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The Wildlife (and Gardening for Wildlife) thread

elsiegee40

By elsiegee40
in General Chat

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stevejp

stevejp

Posted
Posted
There’s a toad with a baby on its back a man said to us today.

 

Erm...[ATTACH]61234[/ATTACH]

 

Honestly - pron on edugeek - and from a mod, too. Whatever next!

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southhamster

southhamster

Posted
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Another visitor. This time a wood mouse caught eating our seedlings at 3am in the house. I said we we were gardening for wildlife but Mrs SH did not quite agree. Safely caught and released several fields away. Wood mice are much better behaved than their household cousins!20200101051704_IM_00053.JPG
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Ditto

Ditto

Posted
Posted
Another visitor. This time a wood mouse caught eating our seedlings at 3am in the house. I said we we were gardening for wildlife but Mrs SH did not quite agree. Safely caught and released several fields away. Wood mice are much better behaved than their household cousins![ATTACH]61236[/ATTACH]

Super photo - what were you doing up at 3am? I love the big ears! Looks to be reading the article!

elsiegee40

elsiegee40

Posted
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Wood mice are much better behaved than their household cousins![ATTACH]61236[/ATTACH]

 

Not sure about that. I keep my bird seed in a metal dustbin because the wood mice chewed their way into every other container I tried!

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RobD

RobD

Posted
Posted

Saw a coockoo flying overhead yesterday and a pair of great tits started nesting in our bird box over the weekend:

 

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SteveB_NI

SteveB_NI

Posted
Posted
Got a multi-station bird feeder a week ago for my birthday. I have the large feeding balls, but need a seed mix and larger nut feed to make use of two more feeders. Any suggestions for online suppliers that deliver with good quality, good value and speedily?

 

I bought one recently too - love it. I have 1 hook with a suet cake house (roof over it to keep it dry), and a suet coconut. Then on the others a seed mix (not really popular by the looks of things), and peanut feeder. I put a mixture of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and general seeds onto the tray for those types of birds to enjoy. Haven't seen the bird bath in use yet, but it's not really the weather for that yet!

 

This morning woke up to a wood pigeon perched having breakfast, and from the sounds of things last night the resident blackbird was there at 4am this morning lol!!

 

bird_feeder_march2021.png

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SteveB_NI

SteveB_NI

Posted
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Meant to add - any tips for how to make this better would be much appreciated.

 

Range of birds usually in the garden - blackbirds, wood pigeons, magpies, some coal tits / blue tits, and occasional robin!

elsiegee40

elsiegee40

Posted
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Meant to add - any tips for how to make this better would be much appreciated.

 

Range of birds usually in the garden - blackbirds, wood pigeons, magpies, some coal tits / blue tits, and occasional robin!

 

You have the same range of foods as me: a seed mix, peanuts and fat.

 

I find the peanuts work best if broken rather than whole. Stick them in a bag and bash them or stand on them.

 

It’s always worth using a high energy seed mix with sunflower hearts in it. I find that everything eats the high energy mix I use and when I tried pure sunflower hearts alongside the birds preferred the mix.

 

 

The most important bit is keeping it clean. I soak my feeders in diluted bleach or disinfectant once a fortnight.

elsiegee40

elsiegee40

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For Christmas I received a Red Mason Bee guardian pack from MasonBees.co.uk

 

The project sent bee cocoons that arrived this morning and they’re safely installed in the release box where they can hatch and start nesting, hopefully in the tubes.

 

At the end of the summer, the tubes will be returned to the project, the cocoons sorted and safely overwintered and I will be sent more cocoons next spring [emoji4]

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StevieM

StevieM

Posted
Posted

No photo but I saw a pure white dove* strutting along the pavement as I was driving, this morning. I don't think I've ever seen one other than in a magic show.

 

(*or an albino pigeon!)

6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
No photo but I saw a pure white dove* strutting along the pavement as I was driving, this morning. I don't think I've ever seen one other than in a magic show.

 

(*or an albino pigeon!)

 

The albino pigeon would have had pink eyes (although this might have been tricky to look for/observe while driving!)

 

:)

stevejp

stevejp

Posted
Posted
We have been cutting back the lavender on this very pleasant, sunny afternoon. Much tidier now!

 

:)

 

Bloody retirees, rubbing it in again...

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jmak

jmak

Posted
Posted
Not sure about that. I keep my bird seed in a metal dustbin because the wood mice chewed their way into every other container I tried!
I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem for anyone in here....

 

But some of you might have partners who think that having a metal container with a metal lid is enough and who might need reminding that the lid has to be securely in place for it to keep the mice out [emoji2369]

stevejp

stevejp

Posted
Posted
I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem for anyone in here....

 

But some of you might have partners who think that having a metal container with a metal lid is enough and who might need reminding that the lid has to be securely in place for it to keep the mice out [emoji2369]

 

Now, I’m not the brightest bulb on the string of lights... but do I possibly detect a note of bitter experience in your post?

elsiegee40

elsiegee40

Posted
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This afternoon I built a hedgehog feed station. I wanted one I or a camera could see into s d it needed to be big enough to accommodate a gravity cat biscuit feeder so the hogs get fed if we go away.

 

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It took our dominant hedgehog several attempts to work out how to get in

 

And when his rival showed up there was some confusion about exit.

 

I’m sure they’ll both have it sussed pretty quickly.

Edited by elsiegee40
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