Kitchen Garden Forum

Having seen a thrush fly out of the garden with worm plus some of the food I had thrown out for the birds, it is obvious we had thrush chicks nearby.

I love this time of year.

Feeding the birds all the year round, we get loads in the garden. At the moment we seem to have been invaded by siskins. There can be as many as 20 in the garden at any one time, they really love the sunflower hearts I put out. We are also getting quite a few goldfinches. Yesterday, I even saw a brambling.

These are apart from the 'common-or-garden' birds we get. I can stand at the kitchen sink, looking out over the garden at the birds for ages.

I may be in the minority, but starlings are one of my favourites. They stomp about the garden, like bovver boys. The adults, when the sun shines on their feathers, are the most beautiful jewel-like colours.

It won't be long now before the adults are bringing their chicks into the garden to feed. The blackbirds really amuse me. They will bring the chicks in, and feed them for a while. All of a sudden, the adults stop feeding the chicks. As much as the chick begs, the adults ignore them. More or less telling the chicks, 'thats what your beak is for. Get stuck in yourself'.

Oh, I could ramble on for ages. It really is a beautiful world out there.

valmarg

Gosh you do ramble on a bit don't you Valerie, but in the most pleasant way. You could make anyone want to bird watch with that lovely description.

Kind regards the cheeky Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

Thanks OH. I know I'm a dozy old tart, but watching nature, particularly the birds, is one of life's wonders. It is very difficult not to anthropomorphosise (I think that's the word) the birds. They are such wonderful creatures.

What a sad world it would be without them!!

valmarg

Well I'm off down the plot to hear the dawn chorus. After I take the other half up a cup of coffee.

I've just found a blackbirds nest formed underneath our carport roof; I grew a winter flowering clematis over it to make it look a little less hideous, and the birds have managed to make a hammock like nest on the underside between the clematis stalks, some of it out of paper tissues by the look of it! Our House Martins haven't made an appearance back yet though.

Gosh, this was a while ago!

Thought I might bring some of the old posts, out for an airing…..not many of the early forum members left now!

I've heard some unusual (for the burbs of west London) birdsong recently in the park. I always forget to take the monocular, so I have little chance of identifying them!

Having just moved back to the countryside I was pleased at the change in noise. The spuggies are particularly rowdy. However, it’s listening to the doos in the am that I love, takes me back to my childhood.

Chantal can you put a little ledge in with maybe a little walkway to a hole that they could go out? I know it’s a pain putting a hole in your coop but you could patch it later? Or if it is up by the roof maybe extend the roof cladding?

Didn’t realise this was such an old thread… I hope Chantal’s wrens survived.