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My update is I am now seeming to have regular visitors to my front yard bird feeder Couple of sparrows and one very pretty bird (very flighty) who is white, black and red. He seems to want to leave if I so much as move (they can see movement in through the window).
I'd put a big dish of bird seed into the feeder I now have on top of a post out back. I was thinking it would be the same as the feeder out front and nobody would be frequenting it yet. Was I wrong! The dish was totally empty! Not so much as 1 crumb in the dish.
I haven't been watching this bird house as I can't really see it from up here in the house unless I go outside and sit on the steps or sit in the lower yard. This is all just part of my trying to attract birds to the backyard and I think I've been successful I replaced the dish and heaped it with food so am going to check this afternoon to see how far it has been taken down.
I had hoped to see the bluetits leave the birdbox but it seems they fledged yesterday or early this morning and I missed it.
Still waiting for fox cubs to emerge but the dog foxes are still taking food away so they are feeding the vixens and cubs somewhere nearby in the undergrowth...
LLL, we have a very good wildlife series of programs called 'Spring Watch' that started this years live broadcasts on Monday. It runs 4 evenings a week for 3 weeks and they get some amazing wildlife pictures. They have cameras set up in many nests and other locations and 'on our TV red button, we can access these cameras and look in any time of day. I think you would really like it.
I'll have to give that program a try. Might get it - not sure.
I just came in from checking the bird feeder I have on a post and somebody was in there spreading the seed about everywhere. I opted to try and put lots of the seed into a low ceramic saucer because then if it got wet and started to spoil I figured I could easily lift it out vs throwing it onto the bottom of a wood feeder (that I also need to stand on tippy toes to JUST see into)
I picked my parsley and watched for a bit to see if anybody would appear when I was out there but no cigar. Somebody WAS in there though as the seed has been quite scattered about. I think this is bringing the birds to the yard. I've got 5 (out of 10 planted) sunflower seeds that have kinda taken off so am hoping to get at least 3 BUG sunflower seed heads for this winter for everybody.
We do have Blue Jays here and they're real characters to watch. I'd love them to start coming. Keeping my fingers crossed that everybody will get used to coming to the feeder and will come regardless I'm out there or not so I can start to get some good photos!
Well, I cannot post a photo, but the first wild mosquito fed on me last night and left a large pink itchy lump. and as it went to my face first I , being asleep, smacked myself rather hard.
Something took a chunk out of my left forearm last night. Never felt a thing but woke up to a small V shaped scab. No idea when this happened but it was last night. NOW to look for the culprit cause he is going to die a smack down death if I catch him or her biting me again!!
On another note it is really hot here today. I've been sitting out back watching the wood bird feeder. Somebody is going in there and eating lots of the seed but for the couple hours I was outside I didn't see anybody even go near it.
Sat watching the birds visiting the feeders this afternoon. Around 4pm they seem to fill up before settling down for the evening. All the usual locals came along but I wasn't to sure about this one. The colour is not too true but I an torn between chaffinch or greenfinch. Definitely a 'finch' though.
Definitely pretty and looks like a finch to me. Here we do get the bright yellow finches but they only flit by. Not sure I'd be fast enough to snap a photo.
Well, there was drama on Spring Watch this evening. They have a camera on a Bluetits nest box. Originally there were 11 eggs (or was it 13?). The hen was a single mum but she incubated the eggs and many hatched BUT several died and just 4 were left. She has been feeding them and they have thrived and started growing their feathers when it became clear that they were in fact GREAT TIT chicks. A long possible explanation for that but....
This evening they are very near to fledging and one took a peep out of the nest box; big mistake, a blue jay came in like a flash and took the chick....so now there are just 3. (Great tit chicks in a Blue tits nest?)
Sometimes the stats related to wildlife and nature are unreal. I don't remember specifically but sea turtles lay hundreds of eggs however if the eggs hatch in the day time it is lucky if ONE baby turtle gets to live in the sea. The gulls swarm down picking them right off the beach and out of shallow water. The stats for sea turtles was abysmal.
LovelyLadyLux wrote:Sometimes the stats related to wildlife and nature are unreal. I don't remember specifically but sea turtles lay hundreds of eggs however if the eggs hatch in the day time it is lucky if ONE baby turtle gets to live in the sea. The gulls swarm down picking them right off the beach and out of shallow water. The stats for sea turtles was abysmal.
I find it all quite sad LLL but that is natures way of maintaining a species AND adding to the foodchain. All paert of the BIG PLAN.....
We went up to Itanos today but on the way couldn't resist taking photos of some of the locals.
Wait for me Mum! Keep up, it's not that steep! Together at last Why are the best bits always in the middle? Boo!!
Such a shame about the baby bluetit
2 years ago we saw lots of turtle tracks on the beach here & there were barriers round the nesting sites. I got talking to one of the volunteers putting up the posts & showed him another set of tracks we had seen & he explained the different patterns and how to tell the direction of travel of the females. Last year we didn't see any but we were slightly earlier & there were quite rough seas so just hope they nested OK.
Lovely pics Fran Was that quite high up in the hills? How do you rate Crete, is it a good holiday destination? We have never been to Greece or the Greek Islands...
Great goat photos! They're phenomenal seeing them scrambling about the rocks and up the side of mountains.
We don't have any here on the Island but they are on the mainland. They're big and one of the pretty gross things associated with them is they're attracted to areas in the wild where humans pee.
I cut and pasted this as one of the RULES here related to wild goats:
The 50/50 rule: pee off trail, give goats a wide berth
If you only remember two guidelines around mountain goats:
Hikers should urinate at least 50 feet off the trail, preferably on rocks. The animals' attraction to the salt in human urine can bring goats closer to trails (and the hikers on them) than is good for either species.
> No matter how cute they are, mountain goats are still wild animals. It's up to hikers to give the goats a wide berth, even if they are standing close to, or even in, the trail.
Try to stay 50 yards (or about 150 feet) away from mountain goats at all times. Do not feed the mountain goats or allow them to lick your skin or gear. For photographers, this means using a telephoto lens to snap your shots. Never try to approach or pet kid (young) mountain goats. No matter how cute they are, mountain goats are still wild animals. It's up to hikers to give the goats a wide berth, even if they are standing close to, or even in, the trail. If the trail doesn't permit you to go around, consider turning back early.
(OMG I seem to be full of wildlife stories today!!! and full of TMI - (too much information!) ) I guess having lots of rules related to wild animals just comes from living here
The goats were alongside the road on the isthmus at the East of the island, not particularly high. They aren't very big, more fairly small sheep size although there are big ones around, they seem to be the domesticated ones, one just down the road is the size of a very small cow. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of that one, especially after your report LLL.
We love Crete, lots of history & beautiful scenery, as long as you avoid the areas like Malia where the young party goers congregate it is well worth a visit.
Crete definitely sounds very interesting. I've not been there or anywhere in Greece but have heard lots about it from friends who have gone. They found it more than fascinating. Another place on my bucket list
At about 6.50 this evening I took out a plate of jam sandwiches and table scraps for the resident foxes. I thought, for a change, I would switch on the outside camera. Went to the kitchen at the front of the house. Returned to check if anyone was at their supper.
To my surprise there was not a scrap left. That plateful would normally take about 4 or 5 trips to take it all back to the cubs. I'll take the camera card and see what has been going on. So glad I did because these scavengers cleared the lot in under a minute.....Grrrrrrr
Mayday , so I thought I would open a new wildlife thread. Very quiet in April so let's hope with all the new births around the wildlife (or domestic animal) world we will find some great...
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The fox definitely looked real healthy with a lovely coat.
Those dogs do look like big labradoodles but I'm not sure. They do have that wavy long coat though.
Since lots of us have the ability to get out there and snap photos I'm posting a Wildlife photo challenge for 2016. Rules are simple - you just have to take the photo of an animal/bird/fish and post...
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So you're good at flinging elly poo :))) LOVE IT!!
I will kick off the new months thread for our wildlife stories and pictures for March .
Just realised I should have kept my badger video until today. He came 3 times last night and I am hoping he...
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I see the video ok :) I think em foxes have got to know you & Mrs G so well :)
I will start this off with a hope that we have more to post on the subject this month. ;)
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At my friends house they all come at the same time foxes and Badgers, usually with the fox nipping in and out taking stuff away with him, the Badgers all arrive together (usually three of them) and...
Couple of sparrows and one very pretty bird (very flighty) who is white, black and red. He seems to want to leave if I so much as move (they can see movement in through the window).
and as it went to my face first I , being asleep, smacked myself rather hard.
I'll take the camera card and see what has been going on. So glad I did because these scavengers cleared the lot in under a minute.....Grrrrrrr