The stag was also around but I didn't get a good photo of him. You can just see where his antlers have recently dropped off - the dark patch just in front of his ear. Must have a look in the garden to see if I can find them.
Not sure that this belongs here but yesterday I came home from walking the dog, let him off his leash at the gate and he disappeared to have his usual drink of rain water. All hell let loose. There were chickens and dog careering around the garden. My neighbours newly fledged chooks had decided to explore my garden. My dog thought Christmas had come early. No amount of my calling had any effect, there were feathers flying and a very excited dog. My dog is nine years old and I took him on as a rehoming 5 years ago. In all that time he has never looked to climb over the bank into the field but he flew up and over it after a couple of the birds. He is still going out to check if they have come back. It made me realise how easily a pretty, fluffy little darling can turn into a raging monster chasing sheep. Fortunately my dog is a flat faced breed so he cannot get things in his mouth although he did come back to me with a feather stuck on the end of his nose. I checked with my neighbour that all 6 birds had eventually found their way home and apologised. She said yes but had wondered why the birds had seemed very quiet. Traumatised probably. Hopefully the experience will have taught them not to come over the bank. Now I have to hose the patio down to clear up the chicken calling cards left everywhere.
I was sitting writing my Christmas cards when there was a noise at one of my windows. It was a grey squirrel, sitting on the sill looking in at me, paws on the window. It spent several minutes trying to climb the sides of the window, before eventually falling off and landing i on the containers on the ground. I was surprised and amused as I very rarely see squirrels in my garden. About 20 minutes later it was back, gazing in at me, bright eyed and bushy tailed. It again spent some time trying to climb the sides of the window frame before disappearing. It seemed hell bent on reaching the roof. A delightful interlude.
Not one of my best photos but it is a rare sight - a leucistic goldfinch. It is a genetic condition which stops normal pigmentation occuring in feathers, skin and fur.
Well spotted steephill, the only leucistic bird I've ever seen was a white blackbird. I was 6 and in my second year of primary school when the bird came on to the table outside the classroom window. My very clever teacher explained what it was and why it was white and from there I developed my lifelong interest in birds.
Well isn't that a coincidence @Joyce Goldenlily I was eating lunch and a grey squirrel jumped on my window sill! It sat there eyeing me up ( not sure if it wanted to share my sandwich 😆) It jumped down, did a few laps of my front garden, then went in the back. Next doors overgrown bushes seem to be a favourite with it ( I didn't have any squirrels till this Autumn now we have two) suddenly it dove into a thick patch of bush, and came out with half an apple! Seems not only are the blackbirds eating the ones I left on the tree for the wildlife. 😆
It made me realise how easily a pretty, fluffy little darling can turn into a raging monster chasing sheep. Fortunately my dog is a flat faced breed so he cannot get things in his mouth although he did come back to me with a feather stuck on the end of his nose.
I used to have a springer spaniel as well as my current border collie. The collie will stand still while birds peck around his feet, which I assume comes down to his breeding as a livestock protector. The spaniel on the other hand is bred to do the opposite. A neighbour's chicken got into the garden one day and the spaniel killed it. After that the collie saw the spaniel as an enemy and they couldn't live together anymore.
My wildlife note of the day comes from watching the sparrows sipping nectar from the Mahonia flowers. Apparently this is a known habit from other birds but a new one to me and I can't find many records of it happening http://www.wbrc.org.uk/worcrecd/Issue6/blckcap2.htm
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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All hell let loose.
There were chickens and dog careering around the garden.
My neighbours newly fledged chooks had decided to explore my garden. My dog thought Christmas had come early. No amount of my calling had any effect, there were feathers flying and a very excited dog. My dog is nine years old and I took him on as a rehoming 5 years ago. In all that time he has never looked to climb over the bank into the field but he flew up and over it after a couple of the birds. He is still going out to check if they have come back.
It made me realise how easily a pretty, fluffy little darling can turn into a raging monster chasing sheep.
Fortunately my dog is a flat faced breed so he cannot get things in his mouth although he did come back to me with a feather stuck on the end of his nose. I checked with my neighbour that all 6 birds had eventually found their way home and apologised. She said yes but had wondered why the birds had seemed very quiet. Traumatised probably. Hopefully the experience will have taught them not to come over the bank.
Now I have to hose the patio down to clear up the chicken calling cards left everywhere.
About 20 minutes later it was back, gazing in at me, bright eyed and bushy tailed. It again spent some time trying to climb the sides of the window frame before disappearing. It seemed hell bent on reaching the roof.
A delightful interlude.
I was 6 and in my second year of primary school when the bird came on to the table outside the classroom window. My very clever teacher explained what it was and why it was white and from there I developed my lifelong interest in birds.