I Missed It Here!

[May]

I haven't posted too much just lately, not that anyone probably noticed me being relatively new and all but I missed reading all the lovely posts! My husband was off work so we went on lots of wonderful day trips .. we went to Kent and had a peek at the white cliffs of Dover and the Battle of Britain memorial (very sobering) .. to Glastonbury where I was in all seriousness almost blown from the top of the Tor and to Canterbury, Wells and then topped the time off at a 1940's weekend in Hampshire .. I met Monty and Churchill this time (sort of)!

Of course we took a little time out to feed the birds before we went and once back to normality found the huge amount of seed we had only just purchased prior to our holiday had gone! I hadn't been paying much attention along the way, I was just filling the table on my way out without a real glance at food levels.
It seems the birds had taken full advantage of their time without being interrupted by us to clear every scrap of seed from the bird table, they had emptied every feeder, had made a grand old mess on the patio to boot.
So there we were, without a scrap of seed in the house, no shops open and the birds either lined up on the fence waiting, babies and all, or were pitifully scavenging through what they had thrown on the floor. We felt SO guilty we rushed out first thing next morning in the rain and came home with a 10kg box of seed.
Each time we pass a garden centre or pet shop now, my husband asks "Do we need bird seed?"

Yes, those feathered ones have us well and truly under their wing. That'll teach us to go out and leave them!

[Alan]

Of course we've noticed your absence May, and so did the birds by the sound of it!

Sounds like you had a good time though, good for you

Alan

[May]

Aww thank you, that's nice
The birds certainly did notice. It's amazing how guilty a baby dunnock can make you feel and the sight of a row of sopping wet sparrows lined up waiting for breakfast really does tug at the heart-strings!

And we did have a lovely time, we just need a holiday to recover now!

[glsammy]

Glad your back with us May. Good to hear you enjoyed your break, your birds certainly did! Were in the same situation. We started putting out an Apple a day for our Blackbird, now it's gone to two a day as a family of Starlings discovered the treat, So if we're more than an hour late, they're queuing up waiting!

[May]

Thank you

I was told that the birds don't rule us .. I think they in fact do! They've certainly taken over the garden and I hesitate to go out there if they're feeding

You've just reminded me about our blackbirds .. they loved the apple I put out before and demolished it in short time!

[Mark43]

I didn't miss you May

But that's because i have been very busy with work and haven't been on much myself.

Glad we are both back and pleased you had a nice time.

Now get down the garden centre and buy some more seed.

[May]

Originally Posted by Mark43

I didn't miss you May

But that's because i have been very busy with work and haven't been on much myself.

Glad we are both back and pleased you had a nice time.

Now get down the garden centre and buy some more seed.

Yes sir!

[jezlee]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Glad your back with us May. Good to hear you enjoyed your break, your birds certainly did! Were in the same situation. We started putting out an Apple a day for our Blackbird, now it's gone to two a day as a family of Starlings discovered the treat, So if we're more than an hour late, they're queuing up waiting!

My blackbirds LOVE their apples .... and the starlings have discovered them now, so more have to go out. The other day I found the remains of a bunch of grapes that had seen better days, so I put them out on the bird tray, the starlings found them and demolished them in about 5 minutes ....

[May]

Originally Posted by jezlee

My blackbirds LOVE their apples .... and the starlings have discovered them now, so more have to go out. The other day I found the remains of a bunch of grapes that had seen better days, so I put them out on the bird tray, the starlings found them and demolished them in about 5 minutes ....

Grapes? I never thought of that!

[Wild-Woman]

I missed you May. You are a really nice poster on WAB and I missed our banter. You sound like you would make a perfect neighbour.
As for the birds...I'm too scared too move incase the people in my house didn't feed them, then what would they do? I wish I could take them with me to look after them.

Hopefully my daughter Lorna will look after the 3 Rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 2 tortoises and fish and birds and the Fox, whilst we are away in Aug.And fill the feeders daily.(Glad she's home from uni otherwise we probably wouldn't go)

Welcome home May
Julie

[May]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I missed you May. You are a really nice poster on WAB and I missed our banter. You sound like you would make a perfect neighbour.
As for the birds...I'm too scared too move incase the people in my house didn't feed them, then what would they do? I wish I could take them with me to look after them.

Hopefully my daughter Lorna will look after the 3 Rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 2 tortoises and fish and birds and the Fox, whilst we are away in Aug.And fill the feeders daily.(Glad she's home from uni otherwise we probably wouldn't go)

Welcome home May
Julie

Oh thank you Julie! That's made me feel all warm inside!

I was thinking of that earlier today .. about moving and then the birds not being fed, but then we've been here just seven months and I swore last night I was never moving ever again!
I've noticed the man next door has stopped feeding the birds completely (not that I was really looking into their garden from our bedroom window!) so they're all coming here, hence the frenzied feeding. I hate to think of not being here to feed them.

I'm sure your daughter will do a fabulous job at keeping all our little ones fed and watered!

And thank you again

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by May

Grapes? I never thought of that!

ANY fruit is always devoured! Try some Melon or banana.
I eat a lot of fruit myself, but I always buy some extra for the birds! Grapes are loved by our Coal Tit and our Robin, the blackbird will eat anything.
At the moment the blackbirds are nesting, it's very interesting to watch as they quickly eat the fruit and then go off to collect the insects for the young. They're not daft, they know what's good for the young ones!

[Tinkerbell]

Yes, welcome back May - I do love reading your posts.

To my surprise we have more interest in the fat balls just now than we have done all winter. I assumed that other food would be plentiful just now and the balls would be ignored, but no - even young starlings are hanging upside down to feed on them!

We saw a sparrowhawk devouring one of the collared doves at the weekend, so the windows are not suffering so much from passing poo, but I have to wash the slabs under the rose arch every day (thankfully haven't received a 'direct hit' myself yet).

Tink

[Wild-Woman]

Tink-If you do get a direct hit, it's supposed to be lucky! Te he!

[ian_g]

I've been hit two or three times and as for it being lucky, I wouldn't say so, each time it seems to have been launched higher than the last one. I do recall thinking someone had thrown a small brick at my shoulder the last time it happened.

Ian G