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Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer
Comments
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vivatifosi wrote: »People who've been around the many previous versions of the NPT may recall I used to have a blackbird in my garden that I called phonebird, because he would "ring" and wake me up in the morning.
When I was a kid, we had a starling that could do a very creditable impression of a Trimfone - which was rather annoying for our neighbours, who had a Trimfone :rotfl:0 -
Just heard on BBC News "Have you seen one of these ladybirds?" .... and I hadn't mentioned it but I had a ladybird invasion the other day - I thought a nest had erupted inside my house and I spent ages flicking them out of the patio doors and then making sure the doors were closed thereafter.
I looked up at the screen and there was a photo the orange/black ones I've got!
There's a ladybird invasion, apparently, and they're a bunch that are a danger to native species.
I've had a swarm of 20-30 of them floating around the corner of my house for the last 3 days or so.0 -
We get loads of sparrows around here - I reckon they manage to scoff at least 75% of the sunflower hearts I put out. I'm not complaining too much though, they are in decline nationally so it's good to see them in decent numbers here.
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It's quite interesting seeing the different feeding techniques. The finches and sparrows take a seed and simply crunch it up, ignoring the bits that fall off. Other sparrows eat the detritus off the ground, luckily. The great tits come in, grab a seed and fly off, whereas the blue tits also grab a seed but fly to the nearest convenient perch (often the rope from which the feeder is hung) and clamp the seed under one foot while they peck away at it until it's all gone - then go back to collect another.
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We had lots of sparrows in the summer/early autumn. Could be they just haven't re-discovered the feeders are full yet.
I know what you mean about how the different birds have different techniques for eating the sunflower hearts! :rotfl: Gives me great delight to sit and watch them from my bed in the caravan living room. They really are entertaining!
Forgot to mention the robin - he was delighted at OH digging up the agapanthus, was rooting around even while OH was digging it up. Definitely the gardener's friend - eat lots of nasties when they get exposed, but good company too!My MIL used to hurl large amounts of food out for the birds and then run out waving her hands in the air to scare them off if the "wrong type" of birds dared venture in.
She would throw out a whole frozen gateau (still frozen and in one piece). Eventually the birds stopped coming and it was just the rats. She wouldn't have it that her behaviour was responsible for the rats being there.
Our previous next door but one neighbour was a bit like that. And yes, the rats followed. They were a nuisance for our neighbour between, coming into his garden. He got pest control in, they did come and inspect our garden, but found no signs at the time.We have a very tame robin who follows you around the garden, plus a green woodpecker who pecks very large holes in the ground.
At our last house (1.5 miles away) we also had a very tame robin and a green woodpecker.
Envying you the green woodpecker! I believe they're quite rare. We have a lesser spotted, our first year Mrs brought the kids to feed on the suet, but we've stopped putting that out now as it just gets gobbled up by the bl**dy magpies. Might try again this winter though. What with one thing and another this year (the year from hell!) I haven't managed to sit and birdwatch out of our kitchen at all.We're really hoping we have a less fraught year next year!
PasturesNew wrote: »
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There's a ladybird invasion, apparently, and they're a bunch that are a danger to native species.
I've had a swarm of 20-30 of them floating around the corner of my house for the last 3 days or so.
Harlequin ladybirds. They are nasty. They bite. :eek: If you squidge them they put out foul smelling liquid that can stain soft furnishings from their joints. :eek: They also give out pheromones to attract more of their mates! :eek:
Suggestions for how to get rid of harlequin ladybirds.0 -
ukmaggie45 wrote: »Harlequin ladybirds. They are nasty. They bite. :eek: If you squidge them they put out foul smelling liquid that can stain soft furnishings from their joints. :eek: They also give out pheromones to attract more of their mates! :eek:
Suggestions for how to get rid of harlequin ladybirds.
I think I was "lucky" as I was on top of the situation. Saw one on the door, flicked it out... then over the next 1-2 hours saw more close to the window/door, so flicked them all out. I kept the door shut (normally I leave it wide open if I've just popped outside by 3-4').
The next day I saw one in the fold of a curtain and flicked it out.
Sitting indoors I've been seeing them flying past the windows etc.
Today none so far ... looks like they sniffed around and decided there was nowhere indoors for them, so they've one elsewhere (maybe the loft??)0 -
I'm still back at square one.... want to try/eat food from the new shop ... but still have no idea what to buy if I go in there. I've spent hours looking online for ideas that answer the basic question "what do I fancy?" and there's simply no clear answer.
It's always like this, that's really why I eat so much toast etc .... too much choice, indecision, time passes, quick nuke/toast something.0 -
We bought a hanging bird feeder. Then had to buy a squirrel protector for it. Then had to re-site it as the squirrels still managed access. Then we found that the fat balls we had stored in the garage attracted mice.
We gave up.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0 -
No ladybirds here, but loads of tiny white flies. Not just around my house but the whole area.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0
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I feel I did a bit better... went to the shop. Couldn't park, so parked in a road on the estate across the road, trotted through a hedge gap and just risked life and limb crossing the road, jumped up onto the wall of the shop, down the other side and across a grass embankment, through a pile of leaves.... and I was there
Shop was full of people, most of whom had never been in an A*di before, so they were all standing looking at everything and all I could hear was people saying to the others they were with "it's cheap!".
I spotted some 30% off stickers .... always a magnet ... on the cheapo sandwiches. So I selected a cheese sandwich (60p after 30%). Then I thought I'd get some cocktail sausages (cooked) which I buy from their competitor usually. We're on a winner here .... so then I got a bit gung ho and made a flash decision over a microwave meal for one (allbeit pricier than I'd usually pay, I was on a high). Then it was off to crumpets and then I spotted a 30% off sticker on some puffy white rolls, so I got those (34p for 4 after discount).
Well, that's a result - best I get out now before it goes wrong.
So that's lunch sorted today - and tonight's dinner - and sausage/brown sauce rolls 4x in the coming weeks....crumpets for snacks/breakfasts and the rest of the sausages (40 in a pack) will be part of a cooked breakfast, or just scoffed as a random "grab 1-2 sausages" when I pass the fridge.
No sweeties. I said to myself "You don't need sweeties, you still have 2 cheesecakes at home ... you'll be a porker if you buy sweeties".0 -
Is there something wrong with me?
For me the kids football is abut them enjoying playing. However it appears that girls u11 and boys u8 the score and who wins is all that matters to half the parents to the extent that they start shouting and cussing each other in front of the kidsI think....0 -
Is there something wrong with me?
For me the kids football is abut them enjoying playing. However it appears that girls u11 and boys u8 the score and who wins is all that matters to half the parents to the extent that they start shouting and cussing each other in front of the kids
Nope, there's nowt wrong with you - but there obviously is with the other parents0
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