Our Feeding Stations :):)

Right a list of our visitors this morning, it was like a multi cultural society.
Crows, Jackdoors, a Jay ( first we've seen since we've been here and it went on the feeders ) Collered Doves, Blackbirds, Magpies, Sparrows, Robins, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Bue Tits, Pied Wagtails, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and a squadren of Swallows overhead. Plus two young Squirrels, a Peacock, and a Duck. Apart from the Swallows, they were all on, or around the feeders together, at one point on the fat cake, there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker on one corner, a Great Tit on the other, and a Blue Tit in the middle. It was really great to see.
WS

WS those pics are stunning and I love the close ups of the woodpecker but the upside down squirrel is just brilliant, he is determined to get the fatballs isn't he
Amazing that so many different species were visiting at the same time and how wonderful to have your first Jay to the feeder
If you have any more pics I for one would love to see them

littlewid-x-

Just prepared for the fridge, Home made Spikey fatballs for the birds.
Thanks for Mrs S's recipe WS These are made with crushed peanuts and raisins, i will see how these go and my next ones will contain mixed fruit and mealworms........want to keep it varied for them

littlewid-x-

Thanks for the comments on the Pics LW. I will post more as I take them, it's just the opportunity to take them. The fat balls look great, Mrs S has used crushed peanuts before, and they work well, you'll have to let us know how they go.
WS

All pics will be gratefully received WS but I do understand it' sometimes the time factor of being abl to take them and sometimes it's just nice to fully watch what is going on without clicking the camera but if you get time, it would be great as yours are always so good

I will let you know how the fatballs go, at the moment they are still in the fridge and I will put them out early tomorrow when I get up and then see what has happened t them when I get in.........demolished I hope, else I am doing something wrong

littlewid-x-

You were right about the Squirrel LW, he loves Mrs S's fatballs


WS

that was brilliant WS, that squirrel was making a real feast of Mrs S's fat ball, he was clinging on for dear life and wasn't going to stop feeding was he the amazing thing is all those different birds feeding together, just brilliant. An amazing video and thanks soooooo much for uploading it.......i'm going to watch it again now, I loved it.

littlewid-x-

Well I put 3 of the larger fatballs out today WS and I have one left, which is not bad going as it has been really sunny and dry so I imagine they have also been collecting insects.
One thing I have noticed though is there is less mess from these homemade ones, the other ones (brought ones) as pecked at like mad but loads was also going on the floor, this time the floor is clean.......so looks like everything has gone into the birds little tummys ......I will surely keep making the homemade ones and I really enjoyed making them as well and the advantage is, you can really mix them up for the birds so they get a huge variety of food and it must keep them interested as well.
So again, a HUGE thank you to you and Mrs S

littlewid-x-

Some shots of one of our Swallows nest, they are not brilliant as they are on maximum zoom, and the cropped as well. This first one was where I was shooting from. I know it's not the feeders, but they are on the otherside, so thats the connection








This is a short Video, not that clear, as I said maximum zoom, and the nest is in shade under the eaves, so it does'nt make for easy exposure settings, with all the light around

Also our resident upside down Squirrel was around this morning


WS

Those are brilliant pictures WS and to be taken at quite a distance they are amazing. How wonderful to have a swallows nest, I have never seen one before apart from on the TV and now yours so I loved that.
I am always amazed at how the nest doesnt fall off the walls and I must admit I find it quite scary, in the respect that I think they may fall off, but it's how they have always been so it proves my worries are not founded.
Loved the video I really enjoyed that WS, I wonder how many little chicks they have?
Good on Mr Squirrel for coming again to the feeders, I bet that little guy can't believe his luck.

littlewid-x-

I'm not sure if there are chicks in the nest or not it's a difficult angle to see anything, but time will tell. Our woodpeckers, are still around visiting, I'm sure there's more than one juvanile. There was a juvanile, and the female on today, but the rain was so heavy could'nt get a pic. I need to get a real close up of the young one like on the last page eyeball to eyeball, to see if there's a difference
WS

Sounds as though you have had bad weather today WS, shame, its been lovely here today, a little windy but sunny.
I do hope there are chicks in the nest or maybe they are getting ready for chicks, as you say we will have to wait and see.
Fingers crossed you get to see if there is more than one Juvenille woodpecker and if you get another eyeball to eyeball pic that would be fantastic.
littlewid-x-

Lovely photos of the Swallows WS - you are so lucky to have them. Cheeky little squirrel helping itself to the bird food

Weather really windy here today but the birds are still coming in to feed, and P & P were in first thing which always makes me smile.

Lai

It's been windy here all day as well but nice and sunny too, so all in all not a bad day. My feeder is still going crazy, the birds love the Fatballs made from Mrs S's recipe and they are eating a ton of seed, raisins and meal worms too, keeping up with them is hard work, it's like a 24hr cafe it's so lovely to see them though and I have two resident pigeons who also come and feed, i'm sure they are Mrs & Mr and they seem so sweet as well but they are hard to get a picture of, if there is any sudden movement they are off but I will try and capture them, I know they are pigeons but they are also very cute these two.

littlewid-x-

I had got a couple of seperate shots of Willy last week



But this evening just as we were about to fill up the Feeders I got both of them together









WS

Those are stunning pictures WS and what a fantastic video as well, just lovely Is that a first for WAA, two Woodpeckers feeding at the same time, I think it might be Really fantastic WS

littlewid-x-

WS - great photos and great clip and definitely a WAA first. Our woodpeckers don't share the same feeder ever, far too greedy!

Lovely to see Whilma and Willy together.

Lai

WS what kind of woodpeckers are they. Its just they have different markings than ours.

SM

They are Great Spotted Woodpeckers SM. The reason for the different marking are that the one on the left is the Female, and mother to the Juvanile on the right, thats why we have two on togther because they are related, and the young have not long fledged. If you look at the top of the juvaniles head its Red and that shows its juvanile, but if you look closely you will see the black feathers underneath are starting to come through
WS

Having read through the various posts and enjoyed the lovely photos, I thought I would add a few of my own. They are all taken through the kitchen window, which means I spend most of my time trying to keep the window clean and with all the rain it is almost a daily job. The problem I have with my feeders are the wood pigeons which snaffle all the food in no time, leaving nothing for their smaller brethren!
The pics. of the goldfinches were taken on one of the few occasions when the sun came out this year and I can only boast a single woodpecker and not the two of WS.











One of a pair of collared doves that are regular visitors.

Safariman

I have exactly the same problem Safariman, our feeders are right outside the window, and keeping it clean in the weather we've been having is a . Those are great shots, I can tell the difference in the quality of your camera, and mine. We dont have a problem with Wood Pigeons strangely enough although we are right in the country. The usual Squirrel problem, and one Crows who loves the fat cake, but we've bought a new Squirrel proof feeder ( well it says it is ), and I've turned our feeding station, to try to block the Crows takeoff space. Thanks for sharing the photos, would love to see some more
WS

Lovely photos Safariman, thanks for sharing. We've too many woodpeckers, must be the family but they create chaos!

Lai

Lovely, lovely, lovely photos safariman, they are surely a delight. The Goldfinch is spectacular and I love the little Collard Dove and at least you do have a Woodpecker, sadly I have not seen one round here.

I must ask as your pics are so good, are you a very good amature photographer or was it your job? I only have a little digicamera ( not that I can seem to find it since all my building work) so my pics would never be that good and at the moment I am relying on my phone, even though every capture I take is special to me as it is capturing a special moment for me that I want to remember, but I would love to be able to take photo's as wonderful as those.

The birds I seem to get in my garden are the Starlings, who gobble everything, Blue Tits, Blackbirds a little Robin did come a few times and I do have a couple of Wood Pigeons who i call Mr & Mrs and surprisingly they are not the greedy ones, they wait on the fence till the others have eaten and then they zoom in and clean up what has been dropped and then start at the feeder, they are a lovely couple.

Look forward to seeing more of your pictures safariman.

littlewid-x-

Littlewid, most of the time I just point and shoot and hope!! I work on the principle of, if I take enough shots some are bound to come out. My camera is a Panasonic G2 which has an interchangeable lens. I have always taken photos but only for fun from a very early age, my first camera was a Kodak Box Brownie. Now I only tend to take photos of wildlife when I am in Africa plus the occasional shot in the garden or of my grandchildren although I very rarely photograph people. Whatever camera you use, as long as you enjoy the results that's all that matters. Every photo you take however it turns out should be special to you as it captures a unique moment of time that can never be repeated.
I have added a few more birdfeeder pics below and will post some more safari shots soon.
Safariman



The blue-tit at the bottom is the adult!!!



A greenfinch



A young starling just starting to get its adult feathers



A greedy wood-pigeon