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Monika
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Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:13 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

We have one 'sparrow terrace' with three holes and two single boxes, well apart. In previous years, we had house sparrows in the terrace and either blue or great tits in the single ones. Two years ago, tree bumble bees took up residence in one of the terrace holes and house sparrows took over the tit boxes and this year all boxes are occupied by house sparrows and there are also house sparrows nesting in a very dense hawthorn bush, so our garden is full of the little devils, attacking anything lush and green, like beetroot, lettuce, peas and sweet peas and they even started on the wallflower seedlings recently until I covered them with dense netting.
We also have a 'live' blackbird nest in the open porch, just at human eye level, and it's been fascinating watching three little youngsters growing up (a second brood). Won't be long till they leave the nest.
robo
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We have a few young cherry trees all in the first of second year of planting , the one in the garden did have seven cherries on it as they ripped the birds always beat me or my wife to the picking it's the same down the plot although we did get two off one tree, I parked up at the plot this morning just as I was about to get out of the car a young startling landed on the fence about twelve inches in front of the car it had the biggest red cherry in its beak I've seen this year , in certain it was taking the Mick
Colin2016
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Seems to be loads of young birds about, we get some of them hitting the window.

Was working in the garden and had to stop & watch a black bird feed 2 of his young & chase a third one away. Put some dried worms down for them, worked stopped for a while.
Monika
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Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:13 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Went to pick some broccoli and broad beans this morning and as I approached the allotment, three pheasants (one male, two female) flew out, paused on the dry stone wall before disappearing into the fields. Some broad beans and peas had been pulled off the plants but the main target seemed to be the pile of horse manure which had been scattered all over the place, the pheasants presumably searching for worms.
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Diane
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Well, the babies have fledged and it's all quiet again. We took the box down to give a clean out - found one fully feathered, dead, baby left. What a shame. Put the box back up again, spick and span, and hope it gets used again before the summer's out.
'Preserve wildlife - pickle a rat'
tigerburnie
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Great Tits always nest in empty, clean boxes but Blue Tits will re use the same nest material. I don't usually clean out boxes until the early spring as birds like Wrens roost in them at night.
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
Monika
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Posts: 4546
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:13 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Went to the allotment this morning to tidy up the manure the pheasants had spread and, blow me, as I was forking it back, I was suddenly surrounded by very angry wasps! Obviously poked into a wasps' nest (maybe the pheasants were after the wasp eggs or grubs?). We made ourselves scarce until all was quiet again and will avoid that corner of the allotment for a while!
Adding to our woes, the house sparrows have now discovered the peas and sweet peas on the allotment as well as in the garden and are pulling the plants to pieces .....
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