshawks in the 90’s with the RSPB, finding nests and ringing youngsters, incredible birds. One of the most persecuted birds of prey,gamekeepers hate them and I’ve seen dozens killed by poison, shotgun or trapped and despatched. 

Great story.  We’ll have to have a chat one day .. 

[Parafox]

We have put bird feeders up in the hope of attracting more birds to our garden. 

 

It's worked but not exactly attracting the small birds we'd hoped for. Sure, we get sparrows and a few finches but we are plagued locally by pigens and thay're an absolute PITA. The feckers land on the ground and peck at the seeds that have fallen out of the feeders, then magpies come down and then starlings. 

 

It seems impossible to keep these bastards away and encourage the small birds to the garden. 

[jgtuk]

2 minutes ago, Parafox said:

We have put bird feeders up in the hope of attracting more birds to our garden. 

 

It's worked but not exactly attracting the small birds we'd hoped for. Sure, we get sparrows and a few finches but we are plagued locally by pigens and thay're an absolute PITA. The feckers land on the ground and peck at the seeds that have fallen out of the feeders, then magpies come down and then starlings. 

 

It seems impossible to keep these bastards away and encourage the small birds to the garden. 

It’s a difficult one. You could try suet blocks in feeders that can’t be easily reached by larger birds, no large perches etc. 

[Parafox]

37 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

It’s a difficult one. You could try suet blocks in feeders that can’t be easily reached by larger birds, no large perches etc. 

Thanks.

 

The feeders are designed for small birds and have 2 small trays to contain the seeds and that small birds hang on to. Problem is the seeds get knocked out onto the ground and then the larger birds take advantage, scaring away the birds we want. I guess it's just something we're going to have to accept. Pigeons are nesting under nearby solar roof panels and have been for several years now.

 

I was led to believe that magpies would deter pigeons. That doesn't seem to be the case. They just won't go away.

Edited 11 May by Parafox

[Izzy]

Today I have mostly been weeding the garden and my back is now fvcked

[jgtuk]

14 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Thanks.

 

The feeders are designed for small birds and have 2 small trays to contain the seeds and that small birds hang on to. Problem is the seeds get knocked out onto the ground and then the larger birds take advantage, scaring away the birds we want. I guess it's just something we're going to have to accept. Pigeons are nesting under nearby solar roof panels and have been for several years now.

 

I was led to believe that magpies would deter pigeons. That doesn't seem to be the case. They just won't go away.

That’s why I suggested suet blocks, no seed to drop so nothing on the ground 👍

[Parafox]

2 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

That’s why I suggested suet blocks, no seed to drop so nothing on the ground 👍

 

We have them. For whatever reason, the birds haven't been attracted to them, even before we got the feeders. Might try again because most of the suet got disintegrated during the last wet months.

Edited 11 May by Parafox

[jgtuk]

9 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Today I have mostly been weeding the garden and my back is now fvcked

Moved into our place 18 months ago. 3 acres completely overgrown with 5ft high  brambles, saplings and undergrowth. Spent the first winter clearing by hand, absolute killer. Ended up with Tennis Elbow in both arms and a knackered back, still have problems with the elbows. 

[Libertine]

26 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Today I have mostly been weeding the garden and my back is now fvcked

Same here in my raised bed which went crazy with weeds recently. The size of some the things in there was beyond belief. On the plus side the spinach I planted in October is big enough to feed the whole street when the apocalypse comes.

[Foxdiamond]

3 hours ago, Spudulike said:

Very rarely see House Sparrows in my garden. Apparently their numbers are down 70% in recent times. Not likely to be due to Sparrowhawks but uPvc cladding.

 

Apparently only female Sparrowhawks take doves/pigeons as they are much bigger. Shame they don't take domestic moggies.

House sparrows like to nest in ivy as well as building. Also like to gather to shrubs like Pyracantha 

[Raj]

2 hours ago, Izzy said:

Today I have mostly been weeding the garden and my back is now fvcked

Hottest day of the year and you decide to do that!!!🙄

Tw@t😁

Just sit in the garden and burn!!!

[Spudulike]

3 hours ago, Parafox said:

We have put bird feeders up in the hope of attracting more birds to our garden. 

 

It's worked but not exactly attracting the small birds we'd hoped for. Sure, we get sparrows and a few finches but we are plagued locally by pigens and thay're an absolute PITA. The feckers land on the ground and peck at the seeds that have fallen out of the feeders, then magpies come down and then starlings. 

 

It seems impossible to keep these bastards away and encourage the small birds to the garden. 

We have one with a guard around it to keep out the larger, unwanted birds. Took a while before it was used but now see Blue Tit's. Great Tit's, Robins, House Sparrow (only once, so far), and Goldfinches. They like sunflower hearts.The Wood Pigeons land on the top but can't get the seed so give up. Same with the squirrels. 

 

https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/bird-feeders-boxes-tables/bird-care-accessories/feeder-guardians/rspb-ultimate-bird-feeder-guardian-small.html

 

Domestic moggies are the biggest problem. Constantly stalking along the hedges.

[jgtuk]

Went to my pond at 6am this morning with a cuppa.

There's a single Koi, about 18"+ long and between 100-200 Goldfish... Probably have to buy a drag net and try to catch them, take them to a pet shop/garden centre type place and see if they want them...

 

[jgtuk]

The Koi

[Countryfox]

17 hours ago, jgtuk said:

Went to my pond at 6am this morning with a cuppa.

There's a single Koi, about 18"+ long and between 100-200 Goldfish... Probably have to buy a drag net and try to catch them, take them to a pet shop/garden centre type place and see if they want them...

 

Don’t you want to keep them ..  

[jgtuk]

18 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

Don’t you want to keep them ..  

No, I want a native wildlife pond. I don’t want to run a filter system or anything like that. There’s a huge filter system in the trees behind the pond and at least three pumps in the pond, one of which runs a waterfall but I don’t want them. 

[lcfc278]

19 hours ago, jgtuk said:

Went to my pond at 6am this morning with a cuppa.

There's a single Koi, about 18"+ long and between 100-200 Goldfish... Probably have to buy a drag net and try to catch them, take them to a pet shop/garden centre type place and see if they want them...

 

I'm confused. Did you not know it was there? Has someone dumped a koi in your pond?