Our Feeding Stations :):)

Its a busy time of year for the feeders with everything either trying to fatten themselves up before breeding or trying to feed little ones. The weather does not help with one day warm and the next cold. Lovely pics of the bullfinches Lai. I only see them rarely and never on the feeder. The house martins are back in the neighbourhood looking for nest sites in the eaves of houses; it must mean summer is on its way!!! Only saw nine ducklings this morning but they are getting bigger.
Quick update, my mistake, ducklings are from a different brood so the pond is becomming very crowded!!!

Safariman

Thanks for the info on the dandelions WS, I didn't know that but your right, there are loads of dandelions around at the moment for them to feed on which is good. Lovely to have your swallows back but obviously not for your red/white car, it must be looking like a ladybird

Thats odd you say about the birds and feeding at the moment and the weather being so up and down, we were talking about that at work this morning and how the weather must be affecting them all with the breeding or feeding the young, it will be interesting to see what happens on Springwatch around the country with the birds and wildlife.
Have you had House Martins nest at your house before?

Trying to get a picture of our Collard Doves Lai, I did take one this evening on my phone but it was a back end view, she wouldn't turn round, she was obviously comfortable where she was. They are not bothered by us being in the garden or near the fence, they are quite a calm couple so I will keep trying to get a better photo.

littlewid-x-

Same here Safariman, we noticed the house martins were back at the weekend, it's one of my favourite moments to see them all back and busy in and out of their nests. Your pond must be seriously overcrowded at the moment, lucky you, I hope the swans are okay with all the activity!

Keep at it Littlewid, she'll turn round soon ..............

I'm now happy to have dandelions as so many of our birds are enjoying them, also told my mum to leave hers for the birds!

Lai

Safariman I meant to say i'm glad you made a mistake about the ducklings, lets hope mum still has 10

Oh I wont give up Lai, I will catch a head on shot for sure......well lets hope so

littlewid-x-

I know these pics aren't feeding station pics but as our Collard Doves were mentioned here I thought this was the best place to post the pictures I took earlier this evening.




I think she is a little beauty and I hope she has some little chicks.

littlewid-x-

Littlewid, you got her, and yes she is a beauty, she looks very cosy there on her nest. Let's hope you see some little ones soon.

Lai

Great pics Littlewid, hopefully soon you will have some little ones. Do both parents take turns on the nest or is it just the female?

Safariman

Great photos LW. Definately worth a WAA Frame Award



Close enough to your feeders to post here LW. It would be great to see little ones, more pics please.
Males, and Females normaly take turns incubating the eggs

WS

Yes they are both taking turns to brood the eggs safariman, I have seen them change over a couple of times and they both seem very contented and happy in the nest. They are not stressed by either me or Nero being in the garden, they just sit there chilling, I wonder if they are experienced parents and are just taking things in their stride.

Thanks for the WAA frame it looks really nice and has made me smile

Thank you for your nice comments guys and I will surely be keeping a close eye on them and will get some more pictures and yes hopefully pictures of the chicks too.

littlewid-x-

I have been keeping an eye on our Doves and all is well. I thought I wold take some pictres so you can see the tree they are in and also the beautiful flowers that are surrounding the tree, they really do have a beautiful spot to raise their young when they hatch, the tree is also right by my feeder which is handy for them. After I took the photo's they did a change over but I was in my kitchen by then but I saw it happen, actually whilst I was taking the photo's they were calling to each other but they didn't do the change over until I was not in front of the tree.

If you look closely enough you can see mum in the v of the trunk of the tree.


Beautiful flowers



Mum really has picked a beautiful and safe spot to raise her chicks when they hatch.

littlewid-x-

Amazing location for the doves and well protected, what a great choice. That wisteria is simply stunning, my favourite climber of all times, just goes to show the north south divide as ours doesn't look anything like that yet!

Thanks for the update and photos Littlewid - a lovely start to the day.

Lai

I have just got back from food shopping and as I looked out my patio doors, I was a little shocked not to see mum or dad in the tree on the nest, my heart sank a little as I thought they had been scared away or the eggs werent viable. I was straining my eyes to see if I could see anything move in the nest, I couldn't really see anything from ground level, so although my batteries were nearly flat on my camera I thought putting it at a good zoom would pick something up if there was anything there, it may not focus or take a good picture if there was, but anything would be better than nothing, I needed to know if there was life in the nest. Yes indeedy, there is, I am not sure if there is one or two chicks, I think one. I have some pictures that aren't brilliant as the batteries are nearly flat and I was planning to charge them today ( I know experts, I should keep them fully charged all the time!) but here are some pics of my very own little Springwatch Collard Dove chick
This is what I could just about see with my eyes and I wasn't sure if it was a bit of the nest or chicks head. Bad picture but it was definitely a chicks head.

This then confirmed it was a chick for sure, even though my arms were wobbling trying to focus and keep the camera still and using dud batteries.

And he pops up for sure

Back down we go

Who's eyeballing who

I am so excited that all is well in the nest. I will be keeping a very close eye on this chick and mum and dad and also excited to know if there is one or two chicks but I do really think it's one. The joy a baby bird can bring is enormous, I am truely smiling today and yes the batteries are now on charge!!

littlewid-x-

Littlewid and a big well done for getting some photos and please keep us updated (no comment from me on charging batteries, we all do it or don't I mean)

Lai

Congratulations Littlewid, you are now the proud parent of a Collared dove chick!! Lovely photos inspite of the batteries. Looking forward to regular updates.

Safariman

Well done LW for getting the shots batteries or not. As Lai says we've all done it, I now always carry a spare set.
Definately worth a
WAA Frame Award



WS

WS - a great WAA frame award.

Lai

Thank you Lai, Safariman & WS and thank you for the Frame Award WS, he looks comfortable sitting in the frame

You are right Safariman, I do feel like a parent to the chick. Yes mum & dad are doing all the work, feeding and keeping him safe and warm but I also feel on patrol with him. My cats are indoor cats and the cat next door never wanders further than her owners garden but I have seen a young black cat around just lately and he was sitting on my fence the opposite side to the tree the other week and my first thought was.......The Nest! luckily all is good as we know but I am worried a cat or a bigger bird may just decide to attack so I am constantly peeping to check all is well. When I went to bed last night mum was in the nest with him, so he had a snugly night with her and she is with him at the moment, so yes I do feel like a fidgety parent.
Batteries are now charged so hopefully more pics later.

littlewid-x-

This seems a good place to do a quick update on our garden wildlife as well as our feeders

Percy pigeon left after 4 days with us, he came for a last breakfast and then flew off, whilst I am sorry he has gone I am hoping he has found his way home safely now after a short break with us.

We have a resident pair of ducks, they are very friendly and come to call at the door/window for meals and water. We have a large water bowl outside for the dogs which the ducks enjoy after they've eaten the wild bird food, okay so it's not duck food but it's all we have!





This morning I spotted a Mrs Duck with ducklings, 'quick Pete get out of bed put your boots on and help me get these gorgeous little things out of the garden and into the woods'. Off I went to open the two gates, keeping my options open here after my last attempt. Pete followed and we ushered Mrs D and her 9 (I think) ducklings straight out through the gate result and no stragglers getting left behind.

Sadly not one photo either, I was so determined to get them out safely before the jackdaws started picking them off.

Only 1 p'fer coming in for food, I am hoping this means the other who could be Persephone or Portia is sitting on eggs.

Lots of birds still coming to the feeders, good news is we have Greenfinches too. Oh and we have some fledged Pied Wagtails the House Martins are around and in and out so presumably feeding chicks.

I just love this time of year

Lai

You are right Lai, this is a lovely time of the year, lots of wonderful birds around and your feeders sound as busy as ever. I am glad that Percy has hopefully found his way home, maybe all he needed was a good rest with some lovely food and he was ready for the off. Wouldn't it be nice if there were baby P'fers love the pictures of the ducks drinking from the dog bowl, it's so sweet. These ducks are keeping you and Pete on your toes though aren't they but at lest this time there were no stragglers or disasters

I have checked our nest again and I am pleased to say there are 2 chicks. I did wonder as I thought the one had too many feathers going in the opposite direction to what they should be growing, then this other little head popped up and I nearly fell off the stool I was standing on (not the thing to be standing on when you are trying to take pictures and your balance is rubbish ) anyway, what a delight to know there are 2 chicks. I have been trying to get a photo of them both but the angle is just not right and the leaves of the tree keep getting in the way and even on the stool I am having to tilt the camera upwards, I have a tripod but I dont have the swively thing on top of the long one only the little one thats for using on wall, so I may try and pinch my brother in Laws as my arms dont stay very still for long, which is darn frustrating. Anyway I do have some more pictures and I have one of mum as well, she flew in and sat on the wisteria but as I went to take her picture she flew off, I caught her on the garages beyond the back of my house but I managed a photo of her, I think she is really sweet.
This is when I realised there must be two as there are tail feathers by this ones face and they couldn't have been his.

Heres mum, she was eyeballing me and probably wishing I would fall off the stool, (which I nearly did) and stop peeping on her babies.


I will keep trying to get a picture of the 2 chicks if possible and improve on the focus etc.

littlewid-x-

Littlewid and well done for perservering, don't fall of that stool whatever you do. Those are 2 lovely photos so thanks for sharing.

Lai

Oh my giiddy Aunt LW on a stool you be carefull. It's hard to focus when your wobbling LW, but great pics . Collered Doves normaly have two Eggs. A bit of info to help you out so you'll know when things are due, to help you plan on your Dove watch
Nesting
Breeding Data Breeding Starts March Number of Clutches 2-5, Number of Eggs 2,Incubation 14-16(days), Fledge 18-21 (days).
So on that basis LW, you could have more clutches to follow if they use the same nest

You've got a busy place there Lai, lovely to see the Ducks, and well done to you, and Pete for getting the Ducklings out safely . Our feeders are busy to, we've got a Magpie, thats mad on Mrs S's fat food he keeps taking the log off the feeder, at the moment all the Birds are fighting over it, Blackbird, Woodpecker, a pair of Starlings, and even a Jay has had a go at it. We have'nt had any Greenfinches yet this year, not sure why unless they are late because of the weather
WS

Mrs S for her yummy fat food

Lai

WS your feeders will always be busy with Mrs S's fat balls on the go it must be the No1 feeding stop in Wales Thanks also for the information on the Doves, wouldn't it be lovely if the was another clutch to come

Well no stool today guys, just wobbly arms again! I managed a fairly nice shot of mum last night in the nest and she seemed to turn round when I took the picture which was sweet of her.

Then since I have been home from work, I fed Nero and the Furries, watered the plants and have been desperately trying to get a photo of the two chicks together. It is not an easy task as one is always at the front and the other behind hiding, but I was determined not to give up.
First I got this shot which actually shows they still have quite a few browny coloured feathers or a hue to their grey feathers.

Then.....Ta Dah! I got the two of them together as the one behind popped his head up

Now i'm going to allow myself to get my tea and I will be back later to catch up

littlewid-x-

Well done for getting those shots LW, and good idea not to use the stool again. Those are really sharp so you've done really well. Lovely that she turned toward you for the shot, thats what photography is all about, right time, right place. It would be great if you got more than one clutch, and if they feel safe, and these two fledge successfully it could well happen
WS

Fantastic, you got the shot/s and they are wonderful, and best of all you weren't perched on the top of a stool

Thanks for sharing and for the update.

Lai