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Post by richardw on Feb 24, 2004 9:07:09 GMT -5
Thanks for that robh. I thought it was amazingly early for the dipper. The courtship gift sounds more plausible.
Each year at this time the prunus tree gets visited by the bullfinches. Surely the individuals must be new ones after a year or two but the birds I see have been as trios since 1999. Could it be that male bullfinches are at a premium round Chesterfield and so females in pairs end up sharing them?
richard
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robh
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Post by robh on Feb 24, 2004 10:23:23 GMT -5
Richard,
I will read up but from personal observation in my garden, they are just the pair once the young are fledged.They are a very difficult bird to study IME as , when nesting , they become very shy.I believe they are long lived as the same pair visit my feeders every day and have done for 4 years plus. The reason I "know" they are the same is that there isn't a significant break which , I assume , there would be if one or both died.Unless they time it to my leave!
And the reason males are in short supply in N Derbyshire is because anyone with any sense would move north to become a tyke!
regards
robh
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Post by richardw on Feb 24, 2004 18:01:07 GMT -5
Tyke eh? Born and bred in Yorkshire. Married a Yorkshire lass (who looks after me in the traditional grand manner). Live still in Yorkshire. Work and play in Derbyshire... I get the best of both world's and maybe the bullfinch is better off staying South? If he moved to Yorkshire he might find he was sharing rather than being shared! (Unless the poor little chap is "hen" pecked...)  richard |
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robh
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Post by robh on Feb 26, 2004 11:39:32 GMT -5
Richard,
The Bullfinch has a maximum life span of 17 years so you probably are seeing the same ones. Presumably , any with 2 wives die younger! And no Yorkshire man is hen pecked-my wife tells me so anyway
regards
robh
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Post by richardw on Feb 26, 2004 15:29:43 GMT -5
17 years! That is wonderful. He is almost certainly the same one, in fact I was working it out, I have been watching him and his wives since 1998 at least. He and his wives are in immaculate condition.
I don't know why I still marvel at the great condition that most things in the wild are usually in. It is silly really, as animals, birds and fish not in perfect condition are soon killed and eaten. Nevertheless, it is always a joy to behold such healthy condition in any creature. That a bird smaller than a man's hand can cause a gasp in awe is not bad eh? This trio has more than once helped me get through a day in chains at my desk. No doubt they will do it again...
richard
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Post by donnie on Feb 26, 2004 19:06:25 GMT -5
there has been some really wonderful bird life in my garden in glasgow over the winter. litterally a dozen blue/great tits and so on, and many other wee birds. and one particular black bird which only has half a tail and has lived in the area for quite a while. 'the tailess' is his official name.  |
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Post by richardw on Feb 27, 2004 4:04:12 GMT -5
Make sure you keep their larder stocked in this weather. richard |
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Post by WarrenSlaney on Feb 27, 2004 6:37:20 GMT -5
Make sure you keep their larder stocked in this weather. richard Our 'flock' are on their third 25kg sack of peanuts! |
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snudz
Full Member
One vice too many!!!!
Posts: 162
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Post by snudz on Feb 27, 2004 16:31:39 GMT -5
Our 'flock' are on their third 25kg sack of peanuts! Blimey.......what's flocking to your garden? Ostriches?? ;D |
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Post by richardw on Feb 28, 2004 17:31:41 GMT -5
Snow on the ground, sunshine between cloudy moments. In the main, conditions were bright. Walked some of the Peacock water and a couple of tributaries and although there is snow on every North facing slope, including the molehills, the year is still marching on and out of Winter.
Every willow is tinting up with buds getting fatter by the day and hazel catkins stand out like golden froth against the bare bark of their own trunks and those of the other trees. The next prolonged mild spell is going to see an explosion of new life, growth and the start of this year's cover for our creepings and sneakings. Why I even saw one or two lesser celandine already in flower! Rich yolky spots of colour prompting me to think of April...
Fish spotting was productive. Bird spotting not. I'm ashamed to admit that in my yearnings to see the peregrine I kept raising my hopes and heart rate on all sorts of mundane things like wood pigeons and crows. No sign yet although Warren kindly directed my gaze to a lovely soaring buzzard, so that had to do for my quota of rapture over raptors.
On and near the water - dabchick, heron, tufted duck, mallard, coot, moorhen, grey wagtail, dipper and discreet wren abounded. I'm sure the kingfisher will be around somewhere but I missed him today.
The gravel looks in wonderful clean and tidy order. Ranunculus has been shorn by the floods but is already making fresh, bright green growth. Leaning over one of the bridges on the Wye it was possible to see fish making use of what cover the ranunculus is already able to provide.
I'll be needing cover too. Happily the beds of Flag Iris are sprouted well and in places must be almost a foot up now from the tubers. One of my favourite ambush points will certainly be ready to hide me by the April Fool's Day start of the season!
richard
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Post by Cicada on Feb 28, 2004 18:57:23 GMT -5
Richard
A wonderful poetic report today but no mention of the hemp agrimony - not even an early shoot? What will you do for cover come May?
Cicada
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Post by richardw on Feb 29, 2004 10:45:05 GMT -5
Hemp agrimony is not much help until May. The way the fishing is at the start of the season always seems very fair and equitable. The fish are easy to fool but anglers find it harder to hide. Just as we find it easier to hide the fish are harder to convince into accepting the artificial as food.
richard
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Post by WarrenSlaney on Mar 2, 2004 7:01:23 GMT -5
Our local small stream kingfisher has been conspicuous by its absence over the last month. Yesterday the dog found it amongst other flood debris, well away from the river in an adjacent meadow. She scented her scruff with the corpse. Long periods of high water followed by north winds and sharp overnight frosts must have done for it.
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Post by richardw on Mar 2, 2004 8:00:44 GMT -5
Winter is a tough season. Do you think its mate is still with us? Will we get a new recruit this year? How long does it take for a newcomer to find the vacancy? A cup of tea by the fishing house will not be the same without the piping song, the high speed blue and orange approach and the decelleration for the 90 degree bend...  richard |
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Post by Theo on Mar 2, 2004 8:12:36 GMT -5
Deceleration for the bend? Dahn sarf Lunnon, our kingfishers are like our boy racers... they put pedal to the metal just before the corners... swings the tail out for an extra flourish with the fluoro undercarriage lighting!  More seriously, very sorry to hear of the loss of your *spirita loci*. May her daughter soon replace her. Theo |
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