Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi Johnboy, The wrens are nesting here. In winter I put a few sprinkles of suet in the crevices at the base of an old apple tree which they seem to like, and occasionally I take the lid off one of the compost heaps and they have a rummage about in there for insects etc. Its such a shame for them all to have disappeared, but I'm sure some will turn up. It sounds to be a lovely place where you live.

The swallows are now back in force and the blackcap is singing lustily.

After a few failed attempts, we now have a pair of bluetits nesting. We have three tit boxes in the garden and usually we get a pair of bluetits and a pair of great tits but this year, none seemed to stay after examining the boxes several times. Now, at last, a pair is busy bulding a nest. Better late than never.

Not heard the cuckoo yet but hopefully it will turn up any day now.

Just arrived home from Pwllheli in the rain, and we have swallows flying around. Earlier than previous years for here.

Hi Plumpudding,
Thank you so much for your Wren feeding advice. The trouble is that I have 5 acres to play with and I shall have to find somewhere where I know they will find it. They are always probing under the window sills so perhaps that might be an appropriate place. However I will persevere and make sure that they get something in future! It so distressed me to lose them all.
JB.

I spotted 3 Swifts yesterday evening diving and weaving over the plot.
These are two weeks ahead of the norm for this area.
JB.

Finally!
Saw my first of the three, a single swift, swooping round my north London office block at around ten am.

Without me realising it my tally of nesting Swallows has risen to 15 pairs which is the best year ever. This is strange really because last year they really didn't do very well at all and it is said that they always return to the same nesting site. Not sure that I agree with that but those who are far more learned with regards birds maintain that is the truth.
JB.

Johnboy, confusingly, our swallow numbers are down this year as are the swifts. I assume that is because when they arrived here, the weather was so cold and inhospitable that they moved somewhere else.

Had a thrill last night, though: we were sitting out in the garden at about 11pm, just enjoying the sights and sounds of a night time garden, when a tawny owl glided (or is it glid?) onto the mountain ash right in front of us, then realised we were there and silently took off again to search for mice, no doubt, on the Nature Reserve next to our garden. we often hear them in early spring but had not seen it so near before.

With the Swallows I now not only have 30 adults to contend with all the first broods are about. In all there are about 15x4 young ones flying about. All the females are sitting again. The air space is very chaotic.
I got seriously buzzed by a Raven this morning which managed to draw blood on my head and make a mess of a pair of spectacles!
It just flew down at speed from one of the trees and took me totally by surprise! Of course the remedy was a cup of tea laced with a drop of the old Amber Nectar! I have never heard of such an incident before involving a Raven. They normally fly away as soon as you appear.
JB.

Good grief JB...what a scary experience, they are such huge birds. I'm glad your injury wasn't any worse. I'm not familiar with your area but is it possible there may be a nest nearby?
Of all the bird families, I think Corvids are my least favourite and ravens are ugly brutes from a safe distance, let alone close up and personal! I reckon I would be looking over my shoulder, if that had happened to me!

Alfred Hitchcock's film "The Birds" springs to mind! (though, I think they were crows, if my memory serves me well)
Hope you are ok.
Cheers,

Hi Johnboy

Shocked to hear of your mishap - hope you have recovered

I'm sure the amber nectar will have had the desired affect.

Hi Elaine,
There are about 10 Raven nests within about 200 yds of my plot. They were released by the RSPB some years ago on a hilly area about 5 miles from here and they have multiplied and spread over quite an area now.
It is so quiet here that you can actually hear the wing beats as a Raven flies overhead.
JB.

I have just counted 62 young Swallows sitting on the power line and the second brood is not that far off leaving the nest. Last year as soon as they were able too the first brood went from here but apparently there is enough food to support then here this year.
Apart from those sitting on the wire there are several others flying about.
I saw two Swallows collide last week. I also saw a pair last year do the same and in all my years birdwatching these are the only two occurrences I have ever witnessed.
JB.

Hello JB. I hope you haven't had anymore close encounters with those ravens. The thought still makes me shudder. After your experience, the sound of their wing beats would be sending me scurrying for cover, I think!

Fascinating to hear of Swallows actually colliding...I have often wondered if happens. Maybe they were both heading for the same fly!

Cheers!