Tag: sparrow

Categories
webcams

Starting from number six there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number six there are five new photographs on the Photo Page.

There are no photographs left after those on the Photo Page tonight.

ALL TOOK IN MY GARDEN. LYNNE.

BABY SPARROW. LYNNE.

MUM FEEDING BABY SPARROWS. LYNNE.

SPARROW ENJOYING A BATH. LYNNE.

ONE OF MY TAME ROBINS BABY’S. LYNNE.

MY TAME ROBIN. LYNNE.

A Jenny Wren has decided to nest by our kitchen door, inches from our head when we come and go. Other than last year one would nest in the same place every year. The previous year a Squirrel or Magpie pulled the nest apart after the Chicks had left the nest. Last year a Robin attempted to nest in the place but left the nest before the eggs had hatched. Probably we disturbed the Robin going in and out. I will try to find the time to fix a camera to show the nest.

Our three Black Swan Cygnets were delivered this afternoon, but after talking to the person who looks after the Birds at Cricket St Thomas who came with them we sent them back. I didn’t realise that the Cygnets needed to be on the Lake within a few days or they may have started to have problems. We would not try to put them on the Lake until the Geese and Goslings have left, as I am sure that the Geese will attack the Cygnets if we introduced them. Our intention was to house them in one of the Stables and after letting them get use to the noise and surroundings we would have let them out to walk around the Farm Yard until the Geese had left. By all accounts that is not a good idea as they need to have some period in the water or they may get leg problems with their weight be constantly on their legs. Once the Geese have left the Lake the Cygnets will be returning.

Categories
webcams

There are five photographs on the Photo page starting from…

There are five photographs on the Photo page starting from number one. We need some photographs.

Thornton part of his hop, skip and jump taken by Peter from the Lock whilst on a walk down the Valley.

Deer at Wollaton Park in Nottinghamshire. Vicky.

Piglet taken at Sherwood Forest farm park. Vicky.

Peacock Butterfly taken in my garden. Vicky.

The Hermit Butterfly taken at Wollaton Park. Vicky.

Vicky now has her own website
http://www.victoriasphotogallery.co.uk’ next week you will be able to link to Vicky’s website from the Photo Gallery page.

We have had a Sparrow Hawk hunting on the Farm for a couple of weeks, probably a bit longer but we haven’t seen the feathers from what he has caught. Just lately it seems to be getting quite successful in getting Blue Tits and Green Finches as for the past two days we have found feathers in a number of various places. This morning when we went down the Valley we found the feathers of a Greater Spotted Woodpecker that the Sparrow Hawk must have caught.

A couple of years ago we had a Sparrow Hawk that for over three weeks was taking a Dove nearly every day. We regularly use to see it taking the Doves in flight. Some years back we had a very friendly Robin. It seemed that no matter where we were the Robin was always very close by. One day I was talking to some people in the Farm Yard, our Robin was within a couple feet from us hopping around on the ground, without any warning or noise the Sparrow Hawk swooped down and flew off with the Robin.

When one of our cottages was tenanted to two nurses, a Sparrow Hawk entered the loft through an Owl hole and nested. I did warn the nurses that it wasn’t a good idea and that it would be better if they blocked the hole that the Sparrow Hawk had entered. They didn’t take any notice and allowed the Bird to nest, they even unbeknown to me sourced Rats and Mice and fed the Sparrow Hawk through the loft hatch. The eggs hatched and it was all OK for a few weeks until the fledglings left the nest and walked about the loft above the cottage bedrooms. By all accounts the noise of them walking about woke them all through the night every night until the fledglings left the loft.

Categories
webcams

This morning we were standing by the stables whilst the…

This morning we were standing by the stables whilst the Farriers was attending to Bliss. A Robin that we often see, was picking up the left overs from the Horses morning feed, it is always about when we are mucking out or feeding the Horses. All the time we were outside the Robin was within a couple of feet of us. All of a sudden, so fast that it had happened before it had begun, a Sparrow Hawk came down and picked the Robin off. We all looked at each other to see what we had seen had really happened within a couple of feet from where we were standing.

I have seen a Sparrow Hawk take Dove on the wing a many times at Denbury. A few years ago we had one nesting in the cottages loft. It had got in the hole that use to be put into buildings to encourage the Barn Owls. It would perch on a telegraph pole very close to the cottages, waiting for the Doves. The Doves would wait on the roof of the cottages not daring to fly until the Sparrow Hawk had gone. But on many occasion as we were working in the yard, we would see him take a Dove.

At the time we had two nurses living in the cottage that was below the loft where the Sparrow Hawk was nesting. We were told later that they had been buying mice to feed the Chicks with. Odd pair they were. If I ever wrote a book they would defiantly have a mention or two.

We needed to have the Farrier in today to see to Bliss’s hoof. She has been limping on it on and off for some weeks. One day she would be alright on it, the next day she would be hardly able to walk. We have been poulticing it hoping we could draw any infection out. It didn’t take the Farrier long to find the problem. The infection had moved until it got deep into the heel. He cut away the dead hoof where the infection was hiding. Although the pain was relieved nearly straight away, Bliss has been limping in anticipation of her still having the pain.

I have all of the parts that I need to finish installing the camera on to the new tower. All I need is t find some one to take the old camera down. With a bit of luck it will be working next week.

Categories
webcams

Robin taken by sparrow hawk…

Robin taken by sparrow hawk

Categories
webcams

As much as I want to let the Ewe and…

As much as I want to let the Ewe and lambs out in the fields, I look at the lambs, they are so small I worry that they wont survive a prolonged wet spell. The weather forecasts are all over the place, I cant say that I trust them very much. Every time the Ewe hears or sees us she calls out letting us know she is there, it would help her if another Ewe had lambed and was in the stable with her. Well I didn’t count them until about 5.pm today and one other Ewes was missing. It did not take long to find her, she was in the area I would have expected her to be, there she was with her new born healthy Ewe lamb. I will have to check them a bit more than once a day.

The way that the Dove is poking about in the nest, the eggs may well have hatched, they definitely are ugly ducklings until they are mature. We do get a lot of them on the farm. Nature does takes its course, by the Sparrow Hawk taking them. We often see him taking one, not a pleasant sight, but that’s nature.

A couple of years ago a pair Sparrow Hawks nested in the loft above the Holiday Cottages, it got in through a Barn Owl Hole entrance, that we left open for the Barn Owls, when we converted a barn. When the chicks started to leave the nest, they would move about, above the bedroom ceilings, I reckon it was one hell of a noise, all though every person who occupied the cottage found it fascinating and really enjoyed the experience. They only took up residence for one year.

For some reason we don’t get any Barn Owls on the Farm, They tend to like rough, pasture that the Voles like, there is then a plentiful larder for them. As you have seen on the Badger cams, we do have some rough land that we do not manage, so there are plenty of Voles. But the Barn Owls still don’t come. We do get other types of Owls including the Tawney.
You can help the Badgers from being shot
http://www.savethebadger.com