Another week of staying in...

It doesn't get any easier staying in, I know that Boris has made things a little better you can go out for a drive now, or a longer walk. That's no good to me, I want to go and hug my Mum

Before any of you say it no I am not saying we are a pair of monkeys it just amused me.

This week, a couple of days ago something happened,

This man,

This sometimes strange man

Tony saved my life, I was never so pleased that he was there!

We were eating dinner while watching "The Sweeny", I got something stuck in my throat,

I tried a drink to wash it down, didn't move, I tried to swallow it no movement at all. So I tapped Tony on the arm he looked at me, I have never seen him move so fast since I fell in the canal. Tony was straight around the table, dragged me out of my seat and performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre. Tony must have dislodged something because I had to go to the bathroom to throw up. luckily the bathroom is just opposite the room.

That was a very scary experience, certainly one I would not like to have again. I would hate to live alone and that happened because if Tony had not been here I just don't think I would have been able to do anything.

Now on to happier things.

We have had 2 beautiful thrushes visiting the garden for the last week, having looked in my book I think they are Mistle Thrushes.

JUVENILE MISTLE THRUSH

 ADULT MISTLE THRUSH

The Blue Tits have been very busy so there should be some babies soon.

Blue Tit on the feeder

The starlings are late this year I saw one baby on Wednesday, then there were about 6 on Thursday, but usually, the garden is full of them by now. The sparrow babies are beginning to appear, we have a couple of baby dunnocks and a baby robin. The blackbirds have lost a juvenile it flew into the big window of the house next door and died on impact.

I knocked on the door then went to the other side of the door before Mrs B opened it, I told her so the children wouldn't find it first. Mrs B said"oh no not another one that's the second this week." I advised her that they could get something to put on the window to stop birds flying onto it, whether they will or not remains to be seen.

Another thing that has annoyed me this week now I am on a roll is people that cut down trees and bushes at this time of year. Why? In three gardens around us, there have been trees and/or bushes cut down, I don't just mean trimmed I mean taken down to the root.

Our next-door neighbour on one side used to have a really good garden for the wildlife, last year he set a tree on fire while having a fire, this year he has had every tree, bush and living growth removed from his garden, this week! The Long-Tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins, Wrens and Blackbirds all nested in that garden. I cannot say for sure that any nests were destroyed this week but I doubt it would have made a difference to the work.

Ok, rant over.

We spotted some canoodling woodpigeons

I wonder if that's why the older ones keep trying to chase Scruffy away because he is still here.

                                       Scruffy the young Wood Pigeon.

That's about it for today, I hope you are all staying safe and well, make sure you look after each other, you never know when you might need their help.

Until the next time...

    

It's like being in a timewarp

Hello,




Nothing much has been happening here, we are still keeping to the rules. We go out once a week to go shopping, we clap for the carers on a thursday evening, I have a quick chat with my downstairs neighbour from our window after. That is the only socialising we do.
I have been in the garden again, there is a young Wood Pigeon that seems to be on its own. There is an adult bird that keeps attacking it, we think it is trying to make the young bird leave the garden.

The Young Wood Pigeon.

We have a squirrel visiting that is pregnant, again. She spotted me watching her and she wasn't sure what to do. 

Pregnant Squirrel again.

After thinking about it for a while, she turned and ran,

Squirrel running up a tree.

A short while later I spotted squirrel again, she was creeping slowly along the crossbar trowards the peanut feeder.

Squirrel on the crossbar.

I don't think she was pleased to see me again.

Squirrel scowling at me.

Squirrel carried on to the peanut feeder, as if I wasn't there. She hung upside  down eating away on the nuts til she had eaten her fill, 

Squirrel eating her fill of peanuts.

then off she ran away along the wall out of sight.

I hope you are all keeping safe and well.

Until the next time...

May the 4th be with you...

Happy Star Wars day to all you fans out there.

Tony caught this crazy squirrel on camera yesterday,  there's always one in every family. 

I have been down to the garden today, Tony cut the grass, there are signs of hedgehog activity. Tony has put the cameras out to see what we can catch.

Today I took a few snaps of a few birds and yes a squirrel.

Starlings 

Some look so smart and colourful while others just look like punks.

Sparrows

Both look deep in thought.

Blackbird

Mr Blackbird with a beak full of suet nibbles

 for the chicks in the nest.

Squirrel 

Surprised to see me.

If I close my eyes she wont be there when I look again.

I hope you are still coping with the lockdown, stay safe and well,

Until the next time...

Ways to pass the time...

I am still managing to find ways to pass my time! I do a bit of reading, play a few games on my tablet or a few hands of cards, a jigsaw or two. The tablet comes in handy for things like that because I can no longer hold a jigsaw piece or a hand of cards. I also like to colour but that has to be done on the tablet as well because holding a pencil for any length of time is not easy either.
Luckily I can still use my camera as I can put it on a tripod and I can use a remote to fire it if need be. Having said that I do still prefer to fire it by hand.
I have been down to the garden a couple of times, the birds are all busy nest building or collecting food to take to nests. We think the magpies have been raiding nests, the blackbirds were sending out a distress call the other day, both parents were rushing around the garden, so Tony and I think they had lost either eggs or chicks.

Mr Blackbird collecting food the day before the distress call.

Both Blackbird parents sending out distress calls.

It wasn't just the blackbirds that the magpies were targeting, they were also flying in and out of the lilac bushes where the sparrows are nesting. The sparrows nest in groups so they would send up a very loud chatter whenever a preditor came near. Sometimes it would be a magpie or two, sometimes it would be a neighbourhood cat it could even be one of the children playing in the garden wandering too close to the hedge.

Male Sparrows on the lookout for magpies.

The goldfinches have been visiting a lot lately, sometimes it is one solitary bird other times it is quite a flock, ( known as a charm ). 

Goldfinches on the sunflower heart feeder.

Of course, no garden visit is complete without a squirrel.

The crazy one.

I hope you are all managing to keep safe & well,

Until the next time... 

The door is open...

I have been given the all clear to go out, I don't have to stay in for the remainder of the 12 weeks. The trouble is now I can go out I am not sure that I want to!!!

I think Willow has the best idea, hide away in her tent with her pad, a comfort blanket and pretend that she is in her own little world.

Until the next time...

It's like being in prison,

The self isolating is not affecting me at all... 

Until the next time...

Finding ways to pass the time...

I have been playing, I have been going through photo's and making collages just to amuse myself.

Spot the odd one out.

A Bit of All sorts.

In The Garden

Keep safe & well.

Until the next time...