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Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: Val on October 16, 2004, 17:48:24
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I had a load of feathers all around our bird table this morning...I think they're from one of the collard doves, they were white. The birds were very reluctant to feed from the table I put some seed on the ground and they took that.. Cat do you think? hard to tell unless I keep watch all night but it would have to take a leap from the fence and I would've thought the birds would see it. Its put up quite a fight..the bird. The feathers are everywhere.
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More than likely. you have had a visit from the local Sparrowhawk. They are partial to Collar Doves.
::) ::)
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Thanks Carol, think I'll have to keep watch. ;D
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;DSaw what it was eventually. A cat was hiding in the bushes...a great big black and white thing. We've moved the table to the middle of the lawn..no place to hide there.
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We came home from our hols to be greeted by a pile of feathers in the kids garden. No sign of a body. Possibly a sparrowhawk, more likely the neighbours cat! >:(
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;Dthey seem to know when you aren't around as well. I saw it jump for a blue tit...frightened me, I dread to think what it did for the bird.
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Hi Val,
If the feathers were all over the place it most likely is a cat. If it was a more or less 'tidy' scene it could have been a predator bird 'plucking' its prey.
But most likely the scene of the crime has been distorted.... A couple of week ago I thought I saw a falcon take a bird of our neighbours roof ....
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;DHi Wills...we seem to be plagued with cats you and me. ....At least we don't get sarky comments for being 'off' topic on here. The posts some of the mods are making really makes everyone unhappy. We don't work for the beeb, surely if we're not rude or offensive does it really matter.....Blimey surprised myself there..didn't mean to let off steam, ....Yes birds of prey pluck them into the air if they can.
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Hi Val, Sorry to hear the Mods got into your system, I kind of take them as they come and let comments slide down my back as we say. One of the cats in our neighbourhood has taken a very close interest inour feeding tables too, but being over 1.8 metres high on slinging post they cant get at the birds on the table. I just hope the ones that pick up the grains on the soil keep very alert.. :-\
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Interesting what you say there about the feathers. The ones in our garden were in a neat circle, almost as though something had sat there and plucked what looked like a pigeon until he was buck knacked! So maybe it was a bird of prey after all.
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Hi Emma Jane,
It really could be, birds have good table manners.... ;D
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Ring of feathers? hmm! now I know where they may have come from :o
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One day we saw a pile of fluffy feathers on our neighbours back green, and were thinking that she'd had a visit from the local sparrowhawk again, until she revealed (rather sheepishly) that she'd been shaking out her down filled pillows out of the kitchen window and one had burst! To make matters worst, the wind blew most of the feathers back into the kitchen! :(
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;DBlimey Spurdie...that made me laugh..sort of thing that usually happens to me..lol...We may be moving into your country in a year or two..not so far up as you ..West Bunbartonshire do you know it?
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OH MY GOD!!! :o What on earth has possessed you? I hope you have a sturdy pair of wellies! 8) No, I'm not familiar with West Dunbartonshire at all, I'm afraid. However, I'm sure you'll fit in wherever you are - you seem to be that sort of person! :)
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Hi Val, that would be quite a move, leaving the temperate hazel woodland behind, heading for the heathered northern hills... Better check if it is midge country, or you are going to miss your squirrels.... ;D
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OH has relatives there...I'm fed up with the very dry summers..Sounds idyllic but in fact its a nightmare if you're a gardener. I love cottagey plants, that need a lot of moisture, I'm not really into med style gardening...and strange as it may sound I think there might be more oppurtunity for the 2 youngest...18 & 16...one is a musician the other doing art A levels and I know both those scenes are big there.Also Kent people aren't friendly , and I'm getting tired of saying hello with no answers.
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Hi Val, I've had a look on the map and see West Dumbarton is on the South West of Sterling. I once passed Sterling by train on my way from Fort William to Newcastle, it is very lush green, I don't think long periods of drought will be a problem there,.... no problem keeping your butt filled ;D
Really beautifull, but instead of a mayor you'll have to settle for a provost ???
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Hi Wills.Its not far from Loch Lomond so we'll have Nessie to contend with. I've never been further north than Yorkshire but we're going to go and look first. Franks mum comes from there and Franks got cousins there , but nothing definate yet. Our Sarah's got to finish her A levels so it'll be after that..if we go.
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Aye aye Val (you might as well get used to it!) ;D
Fit like? This year has been a soggy summer, but last year we were as badly affected by drought as anyone else in the country! Even this year I had to water the gunneras, astilbes and cannas!!!
The west coast of Scotland is great for growing tropical plants - my cousin lives near Oban and they think it a real novelty to see snow!
Hardly any frosts either! Speaking of snow, we had our first snowfall this afternoon - huge white flakes, drifting slowly down gracefully :). Unfortunately, this was followed closely by several showers of stinging hailstones :(. I think it's going to be -4 tonight, it's bitterly cold already.
I grow lots of cottage plants very successfully (said she, bragging) so they'd easily settle in fine up north.
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William, we have lots of hazel woodlands here too! And MOST of us CAN speak English (when we want to!)
Re saying "hello" to strangers: up here I always to speak to anyone and everyone (whether I know them or not). For all the effort it takes to open you mouth and say "hello, whit a bonny day" (this I have uttered about twice this year) and for them to reply "Aye we better mak the best o it afore it comes on rain again". But when I go down to Edinburgh and try the same trick people look at me as though I've just escaped from an assylum! :( Have been informed that it is not the "done thing" to talk to strangers as people keep themselves to themselves down there (don't know who their neighbours are five doors down!) I don't know about you, but I find that very sad ... :(
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I love Scotland... and the scots we met there were really warm and friendly, we toured B&B.
I feel sure I have ties there because when leaving for home I have a little tear in my eye. :-[ :'(
Keeping on topic the wildlife's good too! ::)
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A tear in your eye, eh Roy? That moisture that you felt was most probably RAIN! Don't worry, you'll get used to it!
Yes, we are not short of wildlife. There was a report in the paper about pine grosbeaks being spotted far from home! I've no idea what they look like, so I'm going to look them up on Google. We've had waxwings for several years now, and there are large flocks of fieldfares stripping the rowans just now. Good crop of rowans = severe winter :( Plenty rowans = plenty waxwings :)
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Hi Spurdie just found this in a book I have.There are scarlet one also. 8)
(http://img47.exs.cx/img47/7653/grosebeak.jpg)
We have had Waxwings visit us here in Brum, the reason I know this is that I saw several peeps with Binoculars on tripods and went over and stuck my beak in to inquire and they said they found out about them on the internet and came from miles around just to take a peek. :o
Blooming marvelous this internet thingy init? 8)
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I really like the highlands an the Scots.
Once in early may I backpacked solo across the Monadliath from glen Roy near Fort William to Tomatin near Inverness, camping alone in the hills near streams and rivers. In the lowerparts the lambing had just begone and higher up the grouse were on their nests. They are so well camouflaged that you don't see them untill they fly up when you come within 1 - 2 metre distance. Really a beautifull and nice place to be.
And I guess it ist true, the smaller and the more rural the towns and villages the more welcoming and open the people.
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;DI've had OH cousins send me their local paper...doesn't say nothing about the midges..I'm hoping its further up where they are, we're not going into the highlands there, its nearer Glasgow. Spurdie you've got me even more excited about the place...Edinburgh sounds like here..it is so sad, it wasn't like it when I was young but people have become so suspicious. I'm looking forward to finding out about the wildlife, also you've clinched it for me about cottage plants...mine have struggled for a few years now and unless I want to change the style of gardening, I'm sure they won't last much longer....Went to Herne Bay earlier, they had a Scots band complete with bag pipes walking up the high street...the word must've got about..lol.
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Thanks for the piccy, Roy ;D
Will have to scrutinise every pink looking bird around: either a chaffinch, bullfinch, brambling or PINE GROSBEAK! I love the American nickname they have - mopes!
Val, re pipe bands: I've been told that wearing no drawers under your kilt can be very advantageous. :) It's difficult to fit into wee portaloos with all your regalia on, so they just squat on the ground and look as though they're resting, all the while .... So now you know. If you find a patch of soggy ground at a Highland show DON'T SIT ON IT! :(
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;DLoveit...I never peeked up their kilts though....oh blow.. ;D I'll remember that , so if I see a highlander squatting I'm not to assume he's tired or admiring the heather.......
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While you are looking for Highland Men squatting on the ground, you had better look out for the Haggis as well with two legs shorter than the other so that they can run around the hills and not fall over !!!
:D
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I tried Haggis tatties 'n' neeps but must have been short changed as the legs were missing off of mine :'(
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Hello, Carol ;D
I haven't seen a postcard with a haggis on for ages ... maybe it's not p.c. to poke fun at the haggis' disabilities! :-X I must admit I'm not a haggis fan at all. I'd rather just eat the neaps and tatties! :D
Had a large flock of greenfinches raiding the nuts today. I wish they'd all eat in an orderly manner, but instead they spend most of their time fighting. Most disagreeable birds. :(
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Roy,
though noone has mentioned it, I want to acknowledge your ring of feathers joke. Very good. Apt!
Ciaran