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Naturefile

We too have a tame robin who hops in and out of our garage via a side door which opens into our rear garden. When I open the bedroom curtains (at back of house) at around 6.30am the birds start to assemble, by the time I open the kitchen curtains the usual suspects are sitting on a large bush under the kitchen window looking in to check when I'm bringing out their breakfast. We also have a starling with a malformed leg who is quite tame and, last year we had a pair of crows, one of whom seemed unable to forage for himself the other brought food to him and was always with him. We have also recently made tunnels under our fences to help the hedgehogs move freely between our and neighbours' gardens and planted some bee-attracting flowers.
 
13lizanne said:
We too have a tame robin who hops in and out of our garage via a side door which opens into our rear garden. When I open the bedroom curtains (at back of house) at around 6.30am the birds start to assemble, by the time I open the kitchen curtains the usual suspects are sitting on a large bush under the kitchen window looking in to check when I'm bringing out their breakfast. We also have a starling with a malformed leg who is quite tame and, last year we had a pair of crows, one of whom seemed unable to forage for himself the other brought food to him and was always with him. We have also recently made tunnels under our fences to help the hedgehogs move freely between our and neighbours' gardens and planted some bee-attracting flowers.
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That's good news about the tunnels - hedgehogs will travel up to 2 miles a night in search of food.
I adore hedgehogs; I sometimes foster baby hoglets for the local Hedgehog Rescue service, particularly in the winter if they are handed in when they are too small to hibernate (they need to be at least 450g if it's early autumn, and preferably 600g to survive hibernation).
Hedgehogs are becoming very scarce in the UK; lungworm, (which they catch from earthworms, slugs and snails which are carriers) is fatal to them, and of course badgers are very fond of them too (but not in a good way!).
We have a hedgehog feeding box in the garden and last year I rigged up a motion-sensitive camera inside to see who was visiting. I was astonished to count 15 separate visits throughout the night! Of course, that wasn't necessarily 15 different hedgehogs, but there were at least 3 in the box together at one point, and they got VERY aggressive with each other.
Love the story about the birds lining up for breakfast, too!
:)
 
Well, it's chucking it down with rain here this evening, as you can see, so I didn't have the heart to bang on the window and tell her to bu**er off as I usually do.....

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I dare say she didn't want to leave the kids for too long, either. :)
 
A few pictures I took while I was out in the garden this afternoon:
1. Dennis the Dunnock dancing through the daisies
2. Channing Tatum and his wife on the nut feeder
3. The hedgehog feeder (known as Spike's Diner) with Beryl the Blackbird inside, nicking Spike's food (you'll have to take my word for it - she was too quick for me to get the photo!)
 

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The picture is of a canal yes, just outside of Nantwich. Between the Trent & Mersey and the Shropshire Union. I did the 4 Countues Ring last week.
 
So, the old country saying goes: "If the ash comes out before the oak, there’ll be a summer soak. If the oak comes out before the ash, there’ll be a summer splash."
I think the oak has the slight edge.
Your call...
 

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debrasue said:
So, the old country saying goes: "If the ash comes out before the oak, there’ll be a summer soak. If the oak comes out before the ash, there’ll be a summer splash."
I think the oak has the slight edge.
Your call...
Click to expand...
Which is which? (Only kidding) the oak has it I think
 
13lizanne said:
Which is which? (Only kidding) the oak has it I think
Click to expand...
The squirrels gave me that little oak. I kid you not; they actually buried an acorn in the pot when there was another plant in it, but when I found the oak seedling I repotted the other plant somewhere else and granted the oak security of tenure. It's 3 years old now...

I think it's fair; I buy the squirrels plenty of peanuts, so I'm pleased they gave me something in return! (Fortunately, the peanuts they bury all over the lawn don't germinate!)

:)
 
debrasue said:
So, the old country saying goes: "If the ash comes out before the oak, there’ll be a summer soak. If the oak comes out before the ash, there’ll be a summer splash."
I think the oak has the slight edge.
Your call...
Click to expand...
... reminds me of that other old country saying: "If you can see the brow of the hill across the valley, it's going to rain. If you can't see it, it's already raining ..... :D
 
Hi all, these pics were taken at Spout Farm Wheelton Chorley of new born lambs mother rejected them. Arlene xx
 

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