spuggies and jackdaws and hedgehogs and frogs

[GUBRATS]

19 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

But make sure the wood is dark painted or stained with a dark stain...bats like the heat in the morning to get going so placement is sort of important for morning sun.  Does your plan call for chicken wire or mesh wiring of any type?

So an easterly aspect is best ?

The mesh or wire is for them to climb inside I presume ?

[Kayakman]

3 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

So an easterly aspect is best ?

The mesh or wire is for them to climb inside I presume ?

And also to hang off of and roost...its very important...metal staple if to the inside edge of the box for them to climb up into the box.  How high are you planning to suspend it?

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Kayakman said:

And also to hang off of and roost...its very important...metal staple if to the inside edge of the box for them to climb up into the box.  How high are you planning to suspend it?

I'm waiting for you to tell me ?

[Kayakman]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

I'm waiting for you to tell me ?

How many boxes are you putting up?

 

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, Kayakman said:

How many boxes are you putting up?

 

I don't know yet 

You seem very ' informed ' about this , care to explain ?

[longboard]

47 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Had up to 6 flying round me in the past when walking the dog , but none this year 

This may be useful :-  https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/buildings-planning-and-development/bat-boxes

[Kayakman]

6 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

I don't know yet 

You seem very ' informed ' about this , care to explain ?

Naah...Take too long...if you have multiple boxes try a few different heights...if you are wondering if bats are actually in there and you don't want to disturb then lay out some newspaper under the entrance and put rocks on it to hold it down...go back after a day and look for some droppings on it...that means they are in there.

[GUBRATS]

7 minutes ago, longboard said:

This may be useful :-  https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/buildings-planning-and-development/bat-boxes

Just been reading that particular site 

[ckn]

A sea eagle just flew right past our villa here in Malaysia at no more than 15m off sea level. We’d been told to watch for them as they’re partial to the young monkeys that hang around the villa roofs! It was staring right at our villa so I guess it was looking for its tea. 

Long gone by the time I’d grabbed my phone for a picture 

[Steve May]

On 05/06/2019 at 23:06, GUBRATS said:

Not seen any bats this year , worrying really , used to love watching them flying round me when walking the dog , assume I was disturbing the ' midges ' they feed on , just been watching two youngish ' sonics ' dancing round on the patio , very funny 

Will be building some hoghouses this week , might make a few Bat houses as well , see if we can encourage some locally 

Plenty of bats out in my garden again this year.  

I don’t know where they come from, so can’t count.  But I haven’t noticed fewer than last year. 

[Steve May]

It’s often said that you can judge the decline in insects by the number of squashed ones on your windscreen.    And it’s been a long time since I’ve had a really grim windscreen.

I set out the other day and the M6 was shut so I had to drive from Wiltshire to Yorkshire on back roads trying to avoid even the traffic diverting away onto A roads.   Downside, it took about eight hours.   Upside, the windscreen was utterly grim with dead insects, which cheered me up considerably.

[Ullman]

Seen a few pipistrelles down the street at dusk but there don't seem to be as many as there used to be.

Just as Steve was cheered up by the insect carnage on his windscreen, I was very much cheered up to see a hare running across a field yesterday. Though I did feel bad when I disturbed a male and female yellowhammer getting it on in the middle of the road.

[Old Frightful]

11 hours ago, Ullman said:

 I did feel bad when I disturbed a male and female yellowhammer getting it on in the middle of the road.

I'm guessing they were just going at it like tongs then?

[CanaBull]

The local park I do my laps at has for the last few years been trying to improve the natural state of the diverted creek that runs through it.  Watched the little fella today for a while as he stashed a sizeable fish in the supporting rocks of a footbridge.  

Hopefully a good sign if well fed weasels/ermines are starting to show up again.

[Ullman]

11 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

I'm guessing they were just going at it like tongs then?

Not that I'm anxious to provide you with any new material but I saw a male and a female peacock near Searby ###### Owmby today.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On ‎06‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 22:46, GUBRATS said:

Just been reading that particular site 

The RSPB website also has comprehensive plans on building bat boxes and good locations for them.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On ‎08‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 10:47, Steve May said:

It’s often said that you can judge the decline in insects by the number of squashed ones on your windscreen.    And it’s been a long time since I’ve had a really grim windscreen.

I set out the other day and the M6 was shut so I had to drive from Wiltshire to Yorkshire on back roads trying to avoid even the traffic diverting away onto A roads.   Downside, it took about eight hours.   Upside, the windscreen was utterly grim with dead insects, which cheered me up considerably.

I have had to do the Wiltshire to Yorkshire (and vice versa) run for work and personal reasons umpteen times over the years.  There are some great options, Steve, almost all of them not involving the M6.  If you want some, just ask!

[Trojan]

Up to two years ago I travelled fairly frequently between Dewsbury and Larkhill.  Always went M1, M69, A46, M40, A34, A303

[Trojan]

8 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I have had to do the Wiltshire to Yorkshire (and vice versa) run for work and personal reasons umpteen times over the years.  There are some great options, Steve, almost all of them not involving the M6.  If you want some, just ask!

Up to two years ago I travelled fairly frequently between Dewsbury and Larkhill.  Always went M1, M69, A46, M40, A34, A303

[Ullman]

Good day yesterday, saw a barn owl really close up on the Aldbrough to Carlton road at midday then a roe roe deer just standing majestically by the roadside and the not too common sight of a yellow wagtail shortly afterwards.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

17 hours ago, Ullman said:

Good day yesterday, saw a barn owl really close up on the Aldbrough to Carlton road at midday then a roe roe deer just standing majestically by the roadside and the not too common sight of a yellow wagtail shortly afterwards.

I'm very envious, Ullman, one of the great bird sights!

[Ullman]

5 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I'm very envious, Ullman, one of the great bird sights!

It was even kind enough to land on a hedge top so I caught a great view of it.

[GUBRATS]

On 18/05/2019 at 18:52, GUBRATS said:

Gutted , just checked , looks like the magpies have had them , bstards 

Spotted a wren last night with twigs in its mouth and then flying under the corner of my timber garden gazebo , just checked and spotted a new nest in the corner under the roof 

[Ullman]

On 14/06/2019 at 11:02, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I'm very envious, Ullman, one of the great bird sights!

I'm on a bit of a roll. Saw another yellow wagtail yesterday, across the water in Lincolnshire this time.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Suddenly - if, I suppose, predictably - our garden seems to be absolutely teeming with birds, much more so than usual.  I think the explanation is that a number of nesting birds have fledged their youngsters at more or less the same time.  So, various titmouse species, house sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds and song thrushes are all in abundance.  Also, there are more nuthatches and bullfinches than usual, so I think our year-round regulars of these species have successfully bred too.  Happily, not too many magpie or sparrowhawk visits to cause momentary mayhem and death for some.  The jackdaws tend to take over at times, but the other birds don't feel threatened by them, as far as I can see.

Conversely, there are a few species that we see at other times, but less so, or not at all, just now, so I assume they go elsewhere to breed; these include chaffinches and goldfinches (which surprises me a bit) and siskins (which doesn't)

An adult great spotted woodpecker is coming more frequently than usual, so may be feeding young in the nest.

Edited June 16, 2019 by Wiltshire Warrior Dragon
to avoid using a banned word