Animals in your garden

[Sean Regan]

'arry is comimg earlier for "first dinner sitting," around 9.00pm when it's still light.

That's what it is, "a sitting." Because as his feeding flowerpot saucers are only about an inch deep, he actually sits down to eat and sort of moves around the dish as he eats. He disappeared about ten, then came back before midnight to finish the rest.
He's appearing regularly on the camera, three times last night, 10.00pm, midnight and 2.00am. So he must be all over the garden. He's not triggering the PIR on the side of the garage, but he is triggering the camera even when he's about twenty feet away.

Technical point. My laptop wouldn't let me delete the files on the SD card. The other day I went on the internet and found all sorts of weird and complicated ways of achieving this. But didn't bother.

I've been putting the card back in the camera and then clicking on "format" on it, that gets rid of the file. so it wasn't a problem.

Anyway, this afternoon I changed the name of the file and copied and pasted it into my 'arry file. (I've one now like I made for "Fiona.")
Having done that, I found as I'd changed the name of the file, I was able then to delete it on the card.

 

[Sean Regan]

'arry and I have been listening to Motown on one of the jukeboxes this afternoon whilst I cleaned the interior of the tea-house.
Well..He didn't have much choice, as he's under the floor.
He's not complained, but neither did the six fox cubs which were under there four years ago, the presence of whom I was oblivious for a couple of months.

Last night's photo.

I'm sure he's putting on weight.

 

[Logan]

I'm sure he's putting on weight

He does look bigger.

 

[zigs]

Not sure about this one?

 

[Sean Regan]

I moved the camera down to cover the main patio last night and it picked up 'arry wandering around it and going into his feeding station. He's generating enough heat to trigger the camera, but again, not enough to turn on the security light above the camera. I think he must walk down the path from the tea-house as it will br dryer than walking down the border and around the back of the rockery.

He's just walking past the rose in the centre of the photo.

The night before last he ate his "chicken dinner" but left some of his pellets, which assured me he's getting enough to eat. So I put what he left out again last night and he cleared both bowls, so it's not as if he didn't like them.

It was funny on Tuesday. I do the "big shop" on that day from the list my wife compiles, we both add to it during the rest of the week as we think of stuff.
I check it before I leave the house.
But I read "5 cat food sachets"

So I said "Why only 5 cat foods? Are you putting 'arry on a 2 day diet?"

"Expletive deleted."

I've moved the camera back to its former position, as I want to know if since I put in a few more preventative measures, the fox is still getting into the garden. It won't come down as far as the patio.

 

[zigs]

One of our Hedgepigs didn't like the new fence we put up

 

[Oliver Buckle]

There is an ancient bird box on my fence post and bluetits were using it. In the strong wind the other day it blew down. It fell about five feet onto some bricks and the slate that made the roof was chipped and a gap opened in the join of the roof. I hung it back up and stuck a bit of gaffer tape over the hole in the roof, fearing the worst. About half an hour later I saw tit at the entrance looking in for some time, then today I have seen one coming and going from the box. I am hoping baby chicks are light enough they bounced.

I also saw a pair of robins with two young that they were introducing to the bird feeder when I got up early the other day.

 

[Logan]

I think that they must be if the parents keep coming in and out.

 

[Sean Regan]

With the nest inside, there's not a lot of room for them to "rattle about" so they should be OK.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Yes, the parents are in and out like ... well like billy-ho When I think of all the warnings about not peeping at bird's nests because the parents won't come back. It fell about five feet onto some bricks I hadn't cleared up so as not to disturb them, two corners were chipped off the slate that made half the roof and the strip of wood that closed the gap between that and the other half was knocked askew. I spent some time tying it to the fence post so it wouldn't blow down again, dislocating my shoulder meant I had trouble lifting my right arm high enough, and gaffer taped over the gap in the roof. These blue tits are bomb proof

 

[Logan]

That's great news

 

[zigs]

A stoopid pigeon, a stoopid pigeon, a stoopid pigeon, A.

 

[marlingardener]

Zigs, pigeons we don't have, but we do have White-winged Doves. They start cooing at dawn and don't shut up all day long. Texas Parks and Wildlife was afraid their population was declining, and we had a TPW friend who got a grant to study their "decline" and try to reverse it. He rapidly found out that these doves were highly adaptable and just loved urban bird feeders. There is now a dove hunting season.
Never underestimate the power of our feathered creatures (or furry ones, for that matter).

 

[Oliver Buckle]

That is like collared doves in Europe, they used to be confined to somewhere in the South down near Turkey, but since people started throwing food around they have spread right the way up. They visit my garden pretty well daily.

 

[marlingardener]

Oliver, we also have European Collared Doves, also known as "Ringneck doves".

They are not a native species, and many folks don't want them at their feeders. We think that if it wants to eat, let it eat. We may be encouraging an invasive bird, but we just can't try to discourage anything from visiting the farm (except fire ants!).