Bird Watching a Relaxing Hobby

[Lee Drennen]

Very beautiful pics guys thanks for sharing.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great stuff….fledgies are great Ron.

 

[spanner570]

Great stuff….fledgies are great Ron.

Thanks Tim.
I was dead jammy to have the three all together on the feeding table at the same time.

 

[Tim Marlow]

They are nice to photograph though, they don’t fly away so readily as they are not so afraid of people.

 

[GerryW]

Thanks Tim.
I was dead jammy to have the three all together on the feeding table at the same time.

You were - our GSW chase off any others that dare to land on the feeders

 

[tigersteve]

Loads of Red Kites near us, staying near Newbury Berks.
Poor shot snatched on my phone !

 

[Tim Marlow]

There are loads out that way Steve. Fantastic birds aren’t they. We had three around us last week when the farmer cut his hay field across the road.

 

[stillp]

View attachment 426240

Interesting "joinery" there Ron! Don't you know a good carpenter?
Pete

 

[Tim Marlow]

That’s deliberate. It’s called Rustic Pete, very much high fashion at the moment….probably repurposed from a pallet or two

 

[spanner570]

Both wrong!
It's 'Uncle Ron's Ultimate Rodent Deterrent' and not as Tim typed 'Rustic Pete'

Sorry Lee, but I need a couple of lines to explain to these two lesser mortals just what they are looking at....

Let me explain.
Look closely at the feeder.
You will observe two layers of 1/4" plywood. These are separate from each other and placed at an angle from one and other.
The nails are placed thus, not because they are falling out, but on purpose. If the 'Tree Rat' manages to overcome the overhanging plywood and reach the platform, the nails thus placed allow the ply to tilt and thus tipping the bloody squirrel onto the ground- "Start again you little ba****d!"

Until recently, I had installed a circle of 6" spikes all around the base of the feeder. Unfortunately, the present Mrs. Ron insisted they be removed, as it upset her to see a squirrel impaled and struggling it's last whilst she tried to enjoy her soggies. Bloody women!

I trust the above goes some way to explaining the apparent rather strange looking contraption.

I thank you.

I thank you too, Lee.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Well that’s me shot down for missing out a comma!

 

[adt70hk]

Loads of Red Kites near us, staying near Newbury Berks.
Poor shot snatched on my phone !

View attachment 426286

We get a lot up in MK now. There is one that flies over the back gardens were we live periodically and we're in a pretty built up location

 

[GerryW]

Both wrong!
It's 'Uncle Ron's Ultimate Rodent Deterrent' and not as Tim typed 'Rustic Pete'

Sorry Lee, but I need a couple of lines to explain to these two lesser mortals just what they are looking at....

Let me explain.
Look closely at the feeder.
You will observe two layers of 1/4" plywood. These are separate from each other and placed at an angle from each other.
The nails are placed thus, not because they are falling out, but on purpose. If the 'Tree Rat' manages to overcome the overhanging plywood and reach the platform, the nails thus placed allow the ply to tilt and thus tipping the bloody squirrel onto the ground- "Start again you little ba****d!"

Until recently, I had installed a circle of 6" spikes all around the base of the feeder. Unfortunately, the present Mrs. Ron insisted they be removed, as it upset her to see a squirrel impaled and struggling it's last whilst she tried to enjoy her soggies. Bloody women!

I trust the above goes some way to explaining the apparent rather strange looking contraption.

I thank you.

I thank you too, Lee.

Neat idea - I just have a solid backstop behind the feeders and swmbo tends to call me if she sees a grey squirrel (tree rat) on any of them - we like red squirrels, but we don't have any around here any more (mind you, the greys are getting fewer in numbers just recently )

 

[spanner570]

Neat idea - I just have a solid backstop behind the feeders and swmbo tends to call me if she sees a grey squirrel (tree rat) on any of them - we like red squirrels, but we don't have any around here any more (mind you, the greys are getting fewer in numbers just recently )

Gerry, I tried a solid back stop, but the beer cans kept bursting on impact. All a bit messy and a waste of good ale!

 

[Jack L]

Loads of Red Kites near us, staying near Newbury Berks.
Poor shot snatched on my phone !

View attachment 426286

Great to see. We were seeing a very occasional one over the house in Worcestershire, but have seen three on consecutive days near the new house in Cheltenham, seems they might be local. Not been able to photograph them yet though.

 

[spanner570]

Well that’s me shot down for missing out a comma!

I think from now on I'd best put on my 'Serious Head' and keep below the parapet.....

 

[GerryW]

I think from now on I'd best put on my 'Serious Head' and keep below the parapet.....

You mean below the parakeet?

 

[GerryW]

Just sitting beside a pond, and these are wandering around, there's another group, but with 9 ducklings in it.

 

[CarolsHusband]

We just came back from a swim, this had obviously been surveying the valley in our absence.

All credit to Carol for nailing the shot.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Great shot….