Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds that
none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up, but
there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males - all
sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

The main problem is finding a snow free area to hold the food.
Under the table, the swing chair, and the sun lounger are the only snow-free
areas. It is also snowing again.

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

I am now contemplating on how to build a bird table (or snow shelter) to
keep the bird food free from snow.

BBC are now running clips from previous severe winters and talking about
what it was like to be snowed in for months.
Also, local radio is talking of panic buying in the food shops.

Interesting times.

Dave R

"David WE Roberts" wrote in message
...
Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males - all
sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

The main problem is finding a snow free area to hold the food.
Under the table, the swing chair, and the sun lounger are the only
snow-free areas. It is also snowing again.

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

I am now contemplating on how to build a bird table (or snow shelter) to
keep the bird food free from snow.

BBC are now running clips from previous severe winters and talking about
what it was like to be snowed in for months.
Also, local radio is talking of panic buying in the food shops.

Interesting times.

Dave R

I have bought the feeding in under the veranda. Had Blackbirds, Robins,
Sparrows etc all under and working quite close together. They don't mind me
just the other side of the glass as long as I don't move too fast all of a
sudden

http://www.myalbum.com/Album-347A8J7...%20-Other.html

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

David WE Roberts writes
Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males -
all sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

A lot of the ones around at the moment are migrants, so would they be
acting territorially if they're not planning to breed here?

http://www.bto.org/gbw/PDFs/FocusOn/Focus_BLABI.pdf

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

Also lack of water is a problem. ot just for drinking but also for
keeping feathers clean and fluffy to keep out the cold.


--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...
David WE Roberts writes
Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males - all
sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

A lot of the ones around at the moment are migrants, so would they be
acting territorially if they're not planning to breed here?

http://www.bto.org/gbw/PDFs/FocusOn/Focus_BLABI.pdf

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

Also lack of water is a problem. ot just for drinking but also for keeping
feathers clean and fluffy to keep out the cold.


--
Kay


De iced the water twice so far. Just had a Starling and some Sparrows
bathing in it!

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

On 2010-01-07 09:32:03 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:

Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males -
all sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

Yes, we've seen this here, too.

The main problem is finding a snow free area to hold the food.
Under the table, the swing chair, and the sun lounger are the only
snow-free areas. It is also snowing again.

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

I'm sure they are. We keep the bird feeders filled, both in the garden
and the greenhouses but they're going through it like nobody's
business. I go out two or three times a day to throw food down for the
ground feeders but then we're not getting the sort of snow falls others
are - none today, for example.

I am now contemplating on how to build a bird table (or snow shelter)
to keep the bird food free from snow.

BBC are now running clips from previous severe winters and talking
about what it was like to be snowed in for months.
Also, local radio is talking of panic buying in the food shops.

Interesting times.

Dave R

In 1963 I was at school in the Malvern Hills. I do remember the bitter
cold and depth of snow and also that at one time the school was getting
a bit panicky about running out of food. The delivery vans and lorries
couldn't get up the steep roads out of Great Malvern into West Malvern.
We use to sleep with our day clothes under the mattress to try to keep
them warmed up for wearing in the morning! And I think we were let off
hockey on the grounds that they couldn't find the pitch!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Sacha writes
And I think we were let off hockey on the grounds that they couldn't
find the pitch!

I can't think of any other reason why they'd let you off hockey in those
days! I can remember many miserable lessons shivering in shorts and
t-shirt with just a thin pullover, while the games mistress was bounding
around happily in trousers, duvet coat, hat and gloves.
--
Kay

In article ,
K wrote:
Sacha writes
And I think we were let off hockey on the grounds that they couldn't
find the pitch!

I can't think of any other reason why they'd let you off hockey in those
days! I can remember many miserable lessons shivering in shorts and
t-shirt with just a thin pullover, while the games mistress was bounding
around happily in trousers, duvet coat, hat and gloves.

In my school, they merely instructed us to draw lines in the snow
before playing. I have been forced to play cricket when the pitch
was partly under water.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 7 Jan, 11:36, wrote:
In article ,

K wrote:
Sacha writes
And I think we were let off hockey on the grounds that they couldn't
find the pitch!

I can't think of any other reason why they'd let you off hockey in those
days! I can remember many miserable lessons shivering in shorts and
t-shirt with just a thin pullover, while the games mistress was bounding
around happily in trousers, duvet coat, hat and gloves.

In my school, they merely instructed us to draw lines in the snow
before playing. *I have been forced to play cricket when the pitch
was partly under water.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I should think 2 reasons for calling off a hocky match in those days
would have been
1. The balls we used in those days were white so wouldnt show in the
snow and
2.White balls going into the snow would be hard to find.
David Hill

"David WE Roberts" wrote ...
Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males - all
sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

The main problem is finding a snow free area to hold the food.
Under the table, the swing chair, and the sun lounger are the only
snow-free areas. It is also snowing again.

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

I am now contemplating on how to build a bird table (or snow shelter) to
keep the bird food free from snow.

BBC are now running clips from previous severe winters and talking about
what it was like to be snowed in for months.
Also, local radio is talking of panic buying in the food shops.

Interesting times.

Don't forget water too, most of it out there is frozen solid and the birds
need to find some to drink. They use the filter outfall into our pond which
always stays unfrozen.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Sacha writes
On 2010-01-07 11:10:10 +0000, K said:
AND we had to take a morning walk, before breakfast, about a mile
through the grounds and a mile back. There was a prefect there to
ensure you did it, too. When I was one of the younger ones, I *hated*
those prefects and then when I became a prefect I realised we had to
get up earlier than everyone else to be there on time! I think we
probably set off at about 0715 - hellish! Luckily, it was dropped for
the winter terms after a few viciously cold days (pre 1963) and
probably some danger of broken limbs on the ice.

We lived opposite the junior departments of one of the public schools.
Every morning (if we were up early enough) we'd see all these tiny girls
streaming out of one of the gates, running along the road to go back
through the far distant gate and back through the grounds. Still, I've
just read an account of the Lygons (the local aristocracy where Sacha
was at school), and their children allegedly had to swim either in an
outdoor unheated pool or in the sea, every single day all the year
round. So, relatively speaking, you were lucky, Sacha :-)
--
Kay

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2010-01-07 14:47:24 +0000, "Bob Hobden" said:


"David WE Roberts" wrote ...
Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males - all
sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

The main problem is finding a snow free area to hold the food.
Under the table, the swing chair, and the sun lounger are the only
snow-free areas. It is also snowing again.

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

I am now contemplating on how to build a bird table (or snow shelter) to
keep the bird food free from snow.

BBC are now running clips from previous severe winters and talking about
what it was like to be snowed in for months.
Also, local radio is talking of panic buying in the food shops.

Interesting times.

Don't forget water too, most of it out there is frozen solid and the
birds need to find some to drink. They use the filter outfall into our
pond which always stays unfrozen.


I believe, Sacha, that birds can manage to 'drink' by eating snow. Their
real problem with water freezing is that they can't bathe and clean their
feathers. This means they can't insulate themselves properly against the
cold and are more likely to perish. I try and keep a large tray of water
ice-free, specially for bathing.

Spider


Bob, we stop the pumps running in winter on the grounds that it makes the
water colder if it's being recirculated. I think that's the reason
anyway! Presumably you don't go along with this theory?
--
Sacha

Sacha writes
On 2010-01-07 15:07:27 +0000, K said:

Certainly were - we didn't have to go in until the water was 60F!

The Municipal swimming pool was Heated - ie a nominal 68 for the main
pool and 70 for the beginners pool. Don't believe it was as 'warm' as
that though.

I don't believe the Lygons went to my school - literally too close to
home, probably.

This was the previous generation - the Brideshead generation. Home
educated. The last Earl didn't have any children.
--
Kay

"Spider" wrote in message
...
"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip
I believe, Sacha, that birds can manage to 'drink' by eating snow. Their
real problem with water freezing is that they can't bathe and clean their
feathers. This means they can't insulate themselves properly against the
cold and are more likely to perish. I try and keep a large tray of water
ice-free, specially for bathing.
snip

When the temperatures are sub-zero all day how do you manage this?
Do you go out every couple of hours with hot water to refresh their bath?

Now wondering how birds can bathe in sub-zero temperatures - won't the water
freeze on their feathers?

"David WE Roberts" wrote in message
...

"Spider" wrote in message
...
"Sacha" wrote in message
...
snip
I believe, Sacha, that birds can manage to 'drink' by eating snow. Their
real problem with water freezing is that they can't bathe and clean their
feathers. This means they can't insulate themselves properly against the
cold and are more likely to perish. I try and keep a large tray of water
ice-free, specially for bathing.
snip

When the temperatures are sub-zero all day how do you manage this?
Do you go out every couple of hours with hot water to refresh their bath?

Now wondering how birds can bathe in sub-zero temperatures - won't the
water freeze on their feathers?

I refresh it as often as possible and use a float. I suppose the other
option is sand, which they love to 'bathe' in, but one's still got to keep
it free of snow. Not easy in this weather.
Spider

On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 11:36:03 +0000 (GMT), wrote:


In my school, they merely instructed us to draw lines in the snow
before playing. I have been forced to play cricket when the pitch
was partly under water.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Seems to me, Nick, that anyone expected to play cricket under those
difficult conditions would have been stumped!

Geoff