(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, beetroot, carex, country wine on 2008-03-16, 09:01:00

I have one more night left before I can sleep, then get up to try to clear some more of the allotment.It has rained every day so far, so I will be wallowing in mud. The temperature has fallen again so it will be cold and wet.I hope April brings warmer weather to warm the soil up.
The other day the Collared Doves returned. These two are like little and large, the Blue Tit and the Collared Dove on the fence..

I now have two Robins who come into the garden throughout the day. A small one, and a plumper one.Im guessing the Plump one has been feeding since December in the Garden.The Garden is on the birds tour of the neighbourhood. They come and go almost every hour for a snack. They are spoilt by choice with sunflower seeds, peanut kernels, bird seed mix, and fatballs.They often sit on the outside branches of the Privet and wait for five minutes, deciding what is best to eat.Its true in restaurants the bigger the Menu the harder it is to choose sometimes!

The acrobatic Blue Tit examining the fatballs on the fence post.I have been rotating the food between the posts.Next week I will add further posts on the other side of the garden so I can keep them guessing where the food is.They watch me in the garden, then come out when I'm sat in the kitchen watching from the blue chair.
I planted some Beetroot seed two days ago in a mini propogator. The seedlings have come up now, with flourescent pink stems and almost orange leaves. Hil's wants me to grow lots so she can make Beetroot chutney.
I am thinking of all the country wines I can make this year from my soft fruit.The allotment has masses of Brambles..so thats Blackberry (the garden fruit bush is going to be relocated to the sunny allotment as it is not doing well alongside the Viburnum), Strawberrys, Raspberrys (the Bush is growing really well in the right hand border), and maybe Blueberrys..
I have fifty demijohns now in the cellar.I just need about four pounds weight worth of soft fruits to start the wines off.
Once they are matured I will give them away as I rarely drink alcohol!I will have to collect dandelions too from near Frans house for more Dandelion wine.
The other seed are planted were some Carex Comans Bronze, a reddish/brown Carex grass to compliment the green and yellow ones I have already, and the Black mondo grasses.
The grasses give the garden movement and soft noise!
The garden birds always relax me, watching their frenetic activity and listening to their songs as they sing throughout the day.I hope to watch them next week when I'm not knee deep in mud or planting seeds, or potting up seedlings!
I hope all your weekends have been nice wherever you garden.

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, pea plant on 2008-03-04, 04:27:00

I found a Pea seed on the soil in the left hand border.I took it inside and dried it out further before planting it a few weeks ago. I imagine a Black bird found it then dropped it whilst startled, like in the Aesops fable about the Fox and the Crow.
It has germinated and is now happily climbing up the stick I planted for it to grow up. A new plant from the birds beak!
It will be planted outside in a month when it has warmed up a bit. Its enjoying the comfort of the kitchen window for now.

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, bird bath on 2008-02-26, 07:37:00

I wandered what was bathing in the sunken green bowl by the Viburnum. The Third photo shows the bathing Bird sat in the water. He seems to be jumping in and out of the water.The Viburnum had a trim today to make it smaller for the small garden. The birds were out in force afterwards exploring my handywork, where bare branches are now visible at the base. Its so windy again that the fence has been rattling. I repaired the back fence and then a gust of wind ripped the side fence apart again.Sigh :)
I think the fencing is as old as the Ghostly gardener who originally planted the Viburnum, Geraniums, and the mystery bulbs.
My seed potatoes came yesterday from Marshalls with the rectangular grow bags. Fran will have one bag and the three baby seed potatoes. I have six sat in an egg box chitting now. They can be started off in the kitchen then moved outside when it warms up. They are early growing pot's so should have them in ten weeks from planting...
Todays photos are still to come of Robins, Polyanthus, and Cape Primroses...

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, rspb on 2008-01-27, 12:39:00

I have not taken part in the RSPB's gardenwatch day yet, due to working on the weekend it was held the 26th-27th January.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/
I might sit tomorrow for an hour how many garden birds visit my garden. Then use the internet to send my data to the Rspb.
They use it every year as an impromptu snapshot of how the native birds of Britain are doing. Every persons postcode is used to log the sightings on one hour of watching. It can be done in gardens or parks, and the time length is short enough that most people can manage it.
From all the data the RSPB can calculate bird populations and abundance (or scarcity) in any given area or the UK as a whole. This can reflect their future policies and which birds need protecting if they are to remain as a distinct species within the UK.
I think the BBC will publish a news story soon about the Top Ten British garden birds sighted over this weekend, in March.
It was originally used to get children into looking at birds in natural environments back in 1979. Over 400,000 people took part last year spotting some 6 millions birds in 235,000 gardens. Somebody realised you could get adults involved whether bird experts or amateurs.
The awareness of the environment and climate change has made a whole new generation of green gardeners and nature lovers. Who appreciate the Flora and Fauna of Britain as a national treasure.
All we need now is Nicholas Cage with some binoculars and a British Garden Birds book.I have worked all weekend. From dark in the morning at 530am to finishing at 810pm when its dark again. Two Dark days but am off tomorrow. The garden is calling me.....

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, robin on 2007-12-28, 13:31:00

From this morning before work my Garden Robin singing a song.The weather has turned foul now with heavy winds and driving rain. I hope all the birds have wrapped up warm as its wet and windy.
Back to work tomorrow for a long day...More gardening on Sunday if the weather clears :)

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, robin on 2007-12-20, 03:21:00

Just in time before Christmas this robin was watching me today plant the fruit bushes, and put down the new bird water containers. I have sunk two plastic bowls into the ground and surrounded them with little stones.There are now two small water sources in the garden.
I sprinkled bird seed around one and I think a large blackbird was eating before I turned around in the kitchen. It shot off quickly before I could even focus on what it was.
I love Robins and was so happy to see one hopping along the fence. He was on the fence, on the compost bin, and in the bird seed ground feeder!

(Via Snappy's Gardens Blog)

Posted by admin to Garden bird, bird table on 2007-12-18, 08:57:00

My first Bird photo in the fading light. Boy are these little ones shy! They dive bomb the table, grab a snack, then fly back into the hedgerow. There are small black berrys in the hedge,so thats what they have been feeding on. The black berrys are looking sparse though, so they have been investigating my bird food.
Today they have been devouring the fat balls that I cut up and put on the ground feeder, and in the bird table.
The wildlife guide thinks it takes two to three weeks for birds to get used to new feeders. They are coming slowly (and secretly).
I hope they get used to my Camera from behind the kitchen door :)