Lee Drennen’s Hobby Farm & Garden

[GerryW]

Love these bird tales. As I said, these are all exotic species to me. Birdsong at dawn and dusk must be fantastic!
We do get nuthatch, but there is only one variety in the UK. I’ve seen lots of Raptor species from my house though....my favourite being Red Kite and Hobby. We have also just started getting the African migrants, Swallows and Martins are now flying around in ever increasing numbers. Don’t seem to get Swift’s around here though, more of a town bird I think. We have also had a heron pay a visit. Haven’t seen him, but the bloody goldfish have gone out of the pond!

We get swifts in the village, but they normally have an argument with the starlings for the nest site at ours (think that this year, the sparrows have grabbed it though!).
Often see our local herons in the field out front, a barn owl who will 'sweep' the field and the local buzzards will circle around, sparrow hawk will sit on the wires, seeing if it can pick up anything that comes to our feeders.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Yep, we get a Sparrow hawk as well. He must have had a Goldfinch this morning. The remains were in front of the chicken shed. He had a Woodpecker last year as well....I’d be happier if he stuck to Sparrows, there is a seemingly endless supply of them..

 

[AlanG]

We have a Sparrow Hawk at our farm. It tries to keep the local pigeon stock in check but i fear we may need a few more before they can make a big dent in the population. Just wish they'd have a go at gulls too. Far to many of those around too.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Most gulls are about the size of sparrow hawks though LOL....I wish ours would have a go at the local rook population!

 

[GerryW]

Or jackdaws

 

[Lee Drennen]

I have Sparrow Hawks all a round me. In late winter they mate and make all kinds noise first time I seen this I thought they were in a Territory fight I’ve counted up to 4 nest here very close. They never bother my chickens or small birds they keep mice and rats down very well especially rats and I love it. They get kinda close to the house too and look for prey. Here’s a pic of one I caught one day at the edge of my field

 

[Tim Marlow]

Interesting, Lee. In England we would call that an American Kestrel, but I know it’s known as a Sparrow Hawk as well. Fantastic birds, related to our native Kestrel species. Do they hover when hunting?
A sparrow hawk to us looks like this..

They are a bit bigger and in flight look frankly terrifying.....I swear they look at you and think “If you was smaller I’d have you ‘an all longshanks!” It’s basically a pocket peregrine.....

 

[wotan]

We get a few raptors here. For some reason when this guy is out all the other birds and beasties seem to disappear.



We also have a family of geese who return to the same spot every year to raise their kids.



This is last year's gang they are about a week or two later this year so we expect the eggs to hatch next week.

John

 

[Lee Drennen]

Interesting, Lee. In England we would call that an American Kestrel, but I know it’s known as a Sparrow Hawk as well. Fantastic birds, related to our native Kestrel species. Do they hover when hunting?
A sparrow hawk to us looks like this..
View attachment 421602
They are a bit bigger and in flight look frankly terrifying.....I swear they look at you and think “If you was smaller I’d have you ‘an all longshanks!” It’s basically a pocket peregrine.....

They really call Coopers Hawks but they really reasonable a Sparrow Hawk.

 

[Lee Drennen]

We get a few raptors here. For some reason when this guy is out all the other birds and beasties seem to disappear.

View attachment 421609

We also have a family of geese who return to the same spot every year to raise their kids.

View attachment 421610

This is last year's gang they are about a week or two later this year so we expect the eggs to hatch next week.

John

Great Pics John. I’ll get some pics of my neighbors geese later and post them in a thread I just started about bird watching. I sometimes get a few sites of a Eagle but they are mostly north from here and stay around the Mississippi River. Your more than welcome to post your pics there too.

 

[Mini Me]

It's a regular symphony when the Crickets and the Bullfrogs in my pond chime in!!
Rick H.

 

[JR]

Glad to see so many wildlife supporters on here. The farm looks great Lee, certainly a lot of work ,but so rewarding .
Just ordered our 2nd bag of 20kg wheat free bird seed, the gang are about to start on the 2nd 5kg of dried meal worms.
Black birds,Starlings, Blue Tits , Gold Finches,Sparrows ,Pigeons Turtle, Doves , Robin and a Wren . Most days we have sight of the Red Kite, flies in a regular path about the same time of day over the estate. In the winter we some times catch sight of the Canada Geese as they fly over from the lake and head to the fields for the night .We do like Tim see the remains of a kill from out local Sparrow Hawk, of course it goes very quiet bird wise for some time afterwards.
Don't mention the Herron, he'll sit in the garden or stand on the neighbors roof and looks at the pond, luckily it's netted, one once had 5 of our fish but not going to happen this time.

 

[Tim Marlow]

It's a regular symphony when the Crickets and the Bullfrogs in my pond chime in!!
Rick H.

Please tell me they say “Bud Wies Er”......

 

[Tim Marlow]

Glad to see so many wildlife supporters on here. The farm looks great Lee, certainly a lot of work ,but so rewarding .
Just ordered our 2nd bag of 20kg wheat free bird seed, the gang are about to start on the 2nd 5kg of dried meal worms.
Black birds,Starlings, Blue Tits , Gold Finches,Sparrows ,Pigeons Turtle, Doves , Robin and a Wren . Most days we have sight of the Red Kite, flies in a regular path about the same time of day over the estate. In the winter we some times catch sight of the Canada Geese as they fly over from the lake and head to the fields for the night .We do like Tim see the remains of a kill from out local Sparrow Hawk, of course it goes very quiet bird wise for some time afterwards.
Don't mention the Herron, he'll sit in the garden or stand on the neighbors roof and looks at the pond, luckily it's netted, one once had 5 of our fish but not going to happen this time.

if you get Turtle Doves John you are extremely privileged. Fantastic birds. They are very rare these days. I’m not aware of anywhere within a thirty mile radius of my current home that gets them! Used to go to Martin Down near Salisbury to see them. I did see nine Cranes flying over the Somerset levels last week though.....

 

[Lee Drennen]

if you get Turtle Doves John you are extremely privileged. Fantastic birds. They are very rare these days. I’m not aware of anywhere within a thirty mile radius of my current home that gets them! Used to go to Martin Down near Salisbury to see them. I did see nine Cranes flying over the Somerset levels last week though.....

I have lots of Doves here in one of the pics I posted on Bird Watching Thread you can see them. I’ll try to catch more of them and post them over there.

 

[Mini Me]

Tim I don't know about the Bullfrogs but I caught the Crickets singing... Coors-lite... Coors-lite...Coors-lite!!
Rick H.

 

[GerryW]

The tiller reminds me of my father, he had one, then the engine wore out - so he replaced it with a 7hp one - that was a beast to use! (Standard engine was 3.5 hp!)

 

[Lee Drennen]

Took a few pics of the chickens the other day these are now a year old. This morning before it rained I got some of the garden in. Planted some Zucchini squash and Onions I raised in the house. The Radishes, Spinach and Lettuce were from seed packs. The ground here is still surprisingly cold don’t know how good they will do.

 

[GerryW]

Hopefully they'll germinate - surprising how seeds 'know' when they can grow.
Chooks look good
Not keen on zucchinis, but love onions.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good looking chicks there Lee. One of ours looks to be on the last journey. She has got very lethargic and is not eating much It’s a pity, we got her over sour crop a couple of months ago, but ex battery hens are usually worn out early from overlaying. At least her last six months were happy.