Natures Struggle

[PeterD]

The snow finally arrived on Wednesday night, down here in Portsmouth. I took the following shots when walking my dog on Friday. The day-time temperature was -3C and the sun did not break through the cold, misty air.

I heard a Dunnock tweeting away and saw it fly between snow laden shrubs, desperately looking for food.

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This was a timely reminder of how these conditions are a threat to our bird population. I made sure that the feeders etc, at home, were well stocked!
Very few other small birds were evident on my walk.

Views across the fields.

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The old farmhouse (now derelict but to be restored as a pub later) is behind the trees.


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I was fascinated with the ice crystals forming on the vegetation.



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My intention was to return with the Macro lens today to take further images but, as is the way, it rained overnight - opportunity lost.

All taken with the Sigma 50-500. Comments welcome as always.

Thanks for viewing.

[Pol]

Re: Natures Struggle

Those ice crystals 'flying' off the edges of the vegetation are amazing! I also love the Oak with it's colourful, autumnal leaves against the snowy backdrop

Plenty of the small birds here in the garden, including Dunnocks. We've also been getting a flock of BHG visiting! They're probably from a lake in a park about a couple of miles away.


Pol

[PeterD]

Re: Natures Struggle

Those ice crystals 'flying' off the edges of the vegetation are amazing! I also love the Oak with it's colourful, autumnal leaves against the snowy backdrop

Plenty of the small birds here in the garden, including Dunnocks. We've also been getting a flock of BHG visiting! They're probably from a lake in a park about a couple of miles away.


Pol

Good morning Pol. Thanks for your reply. I have been making sure my feeders in the garden are well stocked. The nuts and seed are disappearing fast and I will have to re-stock again today. I feed the larger birds honey soaked bread and they love it.

[Pol]

Re: Natures Struggle

Good morning Pol. Thanks for your reply. I have been making sure my feeders in the garden are well stocked. The nuts and seed are disappearing fast and I will have to re-stock again today. I feed the larger birds honey soaked bread and they love it.

Same here. Keeping the feeders topped up at the moment is like painting the Forth Bridge! We were snowed in until yesterday afternoon so were pleased when the supplies eventually arrived in the evening. We buy in bulk from Soar Mills unless we happen to spot better offers elsewhere.

We stopped using honey so much now as the Badgers love it so much they grab everything in sight after they sniff out anything with a hint of Honey on it.

I didn't know the larger birds liked honey so much. They never got the chance to get any here. The Badgers never leave anything, not even so much as a stray Sultana. They also work their way around the bases of the feeding poles and clean up all the crumbs.

Pol

[PeterD]

Re: Natures Struggle

Same here. Keeping the feeders topped up at the moment is like painting the Forth Bridge! We were snowed in until yesterday afternoon so were pleased when the supplies eventually arrived in the evening. We buy in bulk from Soar Mills unless we happen to spot better offers elsewhere.

We stopped using honey so much now as the Badgers love it so much they grab everything in sight after they sniff out anything with a hint of Honey on it.

I didn't know the larger birds liked honey so much. They never got the chance to get any here. The Badgers never leave anything, not even so much as a stray Sultana. They also work their way around the bases of the feeding poles and clean up all the crumbs.

Pol

I have a large climbing frame and have placed planks across on the top. I have a couple of lrge bowls on the planks, one with fresh water and one with the large bird feed. I have found that the bagged raisins (the cake mix ones) are cheap and act as a good supplement in the feed. I mix the bread, honey and raisins with hot water to soak into the bread and swell the raisins. When cool, it goes out to the birds. There are a couple of wood pigeons that wait on the verandah railings, looking in to the house and virtually begging to be fed. They follow me down to the feeding ststion and protect their treasure from all-comers until they have fed. The rails on the climbing frame are ideal for hanging the seed, peanuts and fat balls. My daughter is grown up and it's nice to have a second use for this item.

[Pol]

Re: Natures Struggle

I have a large climbing frame and have placed planks across on the top. I have a couple of lrge bowls on the planks, one with fresh water and one with the large bird feed. I have found that the bagged raisins (the cake mix ones) are cheap and act as a good supplement in the feed. I mix the bread, honey and raisins with hot water to soak into the bread and swell the raisins. When cool, it goes out to the birds. There are a couple of wood pigeons that wait on the verandah railings, looking in to the house and virtually begging to be fed. They follow me down to the feeding ststion and protect their treasure from all-comers until they have fed. The rails on the climbing frame are ideal for hanging the seed, peanuts and fat balls. My daughter is grown up and it's nice to have a second use for this item.

That all sounds like an ideal arrangement. Certainly good for keeping something that Badgers can't get at.

I know exactly what you mean about having certain birds waiting to be served. Over the Spring and Summer we had a Blackbird that waited on the wheelie bin immediately outside the kitchen door. We've also had a Robins and Sparrows hopping into the mat at back door as well as squirrels sitting on the back of the garden bench to look in and 'beg' through the patio door. I can never resit them when they do that ... and they know it!

Pol