The Bigg Bird Forum

[blueeyedchick]

Oh, thank you Paul for your good wishes and kind comments!! Having a good day today (healthwise) another year older but what the heck can't do nowt abt it as we say down here.?

Had some lovely gifts Paul, one was a super camera with a longer range lens than my old one so hopefully get some nice birdie shots when I work out how to use it. Also some money (ideal for mealies next season) some smellies plus a smashing bunch of flowers and a book by Paul O'Grady who is from your neck of the woods, all about his animals and small holding in Kent.
The top gift also from hubby along with the camera was a 6 night stay in a Norfolk Windmill!!!!! Right up my street as they say always wanted to stay in a Windmill & a Lighthouse!!! So looking forward to that in February.

Thanks for dropping by -bird wise still have the two girls each night but the BT is fouling her box a bit but definitely a female bird as she takes a few out now and again.
See you are keeping your feathered friends close to your chest and rightly so!

K x

[WildlifePaul]

You are welcome Kathy, Brilliant presents! Glad you've been spolit you deserve it! The 6 day get away sounds amazing too you'll love that.

Enjoy the rest of your day!
x

[ELLE]

Big ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY’ 🎂🎉💐 to you Kathy

Hope you’ve had a nice relaxing day!

Elle
Xx

[blueeyedchick]

Thanks Elle
You are all so kind on here. Off out for a meal at one of my locals tonight with close friends it will round the day off nicely!
BT & GT are snuggled up in their box. Hubby also bought me a Bat Box which he has erected today, know it's probably a little late now to get an occupant but there is always next year!

Kathy x

[SueP]

Bit late to the party oops - happy birthday Kathy . So envious of the windmill, sounds amazing. Hope your evening out is good - don't wake your little roosters on your return lol. 🎉🎂💐🎁
Sue

[blueeyedchick]

Never too late to the party Sue! Thanks for sending your birthday wishes to me.
Yes, it will be very interesting to stay in the Aylsham windmill. If you would like to have a look here is the website address.
aylshamwindmill.co.uk

Sorry to read you have no takers yet, like you say they must breed them tough in the south but the weather is supposed to be -4 this weekend so keep em peeled!

[ELLE]

Kathy, I must say you have surprised me with the bat box! I know some people think they are lovely creatures but im not a fan myself, as we have had bats in our roof space for about the last 10years and being protected cannot be removed. (Which I would gladly). We have often seen them flatten themselves against the wall and crawl on all ‘fours’ underneath the facia board into the roof. Freaks me out
When we first saw one going in we got the vermin people down to confirm and he said they can sometimes build up to groups of about 200.
Sometimes you can faintly hear them like fluttering.
The thing is we need to change our extension roof sometime in next couple of years & that roof ties into the main roof so apparently we have to time it accordingly to when they leave, including any new babies!

You must be truly a lovely person to want to entice them

Elle
Xx

[blueeyedchick]

Elle did you read Bram Stoker's Dracula when you were younger because Bats always remind me of that tale!
A few years back we had to have our kitchen extension roof re-felted and when the builder took the old stuff off there was a couple of hibernating bats in there. Of course work had to stop while I rang bat conservation and they sent someone out to look. We were able to continue finishing the job providing we left a small gap under the soffit so they could get out. In early summer we see them flying round the garden catching insects and this was what gave me the idea.
I can understand your dislike because yes they can have large roosts but there are so little places for them nowadays I thought I would give a helping hand, shall not be putting a camera in though hubby says we have enough!!!

Kathy

[ELLE]

funny enough I did read that along time ago!!

What put me off was the way it squashed itself against the wall to climb in, we had to keep the secret of them for a lot of years until my daughters grew up a bit because it was directly above one of their windows. Fortunately it is above the daughter window who is absolutely ecstatic about all wildlife, so that worked out ok. I don’t actually know what ‘variety’ it is I just know it wasn’t a little one (pippet) I think that’s what they call them.?

Anyway we have lived with them for so long, we have learnt to live alongside them. Bit awkward in summer when we have BBQs and people see them swoop for the first time!

Elle
Xx

[blueeyedchick]

Just wanted to show you a little clip of Christina my Robin. She is a one parent family after her mate was found dead on the side of the road. She is feeding her young in the hedge and I am providing her with mealies! You can see how poor her condition is with all the effort. I think her chicks will be fledging soon.

https://youtu.be/SWRn70NqtQA

[SueP]

Oh Kathy, poor little thing. Thank goodness you are there to help her with food. Hope she manages to successfully fledge them. Bless.
Sue

[sammi]

Love the video Kathy. The worms will help her a lot

[blueeyedchick]

Here is a clip of pretty Lily incubating her 9 eggs, must be very boring for her being away from the flock but suppose all the females are doing the same. Her eggs are a lovely white and speckled brown colour and you can see them clearly in the video.Don't know what she has done with the tennis ball fluff?


https://youtu.be/ex9zGR8gfGc

[sammi]

Lovely little video. Love the way she's tucking the feathers in....maybe the fluff has been tucked in too

[blueeyedchick]

Maybe it has Sammi I expect it is somewhere in there. Wish I could keep my hand still when filming. Every time I have to charge the cams battery the date goes out of kilter, still what can you expect for £44.99 One of the good things about it though is I can view films through the T.V which is nice and more atmospheric.
Interesting bit of scientific info you put on Sue's thread ..ummmm