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A winters day.

• Message 1. 

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Hi all,
  Just thought i'd pop in and say hi and let you know what the weather is like here in france,
  
  Well this morning after a shower and teeth cleaning (and counting to see if i'd lost any) I always open the window blind and the view i expect to see is the lawn and the pool side of the garden,
  
  Now being a creature of habbit i tend to spend a few minutes looking out across the lawn and i can be honest and say the picture i see changes so much throughout the year it's just amazing.
  
  This morning the birds we're all having a good feed, (I really do care about animals) in fact i dont mind saying i prefer animals to some people ive met in my life,
  
  Well as i say the birds we're all feeding "some from the 6 bird feeder hanging sun flower feeders,
  
  "Some" from the wire net feeders and some (black birds mainly) feeding from the mix of everything and any thing i feel they will eat,
  
  ie sunflowers seeds, seed mix (for smaller shy birds) cut up fruit "apples are the black bird favourit" soaked bread, bacon bits of fat, and water.
  
  Well to see and hear this little lot every morning is worth every penny spent on seed, "it really is"
  
  But as it's been freezing here for the past few days the view this morning was of a real winters day, "That early morn/ mist just floating above the lawn,
  
  The trees both in our garden and in the view way past our fence and into the fields miles away we're all poking through the low laying mist "it was a bit ghostly really but very calm.
  
  "Yes"
  winter can be cruel to animals and humans alike but we humans as a norm can do something about our needs,
  "It's the animals that need a help in hand.
  
  If your in need of entertainment while eating your breakfast "just put some form of bird feeder a few feet away from your window and these little creatures will entertain you all day long as long as they have food & water."
  
  It would be a really sad world without such creatures "would'nt it???
  
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by bogus the fungi man (U14705597) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  I couldn't agree more, Punpun.
  
  We have feeders all over the place which used to annoy the chickens. "Free food! And I can't get at it!" We spend a small fortune on it and it's a delight to see all the birds: I was in the chicken pen yesterday and a horde of long tailed tits descended to the feeder that was just a few yards from my nose.
  
  We supply mainly husked sunflower seen now as this is liked by most species and is less energy to eat; fat slabs of fruit and insects and any old household scraps. We had a charm of goldfinches last week and regular nuthatch(s) which appear fearless. Siskins can be a pain as they throw more over their shoulders than they actually eat. Not a problem to us as they throw the seed into the trap below which catches the wood pigeon that we eat.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by DiggerSean (U14704361) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Hi punpun,
  
  I certainly agree, it would be a very sad world without these wonderful creatures.
  After the last hard winter they need our assistance even more this year. I must admit it's the wife who spends a small fortune feeding the birds in our garden (probably more than she cares to admit). Being on the north east coast (Redcar to be precise) we do get quite a few winter visitors and this year has been exceptional already.
  It's been a good year for redwings and waxwings, we had a flock of over 50 waxwings which was quite special. Other rarer visitors to the garden are Great spotted Woodpeckers, Black caps and my wife has seen a Woodcock.
  
  The snow has gone from the coast here, but a few miles inland and it's still under a blanket of snow. Were hitting the dizzy heights of 5 degrees C at the moment but its due to drop dramatically to a high of -2 and a low of -15. The snow is going to affect the north west though this time more than the east coast, which i guess is a blessing. It looks like it's going to be a white Christmas!
  
  Anyway, keep warm, keep feeding your birds and enjoy.
  Take care.
  Sean
  
  

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Mike (U14311251) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Hi All,
  
  Speaking of birds, I saw quite a few out my window yesterday (as I had the day off work). I am in the south east england so we dont have any snow at the moment.
  
  I was watching them all flying about and watched one in my garen eating the red berries on my hedge. I dont have any bird feeders as I believe that nature can provide free food for the them. Besides down the road they have lots of bird feeders to keep them going.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Hi Mike,
  ive said a little prayer and it's been answered (your getting snow by the end of the week,
  
  and the man upsatairs said (if you dont get your own bird feeder you just might not get to the shops for your own food, (you scratch the birds back and ????
  scratch yours)
  be good and have a nice christmass.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Hi digger,
  I know what your talking about ref "wifes" buying the food for the birds, dogs , cats
  (and we dont have a cat) its the old dear's across the way from us.
  
  When we fall out and i need to have my say "I aways say i hope i come back to this crazy world as a stray cat, because if i do ?im dumbing myself right on this door step.
  
  But again im sure you folks can understand "Nature is a really wonderful thing"
  
  I managed to get myself hurt when i was in the services and i lay in a woods for 2 days and the wild animals that came to see me really turned my heart around ref whats worth living for and whats just a waste of time and money.
  
  We 've found the good in life and it costs me next to nothing.
  Have a nice winter and thanks on behalf of the birds.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 14th December 2010

  Hi bogus,
  Im building a hen house during this winter ready for a spring collection of 6 sussex, (all ready paid for and they're born yet)
  
  Ive made so many feeders out of all kinds of outcast stuff, and as you say the reaction from the wild life is just something called respect, you dont really buy "respect" and it dont come with the job no matter how high up the ladder you are?
  it's something for free but has to be earned, and when you see such little gentle things standing on the ground looking up at you (a giant to them) and they know you'll do them no harm (inspite of all the times you've cleaned the car in the morning and by 1pm they've left their calling card on the bonnet
  thats called "Respect" or to put it in other words "my big human friend"
  
  and anyway i cant sing "but have you ever heard a black bird sing",?
  
  Well if you have then that bird was'nt scared of you! chances are he likes you enough to share a song.
  
  Be good and have a nice christmas.

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• Message 8

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  Posted by bogus the fungi man (U14705597) on Wednesday, 15th December 2010

  Ah... Sussex hens. Good old English dual purpose breed. Are you having them for eggs or for the table (or both)? We have one each of speckled, roadrock and magpie. We had three bluebells but I had to stretch the neck of poor old Mandy as she had serious egg laying problem. We hope to have another three in the spring, probably speckled. If I can wrangle another allotment I shall have some birds for the table.
  
  I agree with you there on all counts. It's keeping up with restocking the feeders; so important that they never run out. The small birds may travel a long way and to arrive at an empty feeder may be the last straw. We've a "Heathrow" flight path with birds breaking cover to the feeder and then returning. Fascinating!
  
  All the best to you for Christmas and the New Year.
  
  Pip.

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Wednesday, 15th December 2010

  Hi pip,
  I had to laugh at the bit you said ref stretching birds necks?
  
  The last birds we had lasted for approx 6 years lived like lords, but died one by one until we we're left with the only hen that followed me around the veg plot i named her lucky but my wife thought it was lucy, and so thats the name she had until she died , (all of them are in the garden under the old apple tree, we're the bentch sit's as a place to sit and remember the late mother-in-law, she loved the peace of that part of the garden and so when she died we bought the bench.
  
  But coming back to buying for eating! No chance with a wife like mine,
  
  Do you know when i'd be digging the veg plot "lucy" would sit on the fork or spade i was not using and as soon as a worm would appear she cluck cluck like hell and i'd have to wait until "lucy" had caught the worm,
  
  I remember saying to the wife one day "what about the worm" he's not having a field day is he?
  She replied, God put the worms there for lucy to eat.
  
  Your better off saying nothing some days "you really are".
  
  (But ive decided on a name for the new hen house, PAXO HOUSE)
  if that name wont get them laying nothing will.

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