Neighbours & Friends

[Aud]

I keep finding pips all over my house cos I'm addicted to them and keep grabbing a handful from the fridge.

I'm really sad at the loss of all the birds and insects this year though, it must have been the hard winter that decimated them.

[Lynn]

Just a few photos:

This Greenfinch keeps coming back with its female and very noticeable with its little tuft on its head.




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The Juvenile Long tailed tits are arriving daily to feed on next door's cherry tree. It was windy so a bit blurry sorry.



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Finally a Sparrow and Juvenile Goldie enjoying the sunflower hearts

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Edit to put spaces between photos.

[Aud]

Wow Lynn amazing close-ups again. How far away were you?

[CHAMPION99]

Lovely photos, Lynn.

[Lynn]

Oooh my photos have been arranged nicely, thanks Barney! To answer your question Aud, well hubby and I worked it out that either shots were taken from about 15/18 feet away, the Long tailed tits probably a bit more. If I manage to get the settings right on the camera it allows for a fair bit of cropping.

[Barney]

A juvenile greenfinch flew into the dining room, then hit the French door and was stunned on its way out. It landed on its back and I picked it up, intending to put it down somewhere safe, but it rested its head against my fingers, and against my better judgment, I held it for a little longer. I'm glad I did, as it struggled with regurgitating a crop-full of seeds. (I've been told that birds can't be sick, but this one certainly was!)

After a while, it decided to fly off, but was still very disorientated, and at first, landed on the ground a couple of feet away, then flew across the garden to land on a pile of flowerpots before heading for the safety of the apple tree. It had just flown rather clumsily across and landed when a sparrowhawk flew straight through the tree, picked it up and flew off with it!!!

I'm still glad that I held it while it struggled with those seeds, but part of me wishes I'd put it down sooner, so it wouldn't have flown off so quickly, and maybe wouldn't have ended up as a sparrowhawk's Sunday lunch!

[Lynn]

You weren't to know the Sparrowhawk was lurking, its not a nice thing to witness and very upsetting but all part of nature but you gave that bird a few precious moments. More than likely the hawk was watching from somewhere near by, it was only a matter of time...

[CHAMPION99]

At least the hawk had a nice dinner, all part of the food chain methinks.

[Lynn]

Despite the rain I was out watering the potatoes and amazed to see this on one of the leaves! Perfectly camouflaged but I am worried if it will damage the crop.

[Marie]

Is that a grasshopper Lynn ? Beautiful photo btw...
I don't know if grasshoppers damage your crop, but thinking of the Bible...
(one of the seven plagues, right ?)

I've got a question though (again, yes) : how come you could make a photo whilst watering the potatoes ?

[Lynn]

Apparently its a Great Green Bush Cricket! Not sure if it will damage my crops but I am grateful it didn't jump anywhere near me. yuk!

I left hubby keeping a close watch on it while I went for the camera, it was very tolerant of me getting up close. Amazing what you can find in the garden isn't it.

[Val]

At Last, the Budleigha (sp) is in bloom, I had almost given up with it. Its attracting the butterflies as it usually does. I like to watch them, and take photos, Only one Peacock butterfly so far but lots of more common ones.

[Jojo]

I love the peacock butterflies - they have such beautiful colours.

We have a few bird feeders around here and which I am supposed to keep stocked up so the birds don't leave while the owners away. They are mostly filled with peanuts and the bluetits especially are going mad for them. We also have a lesser spotted woodpecker who pops in to feed off them sometimes too which is a treat.

[Lynn]

A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker!!! They are rare and difficult to see, I have never heard one let alone see one.

[Lynn]

We have known about the hedgehog visiting at nights but were surprised when one of the adults brought its young one to feed. I am assuming the appearance of all the slugs is probably the parent teaching the little one what to eat and bringing them altogether.

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