Starling candle

The candle that i put up for the birds has been in place for just over a week now. Has been a firm favourite with the starlings.

Would be nice though if other types of birds would come in for a taste. Seeing that it originally weighed in at just under a kilo, just goes to show how much these birds can eat. Thats not counting the ground feeding they get.

Bought a candle suet feast and holder. Must say the birds are quite liking it. There is a litre of feast in the candle and is very large.

The holder also comes with a chain attached for hanging, or can put it on the end of a pole like i have done. Can get smaller candles as well.

As one can see there is plenty perch room in the form of a ring half way up or plenty grip for clingers.

Hurry up with the photo its cold

This little robin usually feeds on the bird table. By chance i happen to see it on the ground feeder. Must have been attracted by the fat from the crushed up fatball that was there. Starlings ate most of it.

This is another photo of a tiny that i got the other day. came for a feast of mealworms that i put out each night. Now being regular visitor to the garden.

The photo to the left is one of the very biggest that come in. Is either a large male or female. There are two that come in that are very large but not every day like others.

Tonights Pic

Was doing hedgehog watch tonight, after i got back with the dog. Was one already feeding, and not long before others arrived.

Two babies were together, but when i went out with camera decided to hide in rockery plant. Got a quite a nice photo as can be seen here.

Down on the garden path i seen that a very large one was feeding below the bird table. And it got startled while watching from window. Then could see what it was. A huge one came along as well. They did not fight but was a little tense to say the least. Eventually the larger of the two scuttled off.

Tiny3

I could well be losing count now as to the amount of tiny`s that are visiting. Could this one be No3 it was certainly slightly bigger than 1&2. Was difficult to keep up with its running, but got this pic when he was trying to hide.

Another Tiny

Tonight Tiny the hedgehog came again for a feast of dried mealworms. Whilst feeding a much larger one came to another feeder.

Tiny had its fill and went to another part of the garden. Then to my surprise another tiny came in and started looking for food. At the moment it is Tiny2 until i can think of a suitable name. So meet Tiny2.

Introducing Tiny.

Friday night on the 25th July, i was fortunate enough to have a new night time visitor to the garden. I named it "Tiny" because of how small it was. Only the size of a hamster. I hope it calls often. First time i have seen a hedgehog this small.

Standoff at the table.

Was tickled to watch these two Wood Pigeons at the bird table. Both wanted the food, but would not let one another get there. Was stalemate for a while, but both settled down to feed each side of the feeder.

Early Birds

Thought it would be interesting to see which birds came first to the table and feeders for a morning. I started my lookout from about 6:50 am on the 23rd of july, and had camera at the ready. The first that i seen was a wood pigeon.

Second to the feeders was an adult and young starling, having a feast of dried mealworms. That was after 7am. All in all a good little study to carry out as to the birds i seen first. Of course not to say some may have been earlier.

Injured Chaffinch

On the 13th of july i came across an injured chaffinch on a path. Took it home to have a better look at it, and to see how bad or not it was injured. The only one i could see was its eye.

Put it somewhere quiet with some food and water and checked on it from time to time. After 24 hours it seem to be doing a lot better and had been eating, which was good news indeed.

It was able to fly around where i kept it in a room and seemed quite happy to be having a flitter. Still eating and drinking rather well, a very good sign of recovery.

On the third day it was really flying around and its eye had cleared up of its injury. Was then that i decided that it would not be fair to keep it any longer. I duly opened up the window, and after a moment or two flew out. Was good to know that i could help this bird.

Window Feeder

as i had nowhere really suitable to put live mealworms, i decided to try a window feeder. To begin with a magpie did not take long to suss it out, but i did not want it to have my mealworms. They were intended for the smaller birds to feed their fledgling.

While i was pottering about in the garden, i heard this fluttering, and to my surprise there was a starling on the window feeder. Was able to get quite close and observe it feeding. Would eat some and then take a beakfull away.

While it was gone i dashed in to get the camera, to see if i could get a bit closer for a few shots.

As can see, i done rather well in getting a small sequence of shots of the starling. Set camera to program mode, so as not to fiddle about with settings.

gathering Food

Mr blackbird has been very busy collecting food to feed the young. I put out a regular supply of mealworms and suet pellets. Can see mealworms in his beak. He came within a yard of me so was able to get a quite nice photo.

In the second photo he had decided that as i was doing a bit of digging, had better come over and look through the soil for some more food. worms were on the menu. Was nice to see him flicking the soil with beak to turn it over.

Seeing Double

Just like the buses, when they dont turn up along came two. After not seeing my hedgehogs for a few nights, was more than surprised and even more delighted to see two.

Though the food was gone the next morning i did not see them. This more than makes up for it. Was quite surprised that they were feeding together. When they left, they both went in different directions.

night visitor.

This is one of the hedgehogs that comes to feed in my garden. It likes to feast on fatballs, dried mealworms and suet pellets. Did climb up on to my other feeder which contains a crumble of peanuts, sunflower hearts, dried mealworms and suet. Is beginning to be a regular visitor now.

this is the nest of a wren that i found in a railway cutting. A pouch like nest with a small opening. This particular one i suspect is still in the building stage.

In the same railway cutting i did find the nest of a blackbird which as you see has three eggs in it. I must stress that i never shood the bird away to get this shot. The bird had already left the nest by the time i got there. And i only stayed long enough to get this photo.

Further along my walk a peacock butterfly was flittering around. Did not think it would stay still long enough to get a shot. But with patience i was rewarded.

Wood Pidgeon

Today i managed to get a quick snap of one of the wood pidgeons that come to feed. Was nice to see them again, being absent for a couple of days.

No takers so far for the new feeder with the home brew in it. But i did notice a rook taking a keen interest while perched on the fence. Felt pretty sure it would try and get to it, but alas traffic in the street frightened it off.

Went for my usuall walk today, and decided to take a detour to the creek to see what was there wildlife wise. None to speak of, but talking with a lady was informed that two little egrets were there early in the morning. Also from another source was told that otters have been seen there. How reliable that information is i could not say.

My two pidgeons returned in the evening for a last feed. Not seen the hedgehog since i photographed it.

Monday March 31

We all know how bird food can be rather expensive, and we want to do the best for the birds that visit.

So i put my thinking cap on and thought can i come up with something i can make for myself. After looking around at various mixes, with good fat and protein content i have come up with a mix that i think the birds will like.

By weight i used 300g of peanuts.

150g sunflower hearts.

30g dried mealworms.

125g beef suet.

I then put all those ingredients in a large bowl and mixed it around by hand. I then put the mix into a electric meat mincer. I used the large hole size that i had, which seems to be roughly 1/4 inch across. What comes out of the mincer can resemble a crumble mix. I also found that if the moisture content of the nut is high then this can vary.

What i have done is convert a squirrel feeder so i can use this mix. I put in a wooden backplate inside from back to front so it represents a slope so as the feed with come forward to front. And an extra piece of wood on bottom so as to raise a bit to help keep drier.

Here is a pic of the finished feeder complete with feed.

Easter Sunday

Have not seen any rooks for a few days now, that is better. Dont mind the odd couple, but the invasion that came i did not care for.



This morning after getting back home from the dog walk, i seen my usuall blackbird which was the female. Have not seen the male for several days now, hope he is ok. The two magpies were about as well. They just love those suet pellets.



Also a first for me this morning, a woodpigeon came for some food. I see them on the rooftops but never actually in my garden. Came twice for a feed, am very pleased about that. Goes to show it may be little but am making a difference.

Good friday

Today outside is blowing a hoot. Went out with the doggy first thing this morning. On the way back noticed that one of my blackbirds was feeding, which was nice to see as i thought the rook invasion i had may have put it off visiting.

got to my front door last night and the dog was kicking up a fuss. Just did not want to go inside. Was then that i seen the reason. A hedgehog was behind the bin. So took it inside for a short while so i could get a photograph of it.