Awful weather - typical Brits talk

YoungBlueEyes

No there were no signs of rats LA, thank god! Me and lovely neighbour were out all day though, just in case. I was expecting a nest or runs or bodies or something, but there was nothing There was a tiny wee mouse out there this morning when I was putting out the bird food, but we're fairly rural so....

Dusty I love the smell of cutting and baling - get some bottled up and send it to me will ya  
We're not in an AOOB, not listed etc. A bog-standard 60's semi in a village. Mind you, one of the houses we went round the other day for the Open Gardens thing proves that historically there's been some money round here. I'll put a few pics up because it was a gorgeous spot. Somewhere along the line someone's run up a big baccarat bill though cos the (presumably) large grounds it must have sat in are now a council estate... At least you'd not know it from inside   

I can always tell when the Holey Roamin' Terror comes over the fence cos my blacky sets up a screaming alert system, you'd not miss it! Oh and speaking of birds - anybody thinking of spending money on a squirrel proof bird feeder bird proof squirrel entertainment system, don't bother. The squirrels spent a couple of days swinging from it and being comical, and the birds have given up as they can't work it out. Waste of money. Dear it was, too  

OT - cool and cloudy here, the breeze has dropped a touch perhaps. When the sun came out yesterday, it was only out for a long as it took me to write "sun's just come out", literally

Dustyevsky

LurkingAgain said:

Thank you Dusty, the chucks are camping in the feed shed, in a dog cage over night. I use nettex sheild and dia dust. I must have caught this lot just in time.

We give ours a dust bath laced with diatomaceous earth, and most use it. I love to think of those bugs sandpapering themselves to oblivion!

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

We're not in an AOOB, not listed etc. A bog-standard 60's semi in a village. Mind you, one of the houses we went round the other day for the Open Gardens thing proves that historically there's been some money round here.

There are 7 'special' areas in this county and I'm delighted not to be in any of them.  There is gentrification going on now, mainly because other areas have been discovered and people seek 'authenticity,' or perhaps, seclusion. Our nearest neighbours to the west are in the latter category, even buying-up fields to stop nosey parkers like me seeing how they've broken planning rules.They still have a public footpath going right through their land though....and naughty people like a friend, who does geocaching and hides hers down there deliberately!

Sadly, we missed the local Open Gardens on Sunday. Mrs D had an appt. at the optician, deliberately chosen for then 'cos it's quiet and we get advice from the owner, who's good. We were back by 4pm, but at £7 a head, we wanted the full Monty. We might do Rosemoor this week as compensation.

Dull and very cool this morning, especially around 06.00, when I wished I'd more on than my PJs when letting the chickens out. Brrr!

YoungBlueEyes

Love the geocaching bit  

There's a lovely wee house where I used to live. Prob the old lock keepers cottage as it's right alongside the canal. A new owner moved in and decided to renovate the garden and plant big rose bushes all along the public footpath. Plenty of people (including us dog walkers - we were a group of a dozen-ish) decided that was wrong and went out of our way to traipse across his garden. He often come out and ...inform us.... it was private land. In the end he put huge walls and gates up, and created a track down the other side of his house, but we weren't having that cos he'd been such an ersehole about it.

Anyway council/river board (?) got involved and he had to rip his garden up and put the RoW back. First day it reopened we went along it in party hats with balloons and streamers and them party blower things. He sat in his window and scowled at us, and we laughed and laughed. It was kind of a shame cos his garden was beautiful but it was his own fault. He bought it.

LessImpecunious

YoungBlueEyes said:

 Oh and speaking of birds - anybody thinking of spending money on a squirrel proof bird feeder bird proof squirrel entertainment system, don't bother. The squirrels spent a couple of days swinging from it and being comical, and the birds have given up as they can't work it out. Waste of money. Dear it was, too

I spent a lot of money/time trying out various (not actually) squirrel-proof feeders, and the only one I've found to last was an RSPB one (Ultimate Nut Feeder), with a cage (which RSPB call a Guardian) (comes in two sizes - see https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/bird-feeders-boxes-tables/bird-care-accessories/feeder-guardians/rspb-ultimate-bird-feeder-guardian-small.html?tracking=searchterm:Guardian). I have two, and one has lost (and other is losing) a protective plate at the bottom, but squirrels still can't get in that way; and on one of them part of the handle which fits through the feeder has broken, but easily fixed with a bit of DIY) - so, with repair, the oldest one is still going strong after what must be nearly 15 years... Pricey for feeder and cage, but long-lasting, so ultimately money-saving...

YoungBlueEyes

Thanks Less. Mine one is like this but no-one seems to like it, now the squirrels have finished playing with it  

https://www.diy.com/departments/pack-of-12-natures-market-bf008fb-wild-bird-fatball-fat-ball-feeder-with-squirrel-guard/5060559857529_BQ.prd

But mine is a peanut one.

LessImpecunious

That's odd - the cage looks similar to the ones I have and small birds have no problem getting at  nuts inside (and large - some of our local Jackdaws have got the hang of swinging on it and reaching through the bars)...maybe it's the HRT that's putting them off? Or too much activity and change in the garden with all the DIY going on...

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

Mine one is like this

https://www.diy.com/departments/pack-of-12-natures-market-bf008fb-wild-bird-fatball-fat-ball-feeder-with-squirrel-guard/5060559857529_BQ.prd

But mine is a peanut one.

How much!? I'd want it gold-plated for that!

Greater Spotted Woodpecker was knocking 6 bells out of our cheapo peanut feeder this morning, but I think the photo I took is pants.

LessImpecunious

The cheapo feeders I tried (and some of the expensive ones) lasted less than a week against the voracious squirrels in our neck of the woods...mind you, our squirrels easily win against a flock of jackdaws too, so less woossie than the ones down your way!

ArbitraryRandom

Just spent an entertaining half hour watching the various squirrel olympics videos on the YouTube.

I guess I'm fortunate that, with actively hunting cats, I don't want to encourage the birds too much so also don't have a squirrel problem (though I guess they could be entertaining for the kitten - who went for a seagull chick at 1am last night and woke the whole street!) 

I think I previously reported the explosion of aphids (I'm not exactly an experienced gardener, but even I wouldn't have missed the grass actively glueing itself to my legs in previous years!). I was a little worried as I'd not seen any trace of ladybugs. 

Well, this morning, I swear I saw at least 6... the word must have finally gotten around  

I was taking a picture of this handsome gentleman enjoying a leisurely breakfast - do I need to be concerned by that spot of brown on the stem? I can't see it on the other plants, but would like to catch any problems before they spread.