A momentous day for me. In a single day:

* The first daffodil of the year has flowered

* I've had blackcaps in the garden for the first time ever

* The first tadpoles of the year have hatched

* Primulas have flowered everywhere I haven't planted them (the
primulas I've planted are just producing flower buds)

* A dandelion shoot has appeared in the middle of the only patch of
the back lawn not wrecked by badger

* Resident cat caught his first mole of the year

So much excitement in one day! I think I need to lie down!

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!

On Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:36:44 +0100, Jake wrote:

A momentous day for me. In a single day:

We didn't have an airfrost last night! First night without one since 15th
March... Min last night 0.1 C.

* The first daffodil of the year has flowered

The daffs are about 3" high. The Snowdrops are not quite into full bloom.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 11/04/2013 16:36, Jake wrote:
A momentous day for me. In a single day:

* The first daffodil of the year has flowered

* I've had blackcaps in the garden for the first time ever

* The first tadpoles of the year have hatched

* Primulas have flowered everywhere I haven't planted them (the
primulas I've planted are just producing flower buds)

* A dandelion shoot has appeared in the middle of the only patch of
the back lawn not wrecked by badger

* Resident cat caught his first mole of the year

So much excitement in one day! I think I need to lie down!

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!

I've had a male black cap here feeding every day since I put up the new
feeding station outside the living room window in Jan. On Monday he was
joined by another male and a female.
Also have a pair, well 2 Nuthatches feeding daily as well as 15 other
types of birds.
Whilst I was refilling the feeders yesterday morning ; about 8.30; a
pair of geese flew low over head, probably no more than 60ft up, only
the 5th and 6th I have seen around here in 15 years, I don't think they
can be mountain birds.
The Black caps have had me puzzled a couple of times, they are a sleek
bird, but in the cold they fluff up and look plumper than great tits.
Our Bully finch has paired up and they feed together every day now, but
don't want any others closer as they feed, and will see them off.
Strange thing it's only the Bully finches I have ever seen drinking from
the water provided, that is in around 12 weeks.
David @ the dust bowl end of Swansea Bay where we are still wondering
where all this promised rain has gone.

On Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:48:39 +0100, David Hill
wrote:



I've had a male black cap here feeding every day since I put up the new
feeding station outside the living room window in Jan. On Monday he was
joined by another male and a female.
Also have a pair, well 2 Nuthatches feeding daily as well as 15 other
types of birds.
Whilst I was refilling the feeders yesterday morning ; about 8.30; a
pair of geese flew low over head, probably no more than 60ft up, only
the 5th and 6th I have seen around here in 15 years, I don't think they
can be mountain birds.
The Black caps have had me puzzled a couple of times, they are a sleek
bird, but in the cold they fluff up and look plumper than great tits.
Our Bully finch has paired up and they feed together every day now, but
don't want any others closer as they feed, and will see them off.
Strange thing it's only the Bully finches I have ever seen drinking from
the water provided, that is in around 12 weeks.
David @ the dust bowl end of Swansea Bay where we are still wondering
where all this promised rain has gone.

Useful bit of rain this end today!

The blackcaps appeared in a mini-flock all of a sudden and didn't seem
to mind the fact that I was in the garden. Most birds seem to use the
birdbath-cum-water-source until a blackbird or thrush bathes in it.
Then it's unused until I change the water (a case of using the hose to
squirt the old water out and then reducing the pressure to fill it up
again).

At the moment I have extra feeders dotted around on hooks that will
take hanging baskets later. There is one robin who, if the feeder
nearest to the kitchen is empty, will sit on the cill outside and tap
the window with his beak (very loudly) until I fill it.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!

On Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:36:44 +0100, Jake
wrote:

A momentous day for me. In a single day:

* The first daffodil of the year has flowered

Have spotted some yellow things on DJ's plot so snap!


* I've had blackcaps in the garden for the first time ever

* The first tadpoles of the year have hatched

* Primulas have flowered everywhere I haven't planted them (the
primulas I've planted are just producing flower buds)

* A dandelion shoot has appeared in the middle of the only patch of
the back lawn not wrecked by badger

About 4 or five in the allotment hedge - they had bees on so they're
being left for now


* Resident cat caught his first mole of the year

So much excitement in one day! I think I need to lie down!

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

Martin wrote:
About 4 or five in the allotment hedge - they had bees on so they're
being left for now
We have no bees. Some local teenage yobs vandalised bee hives and
killed 250,000 bees

Hopefully easy to spot by the huge red sore spots all over them

In article 2u4lm8pcrjm1h8gm6lnaavic1109tl67v3@
4ax.com, lid says...



We have no bees. Some local teenage yobs vandalised bee hives and
killed 250,000 bees

How sad, I doubt if they realise that even the beer or
lager they consume relies on them.

It also shows that we in the UK are not the only ones
with a yob culture.

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

On 14/04/2013 14:46, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article 2u4lm8pcrjm1h8gm6lnaavic1109tl67v3@
4ax.com, lid says...



We have no bees. Some local teenage yobs vandalised bee hives and
killed 250,000 bees

How sad, I doubt if they realise that even the beer or
lager they consume relies on them.

I'm struggling to see how. Barley is wind pollinated and hops used by
brewers are mostly seedless and hence unpollinated.
--
Phil Cook

Martin wrote:
We have no bees. Some local teenage yobs vandalised bee hives and
killed 250,000 bees

Correction: I saw one bumble bee yesterday.

We had a bumbley bumbling about in the greenhouse yesterday.

On Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:33:25 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:10:21 +0100, mogga
wrote:

* A dandelion shoot has appeared in the middle of the only patch of
the back lawn not wrecked by badger

About 4 or five in the allotment hedge - they had bees on so they're
being left for now

We have no bees. Some local teenage yobs vandalised bee hives and
killed 250,000 bees


That's horrid.

--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Sunday, 14 April 2013 12:33:25 UTC+1, Martin wrote:

We have no bees. Some local teenage yobs vandalised bee hives and

killed 250,000 bees

--



Martin in Zuid Holland

I've been fortunate, my one remaining hive isn't very accessible or visible to would be vandals.
And they've come through the winter in great shape, it looks as if they're finding a good supply of pussy willow pollen today.

Rod

On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:56:52 -0700 (PDT), Rod
wrote:


I've been fortunate, my one remaining hive isn't very accessible or visible to would be vandals.
And they've come through the winter in great shape, it looks as if they're finding a good supply of pussy willow pollen today.

Rod

Having seen very few bees around last year and none so far this one,
I've been thinking of buying one of those Beepol hives. Upside is that
hopefully they'll pollinate my fruit trees and bushes; downside is
that the hive and something to keep them in works out at between £150
and £190, depending on what you want and where you buy it. And the
hive itself only lasts for one year so that would be another £60 next
year.

I can't make up my mind. Has anyone else tried these things?

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!

On 2013-04-15 18:19:48 +0100, Jake said:

On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:56:52 -0700 (PDT), Rod
wrote:


I've been fortunate, my one remaining hive isn't very accessible or
visible to would be vandals.
And they've come through the winter in great shape, it looks as if
they're finding a good supply of pussy willow pollen today.

Rod

Having seen very few bees around last year and none so far this one,
I've been thinking of buying one of those Beepol hives. Upside is that
hopefully they'll pollinate my fruit trees and bushes; downside is
that the hive and something to keep them in works out at between £150
and £190, depending on what you want and where you buy it. And the
hive itself only lasts for one year so that would be another £60 next
year.

I can't make up my mind. Has anyone else tried these things?

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!

I don't understand this. What does it mean the hive only lasts for one
year? The hive or the colony? It definitely does not appeal! Why not
do it on a more permanent basis with a hive plus colony that will last
for as long as nothing awful happens to either?! I'm afraid that this
sounds like something preying on peoples' fears of non-pollination and
I would never be attracted to it.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:11:17 +0100, Sacha wrote:

I don't understand this. What does it mean the hive only lasts for one
year? The hive or the colony? It definitely does not appeal! Why not
do it on a more permanent basis with a hive plus colony that will last
for as long as nothing awful happens to either?! I'm afraid that this
sounds like something preying on peoples' fears of non-pollination and
I would never be attracted to it.

There's some info at
http://www.dragonfli.co.uk/bees/beepol-garden-hive

This is so-called hive containing a colony of bumblebees. I do not
have the distance from neighbours to risk keeping honey bees.
Bumblebees are less aggressive of course and numbers are going to be
lower.

The colony will only last for one year tops. As the plastic hive is
non-refillable that will only last for one year. Then there's the
structure to keep the hive in which brings the cost up to the total I
quoted. They call that a "lodge".

Then again, I suppose with a bit of time and minimal effort I could
follow Bob Flowerdew's advice and pollinate my fruit trees with an old
paintbrush.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!

On 16/04/2013 10:18, Jake wrote:
On Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:11:17 +0100, Sacha wrote:

I don't understand this. What does it mean the hive only lasts for one
year? The hive or the colony? It definitely does not appeal! Why not
do it on a more permanent basis with a hive plus colony that will last
for as long as nothing awful happens to either?! I'm afraid that this
sounds like something preying on peoples' fears of non-pollination and
I would never be attracted to it.

There's some info at
http://www.dragonfli.co.uk/bees/beepol-garden-hive

This is so-called hive containing a colony of bumblebees. I do not
have the distance from neighbours to risk keeping honey bees.
Bumblebees are less aggressive of course and numbers are going to be
lower.

The colony will only last for one year tops. As the plastic hive is
non-refillable that will only last for one year. Then there's the
structure to keep the hive in which brings the cost up to the total I
quoted. They call that a "lodge".

Then again, I suppose with a bit of time and minimal effort I could
follow Bob Flowerdew's advice and pollinate my fruit trees with an old
paintbrush.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay where the
showers of April have arrived!


Paint brush?
That's what rabbits tails were invented for.