Cotswold wildlife.

All free living creatures around our Homes & Gardens - enjoying helping them helping us
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mrs boodles
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Cotswold wildlife.

Post by mrs boodles »

Really looking forward to seeing wildlife be it big or small now I am living with Natalie in the country.

I look out of the kitchen window to see a crazy squirrel leaving nuts on the stone bench in garden then coming back to pick them up and bury them in the ground.

Have seen a large bird of prey twice very nearby sitting on a post and then later flying overhead, think it might be a buzzard.

Pheasant in the garden this morning and know they are quite frequent visitors. Also on drives round with Natalie see quite a few suicidal pheasants in the road looking at the car coming towards them yike*.

I bought my bird feeder from Sussex and that is out in the garden so hoping to see a variety of birds there. Have seen chaffinch sitting on a branch of tree which is just outside my window and we also have a robin who comes and sits on the hen house.

One bit of wildlife we do have LOADS of and that is pigeons so can see a bit of a problem next year with veggies, going to have quite a bit of netting etc to keep them off.

Have bought my camera down and put in kitchen and hopefully I might be able to get some photos. Also need to get in habit of putting hubbys camera in car in case see anything when out.

Haven`t seen the dreaded fox yet and it I do see him hope it is a long way away and not prowling round the garden.
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Richard
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by Richard »

Hi boodlies

What a nice post and so glad to read you are seeing things around you.
A new door opens.

I hadn't seen a Chaffinch this year at all until three days ago. They like picking up the droppings under the bird feeders don't they.
Feeders tend to mainly attract Tits but underneath great to see Robins, Finches and Dunnets all getting their share as well.

Winter's not far off so with no leaf it's much easier to catch sight of those creatures which are often heard but not sen.

Every month has it's surprises.

Richard )t'
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HedgeHugger
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by HedgeHugger »

Dunnet? is that a cross between a Linnet and a Dunnock?

:)

I bought a bird feeder that attaches to a window a couple of years ago.
I stuck it to the shed window and had a regular Dunnock visitor. He used to try to beat up his reflection, silly boy.
Then the PIGeon found it. He was like a hoover and could empty it in seconds :(

It's now attached to the kitchen window. Regularly get sparrows in it now. They may be common and brown, but I'm like a kid at Christmas every time I see one in there. :)
urbanchicks
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by urbanchicks »

I have had loads of sparrows and Dunnocks this year to the feeders,Sparrows descend on the feeders in groups of about 20-30 which is great, tits have come later during high summer not seen many but now they are coming in,haven't seen my wrens this year though or the Goldfinches,used to have flocks of them,maybe as it has been warm they have had a good natural source.I have seen a few young R obins around with their immature red breasts.I love my birds and spend a fortune on feeds but watching them is a joy.

Maggie
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Spreckly
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by Spreckly »

The first year we were here, we kept a list of all the birds which came into the garden, or flew over. I think over thirty species from memory, including a woodpecker and a peacock, who resided in one of the sheds in the village, since deceased.

We only feed the birds in the winter months, my neighbour feeds all year round, and has pheasants and ducks tapping on her conservatory window when they think they should be feed.

Like you mrs boodles, we have a lot of pigeons and collar doves, all a real nuisance. Being near the coast we get lots of seagulls, geese and some swans flying over.

I was in our bird watching club at school, and won a prize, which amazed me. In my old home we had a huge horse chestnut tree, and my bedroom windows were better than a hide. I would watch the tree creepers, which were amazing.

We see few thrush nowadays, we have robins, sparrows of several varieties, lots of blackbirds, wrens, goldfinches, long tailed tits which visit, blue tits, coal tits and great tits and sometimes wagtails, plus the pheasants and ducks who spill over from next door. We've not seen the woodpecker for a couple of winters, nor heard him in the village. Can't think of what else, but yes, we get the odd sparrow hawk swooping down. There is also a barn owl which flies over the fields across the road.

I suppose we take our feathered friends a little for granted.
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mrs boodles
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by mrs boodles »

Natalie called me into kitchen about 20 minutes ago to look at something. Thought it was one of the squirrels but no, it was a Heron sitting on the fence between us and our neighbour. Gosh it was big, didn`t get time to get a photo but seeing it that close up was pretty amazing. Used to see them sometimes in Sussex but never as near as this.

Loving seeing the little birds using the feeders, they are so pretty and dainty.
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mrs boodles
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by mrs boodles »

Thought I would put another post up as the wild life seems to be putting in more of an appearance now.

Today, wonderful few minutes when Natalie called me to look out of kitchen window and there in the field behind our back garden were deer. Four to be exact and we think they were does, made my day, something I did not think I would see so close.

Mr. Fox is around, seen him twice, once in the above field and one ran out in front of my car as I was driving through the village.

I have seen a heron sitting on the fence between us and our neighbour but a couple of weeks ago he was actually in our garden and managed to get a photo but can`t get them onto laptop at moment.

While driving to Stow the other evening there was a large bird of prey in the middle of road having a meal from a bit of road kill, luckily I was the only car on the road so it managed to fly away before being hit.

I have also seen a barn owl when Natalie was driving me to where she was staying, only ever seen one once before.

And last but not least, we still have pheasants strutting around our garden. I can`t believe how stupid these birds are. Again driving to Cheltenham with Natalie one was in the road and decided to stop in front of her car and of course it went splat yike* .

Just so great to see some of the British wildlife.
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Richard
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by Richard »

Lovely post boodlies.


I've been very busy writing a lot and a big Down the Lane joint Web Site, Forum and Facebook Wildlife Project is starting within the next few days.

'What we can do for wildlife and what wildlife can do for us'.
Attracting and appreciating wildlife to benefit our Gardens.

Little competitions along the way; best bug house, best this, that and the other )t'

Richard
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mrs boodles
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Re: Cotswold wildlife.

Post by mrs boodles »

Looking forward to that Richard. )like(
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