Daydream thread continues.....

Itismehonest

Yes, it's windy here, too, Dave ..... but that's fairly normal.

I've probably lived with birds so long that I'm no longer 'mazed' by them Most times I only notice them if they're doing something amusing or being a darned nuisance :rotfl:
For those that feed the birds don't forget that, as with all animals & birds, once you start you have to continue as they come to rely on it. Remember to get someone to do it for you if you go away.

RSPB feeding advice

We don't put out feed unless it's a particularly bad winter with everything frozen & thick snow on the ground. The rest of the time the land provides having been planted up with (or naturally providing) various plants they can feed on.
We have an area where water comes out of the hillside into a small pond & then runs off through to the larger ponds & stream. It's usually alive with birds coming down for baths, drinks & to catch any insects attracted to the water.
I did have to raise an eyebrow recently when a wren decided to go down the hole where the water goes underground - I fully expected not to see it come up again (the water in winter has the strength of a fireman's hose) - but it did. Walked it's way up the moss pecking away as it came :rotfl:

rozeepozee

Itsme, I had thought about this and the last time we went away, I bought extra feeders and put loads of food out, including extra fat balls that don't get eaten in a day! I think I'm now becoming known as the soft touch in the area though as I've continued to fill up these extra feeders and I have five on the go now... The feeder that once filled used to last 3 days, now lasts less than a day I will have to put a sackful out when we go away next time!

Looking at the RSPB advice, i think we need to start winding the feeding down a little....

Advice please: We have a BIG pile of wood in the middle of the field. It's from last winter when OH was clearingup and chopping back and I wouldn't let him burn it in case there were hibernating animals in there. What's the best thing to do with it? He looks at me with loathing when I suggest he should move it all before buring it now as it's a job and a half, but we want it gone before the nesting season starts.

Maybe I'm going to have to make an adventure out of it for the kids and get them to help us out

Itismehonest

rozeepozee wrote: »

Itsme, I had thought about this and the last time we went away, I bought extra feeders and put loads of food out, including extra fat balls that don't get eaten in a day! I think I'm now becoming known as the soft touch in the area though as I've continued to fill up these extra feeders and I have five on the go now... The feeder that once filled used to last 3 days, now lasts less than a day I will have to put a sackful out when we go away next time!

Advice please: We have a pile of wood in the middle of the field. It's from last winter when OH was clearingup and chopping back and I wouldn't let him burn it in case there were hibernating animals in there. What's the best thing to do with it? He looks at me with loathing when I suggest he should move it all before buring it now as it's a job and a half, but we want it gone before the nesting season starts.

Maybe I'm going to have to make an adventure out of it for the kids and get them to help us out

:rotfl: Yep, sounds like the birds saw you coming, rozee.
Remember to put the right foods out for the time of year, too

If food shortages occur when birds have young in the nest they may be tempted by easy food put on birdtables to make up the shortfall in natural food, initially to feed themselves, but if the situation gets bad enough, they will also take the food to the nest.

If the food offered on your bird table isn't suitable for the young chicks, it can do more harm than good, and can even be lethal to the chicks as they can choke on the food. It can be difficult for a human to gauge when food shortage in the wild occurs, and hence it is best not to put out food that is likely to create problems during the breeding season.

Therefore, never put out loose peanuts, dry hard foods, large chunks of bread, or fats during the spring or summer months.

As to the wood pile, if you are worried about things having taken up residence & you don't want them to take their chances (eg waiting until hedgehogs are awake before lighting) then you will have to take the pile apart. Take care with the kids, though. Coming from an adder area I know there's a lot more than hedgehogs that tuck themselves away under things _pale_

rozeepozee

Thanks for the RSPB link, Itsme. I've looked before but it's good to have a reminder.

rhiwfield

pink_poppy wrote: »

I've already been bitten by something ~ 3 times on my foot!! :eek:

Late winter I sometimes get painful bites round my ankles with no signs of mossies/midges. I wondered about ants but they are too far underground, then I saw a programme about harvest mites and wondered whether they could be active at this time of year or whether they are just an autumnal pest.

Not that I'm gardening atm, nasty cold and recurrence of sinus infection so continuous headaches and yet another course of antibiotics

Itismehonest

Davesnave wrote: »

By the way, this is where two lads drove a 4x4 into the river a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.farsondigitalwatercams.com/live-webcams/south/Mole/Watertown

Unfortunately, the camera was down at the time!


Story:http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/PHOTOS-Driver-fined-wasting-police-time-rescued/story-18108752-detail/story.html#axzz2Ljymw783

This guy's camera wasn't, though, Dave I particularly like the second half of the video - the attempts to rescue the vehicle 'dreckly' :rotfl:

http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/VIDEO-Men-ended-stranded-River-Mole-near/story-18257198-detail/story.html#axzz2M0XrsGZG

Dipsticks. I'd have billed them for the whole op.

Oh rhiw, it's miserable I'm at the OK first thing & then everything fills up going downhill from there stage. Steam (with or without Friar's Balsam/Olbas Oil) does help move things but, as you'll know that can be a mixed blessing as it's often painful.

Itismehonest

rhiwfield wrote: »

Late winter I sometimes get painful bites round my ankles with no signs of mossies/midges. I wondered about ants but they are too far underground, then I saw a programme about harvest mites and wondered whether they could be active at this time of year or whether they are just an autumnal pest.

Not that I'm gardening atm, nasty cold and recurrence of sinus infection so continuous headaches and yet another course of antibiotics

Are you absolutely certain they are actual bites?

rhiwfield

Itismehonest wrote: »

Are you absolutely certain they are actual bites?

I think so, sharp pain followed by itchy weals.

That youtube is classic :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

rozeepozee

DD2's "bites" on her feet were caused by the Hand, Foot and Mouth virus. We've all had it. I'm suffering now. I feel absolutely rubbish. I'd never heard of it 'til we came to Wales. There seems to be a yearly epidemic in the village :eek:

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

Hmmmm, nobody seems to be mentioning the strong wind we have here, which was going all night too.:( Oh well, mustn't moan, as it looks pretty dry overall in the next week or so.....I can always cut grass when more static jobs make me chilly.....

I'm hoping the builder guys will start sorting our barn next week. They've already put a few tonnes of aggregate down there in readiness. No sign of Pete wanting to do a bit of fencing though. I saw him last week and he was being deliberately vague about his movements! :rotfl:The Petes of this world are never short of work, so one just has to fit in with them.

Yep the wind woke me up dave. Cold and loud as it hit the house.