Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Buce]

1 hour ago, Rob1742 said:

Thought about this, but I may need 2 or 3 as the pond is huge. My net covers half the pond, so I still have a risk of losing some of the fish. I'll see how this option goes. Further problems compounded by a snake in the pond, so I am sure he will be feasting on the fish or newts. Its a good two/three foot long.

 

A snake?

 

What kind?

[Trav Le Bleu]

9 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

A snake?

 

What kind?

He was topping up the pond when he dropped the hose in the pond to chase off a heron.

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, Rob1742 said:

Squirrels - Another problem I am encountering. In the middle of a man v squirrel battle with regards trying to keep  the bird feeders for the birds.

 

1. 1-0 to squirrels as he pinches the bird food

2. 1-1 as man buys squirrel baffler

3. 2-1 to squirrels as squirrels finds a way around the baffler

4. 2-2 as man buys squirrel proof bird feeders

5. 3-2 to squirrels as squirrels open up the tops of the squirrel proof feeders

6. 3-3 as man buys metal food bag fasteners and attaches them around the tops so squirrels can't get the tops off

7. 4-3 to squirrels as they literally un-tie the fasteners. I knew there was risk of chewing through the metal, but they actually untie them, even though I put several on.

8. 4-4 as man takes huge step and buys padlocks to padlock the tops on the feeders. Surely they can't get in now?

9. 5-4 to squirrels as they remove the top by breaking the hinge on the tops.

 

My next plan is to buy different feeders. I will win.

 

My missus was spending £30 a month on bird food and I was telling her the squirrels were having it all. So the battle has reduced my outlay, but they are still winning. On top of the £30 a month they cost me, they have pulled up the lawn so badly last year, I had to spend £100 on compost and seed to get it back to an acceptable point. I think the ground was so hard last year they struggled to dig holes so they took a huge amount of the lawn up,

 

It was only yesterday they managed to get through the hinge, so today I go again. I will get to 5-5 and see what they do next. You have to admire their persistence and intelligence. To actually unwind food bag tags to get the lids open was pretty impressive stuff.

5-5 as man buys a mini-gun.

[Stadt]

This sounds similar to the run up to Australia’s costly and ultimately futile Emu war

[Parafox]

We had some kind of finch in our garden yesterday. I have no idea what it was and it flew before I could get a pic. It had quite distinctive colouring, green head, yellow breast, red tips on the wings I think, red beak and a bit of blue somewhere. Never seen one in our garden before. Any ideas what it might have been?

[Kopfkino]

8 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

Squirrels - Another problem I am encountering. In the middle of a man v squirrel battle with regards trying to keep  the bird feeders for the birds.

 

1. 1-0 to squirrels as he pinches the bird food

2. 1-1 as man buys squirrel baffler

3. 2-1 to squirrels as squirrels finds a way around the baffler

4. 2-2 as man buys squirrel proof bird feeders

5. 3-2 to squirrels as squirrels open up the tops of the squirrel proof feeders

6. 3-3 as man buys metal food bag fasteners and attaches them around the tops so squirrels can't get the tops off

7. 4-3 to squirrels as they literally un-tie the fasteners. I knew there was risk of chewing through the metal, but they actually untie them, even though I put several on.

8. 4-4 as man takes huge step and buys padlocks to padlock the tops on the feeders. Surely they can't get in now?

9. 5-4 to squirrels as they remove the top by breaking the hinge on the tops.

 

My next plan is to buy different feeders. I will win.

 

My missus was spending £30 a month on bird food and I was telling her the squirrels were having it all. So the battle has reduced my outlay, but they are still winning. On top of the £30 a month they cost me, they have pulled up the lawn so badly last year, I had to spend £100 on compost and seed to get it back to an acceptable point. I think the ground was so hard last year they struggled to dig holes so they took a huge amount of the lawn up,

 

It was only yesterday they managed to get through the hinge, so today I go again. I will get to 5-5 and see what they do next. You have to admire their persistence and intelligence. To actually unwind food bag tags to get the lids open was pretty impressive stuff.

 

Isn't that what an air rifle is for? 6-5 done

[Kopfkino]

8 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

Squirrels - Another problem I am encountering. In the middle of a man v squirrel battle with regards trying to keep  the bird feeders for the birds.

 

1. 1-0 to squirrels as he pinches the bird food

2. 1-1 as man buys squirrel baffler

3. 2-1 to squirrels as squirrels finds a way around the baffler

4. 2-2 as man buys squirrel proof bird feeders

5. 3-2 to squirrels as squirrels open up the tops of the squirrel proof feeders

6. 3-3 as man buys metal food bag fasteners and attaches them around the tops so squirrels can't get the tops off

7. 4-3 to squirrels as they literally un-tie the fasteners. I knew there was risk of chewing through the metal, but they actually untie them, even though I put several on.

8. 4-4 as man takes huge step and buys padlocks to padlock the tops on the feeders. Surely they can't get in now?

9. 5-4 to squirrels as they remove the top by breaking the hinge on the tops.

 

My next plan is to buy different feeders. I will win.

 

My missus was spending £30 a month on bird food and I was telling her the squirrels were having it all. So the battle has reduced my outlay, but they are still winning. On top of the £30 a month they cost me, they have pulled up the lawn so badly last year, I had to spend £100 on compost and seed to get it back to an acceptable point. I think the ground was so hard last year they struggled to dig holes so they took a huge amount of the lawn up,

 

It was only yesterday they managed to get through the hinge, so today I go again. I will get to 5-5 and see what they do next. You have to admire their persistence and intelligence. To actually unwind food bag tags to get the lids open was pretty impressive stuff.

 

Isn't that what an air rifle is for? 6-5 done

[Bellend Sebastian]

Accidentally chopped chunks out of both of my new trees with the strimmer. Really hoping I've not f****** them up.

 

What a dozy tit

[Countryfox]

13 hours ago, Parafox said:

We had some kind of finch in our garden yesterday. I have no idea what it was and it flew before I could get a pic. It had quite distinctive colouring, green head, yellow breast, red tips on the wings I think, red beak and a bit of blue somewhere. Never seen one in our garden before. Any ideas what it might have been?

 

Probably a green finch but tbh doesn’t quite fit any I can think of ...   

 

Keep em peeled and get a pic ...   

[Countryfox]

21 hours ago, Rob1742 said:

Squirrels - Another problem I am encountering. In the middle of a man v squirrel battle with regards trying to keep  the bird feeders for the birds.

 

1. 1-0 to squirrels as he pinches the bird food

2. 1-1 as man buys squirrel baffler

3. 2-1 to squirrels as squirrels finds a way around the baffler

4. 2-2 as man buys squirrel proof bird feeders

5. 3-2 to squirrels as squirrels open up the tops of the squirrel proof feeders

6. 3-3 as man buys metal food bag fasteners and attaches them around the tops so squirrels can't get the tops off

7. 4-3 to squirrels as they literally un-tie the fasteners. I knew there was risk of chewing through the metal, but they actually untie them, even though I put several on.

8. 4-4 as man takes huge step and buys padlocks to padlock the tops on the feeders. Surely they can't get in now?

9. 5-4 to squirrels as they remove the top by breaking the hinge on the tops.

 

My next plan is to buy different feeders. I will win.

 

My missus was spending £30 a month on bird food and I was telling her the squirrels were having it all. So the battle has reduced my outlay, but they are still winning. On top of the £30 a month they cost me, they have pulled up the lawn so badly last year, I had to spend £100 on compost and seed to get it back to an acceptable point. I think the ground was so hard last year they struggled to dig holes so they took a huge amount of the lawn up,

 

It was only yesterday they managed to get through the hinge, so today I go again. I will get to 5-5 and see what they do next. You have to admire their persistence and intelligence. To actually unwind food bag tags to get the lids open was pretty impressive stuff.

 

As already stated you’re wasting your time ...   tree rats have to be removed from the equation ...  it’s not only the feeders they plunder but the nests too ...  happy to eat the eggs or eat a young chick alive.   I had an abundance of the buggers when I moved here and no song birds ...   now that has been reversed...  but you have to keep on top of them as there are so many ...   hadn’t seen one for a few weeks then shot four before breakfast two days ago ...  powerful air rifle or .410 does the job ..   

[The Fox Covert]

On 20/06/2019 at 12:01, Rob1742 said:

Squirrels - Another problem I am encountering. In the middle of a man v squirrel battle with regards trying to keep  the bird feeders for the birds.

 

1. 1-0 to squirrels as he pinches the bird food

2. 1-1 as man buys squirrel baffler

3. 2-1 to squirrels as squirrels finds a way around the baffler

4. 2-2 as man buys squirrel proof bird feeders

5. 3-2 to squirrels as squirrels open up the tops of the squirrel proof feeders

6. 3-3 as man buys metal food bag fasteners and attaches them around the tops so squirrels can't get the tops off

7. 4-3 to squirrels as they literally un-tie the fasteners. I knew there was risk of chewing through the metal, but they actually untie them, even though I put several on.

8. 4-4 as man takes huge step and buys padlocks to padlock the tops on the feeders. Surely they can't get in now?

9. 5-4 to squirrels as they remove the top by breaking the hinge on the tops.

 

My next plan is to buy different feeders. I will win.

 

My missus was spending £30 a month on bird food and I was telling her the squirrels were having it all. So the battle has reduced my outlay, but they are still winning. On top of the £30 a month they cost me, they have pulled up the lawn so badly last year, I had to spend £100 on compost and seed to get it back to an acceptable point. I think the ground was so hard last year they struggled to dig holes so they took a huge amount of the lawn up,

 

It was only yesterday they managed to get through the hinge, so today I go again. I will get to 5-5 and see what they do next. You have to admire their persistence and intelligence. To actually unwind food bag tags to get the lids open was pretty impressive stuff.

Last time I was in Leicestershire I had to put my mum's bird feeder back together. A little wooden house with a miniature verandah and a hammered copper roof to keep the rain out. The crows unhooked it, dropped it on the ground, tipped it on its side and ate the food. Then, not satisfied they had done quite enough they broke it up by pecking at it until they had reduced it to a collection of small pieces. Like delinquent teenage vandals. My mum says she went outside several times to shoo them away but they only retreated as far as the fence. As soon as she had gone back inside they returned to resume their destruction. 

[cambridgefox]

On 20/06/2019 at 20:17, Parafox said:

We had some kind of finch in our garden yesterday. I have no idea what it was and it flew before I could get a pic. It had quite distinctive colouring, green head, yellow breast, red tips on the wings I think, red beak and a bit of blue somewhere. Never seen one in our garden before. Any ideas what it might have been?

 

On 21/06/2019 at 09:32, Countryfox said:

 

Probably a green finch but tbh doesn’t quite fit any I can think of ...   

 

Keep em peeled and get a pic ...   

Goldfinch perhaps.Getting increasingly common ( not a bad thing) Where Greenfinch are getting rarer due to some parasite that has killed loads.

Edited 22 June 2019 by cambridgefox

[Countryfox]

30 minutes ago, cambridgefox said:

 

Goldfinch perhaps.Getting increasingly common ( not a bad thing) Where Greenfinch are getting rarer due to some parasite that has killed loads.

 

The obvious one but doesn’t actually fit in with one colour he’s said ...   back to the drawing board ...   

[cambridgefox]

2 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 

The obvious one but doesn’t actually fit in with one colour he’s said ...   back to the drawing board ...   

Red beak and blue is getting me.

escapee?

[Countryfox]

1 minute ago, cambridgefox said:

Red beak and blue is getting me.

escapee?

 

I think Parafox is colour blind but I’m just playing along ...   

[Buce]

On 20/06/2019 at 20:17, Parafox said:

We had some kind of finch in our garden yesterday. I have no idea what it was and it flew before I could get a pic. It had quite distinctive colouring, green head, yellow breast, red tips on the wings I think, red beak and a bit of blue somewhere. Never seen one in our garden before. Any ideas what it might have been?

 

On 21/06/2019 at 09:32, Countryfox said:

 

Probably a green finch but tbh doesn’t quite fit any I can think of ...   

 

Keep em peeled and get a pic ...   

 

40 minutes ago, cambridgefox said:

 

Goldfinch perhaps.Getting increasingly common ( not a bad thing) Where Greenfinch are getting rarer due to some parasite that has killed loads.

 

6 minutes ago, cambridgefox said:

Red beak and blue is getting me.

escapee?

 

4 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 

I think Parafox is colour blind but I’m just playing along ...   

 

I reckon it could be one of these: All over the South East and spreading rapidly (ring-tailed parakeet)

 

[Kopfkino]

Sounds more like a Parakeet but would be a it bigger than a finch 

 

Buce just beat me to it. They make an awful noise so you'd know if you heard it

Edited 22 June 2019 by Kopfkino

[Countryfox]

7 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

 

 

 

 

I reckon it could be one of these: All over the South East and spreading rapidly (ring-tailed parakeet)

 

 

7 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

Sounds more like a Parakeet but would be a it bigger than a finch 

 

Buce just beat me to it. They make an awful noise so you'd know if you heard it

 

Well if he thinks a bleedin great big noisy parakeet is a finch I think he needs both his eyes and ears checking ...

[Countryfox]

On 25/05/2019 at 10:31, Countryfox said:

 

This will soon be a sea of strawberries !! ....   

 

 

 

Here they come ! ..   as they don’t like this type of wet muggy weather they shouldn’t be left too long ...   so it’s strawberries and cream for pud for us and the neighbours for a while ...    

Edited 22 June 2019 by Countryfox

[stix]

2 hours ago, Buce said:

 

 

 

 

 

I reckon it could be one of these: All over the South East and spreading rapidly (ring-tailed parakeet)

 

 

Wow. I had no idea that these were a natural inhabitant in this country. Incredible. 

Edited 22 June 2019 by stix
Aren’t they ring necked parakeets?

[Buce]

6 minutes ago, stix said:

 

Wow. I had no idea that these were a natural inhabitant in this country. Incredible. 

 

There are some interesting theories about how they came to be here, including one that Jimi Hendrix released a pair in London:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_parakeets_in_Great_Britain

 

Edit: Yes, sorry, I meant to say ring-necked

[Rob1742]

On 20/06/2019 at 13:04, Buce said:

 

A snake?

 

What kind?

Think they are grass snakes as they or it have been round a few years. The bloke who was digging the pond extension I had got bit by something and his arm blew up huge. He went to hospital and they said it could be a snake bite, so pretty sure it will have been ours.

[Buce]

7 minutes ago, Rob1742 said:

Think they are grass snakes as they or it have been round a few years. The bloke who was digging the pond extension I had got bit by something and his arm blew up huge. He went to hospital and they said it could be a snake bite, so pretty sure it will have been ours.

 

On the one hand they are strong swimmers, so it seems likely that's what it is in your pond; on the other hand, they are non-venomous, and rarely bite in defence, so I doubt if that was what has bitten the digger.

 

Also, they feed almost exclusively on amphibians, so I doubt if it's a threat to your fish either (ironically, grass snakes are prey for herons).

[Countryfox]

Storms the other week gave them a real battering but a bit of tlc and they've bounced right back ..   the oldest roses in our garden but they have the loveliest scent ..   

 

 

[Countryfox]

 

Put up a few hanging baskets at the weekend ...   add real colour to the garden ...