THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

26 March 2014

BITS AND PIECES 8


It's been a while since I did one of these but I noticed a build up of pictures in my 'BLOGPICS' folder on the desktop that I hadn't deleted but hadn't used either. Lots of birds. Here goes, starting with the Blue Tit obviously.....



Great Spotted Woodpecker..............hungry



Great Tits................I do worry about the kind of seedy visiting traffic that phrase might attract...



Lady Blackbird, trying to look like a Thrush:



A Brambling - thanks so much to Margaret Adamson for the identification (http://birdingforpleasure.blogspot.co.uk/) - not a strange Chaffinch. I've never seen one before and am so excited to have one in the garden:


Sparrows waiting their turn for the seed feeder:



Robin takes a big mouthful and............


...........Again, thanks to Margaret who tells me this is a male feeding the female.


Lonely Crow:


Meadow Pippet rising high and singing;


An incongruous pair of Mallards wandering around on the fringe of the moor close to home. Escapees from our neighbour's pond looking for a nest site perhaps. Not a great idea doing it here as two little black dogs will have their ducklings for breakfast:


Last year's Foal number 3 scratching his bum on a rock:


Wind parted hair:


Stormy skies at the corner of Fernworthy Forest:


Ponies grazing in the distance. Tornado is the second from right:


Walls into the distance:


Somebody needs a haircut:


The cards have arrived and they're fantastic. I'll try and sort them out tomorrow so I can let you see them. The printers have done a fabulous job. They actually look like ones you would buy in a shop. Better go as someone is up who shouldn't be. The lights went out at 8.00pm and I can hear footsteps............hmmmm. So until next time, here are those dogs looking upon their domain.


44 comments:

  1. Somebody please fetch the woodpecker a napkin!
    Jane x

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  2. Baby robins already? I have found a nest but it is still early days here.

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    1. I refer you to Margaret's comment! I'm just a bird dunce...

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  3. I love the foal having a scratch!!! Hope that the bird interbreeding doesn't get too crazy, you will never be able to identify them otherwise!! xx

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    1. I can't believe I was so stupid as to not recognise a Brambling but there you are. I'm learning!

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    2. I have no idea about most birds, I can do starlings, blackbirds, a couple of the finches, pigeons, swans and ducks, that is about my limit - on and chickens!!! xx

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  4. The birds here don't seem to understand that it's below freezing, if you know what I mean. ;-)

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    1. I do......today we have snow again. Unbelievable.

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  5. Beautiful bits and pieces!
    Oh yes...nice Tits! Ha!
    Cheers!
    Linda:o)

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    1. You wouldn't believe what I've clicked on in the 'referring sites' section. Very worrying!

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  6. During winter months when the bird feeders are almost empty. It is a Bluetit that comes and taps on our front windows to ask for more nuts.
    They are adorable little birds.

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    1. Aren't they? So delicate and beautifully coloured.

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  7. Hi Em, I simply love your bird photos! And, of course, all your other photos, too :-)! You live in such an amazing part of England and capture it perfectly for all of us to enjoy. Thanks for this great post!
    Christina

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    1. We are very, very lucky. Too much rain at too high a speed is my only complaint! Snow today.

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  8. The dogs looking over their domain ~
    how wonderful is that !
    I am always thrilled by your photos Em.
    Thanks for sharing.

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    1. They're stuck in today as the gate is permanently open. We're having two doors replaced which just haven't coped with the level of weather up here!

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  9. Snippet & Jack look as if they are out for a huge adventure setting the beginning of a movie adventure. xx

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    1. One of those 1970's Disney adventures perhaps? xx

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  10. HI Em You say in no 10 about the bird being a bIzzare Chaffinch, that is because it is a Brambling. also the Robin is not feeding a young as the young of a Robin does not look like that, instead I would suggest that it is a male Robin feeding a female in the hope that she will accept him as a breeding male. Normally male and female Robins have their own territory and will fight to the death over them, so at breeding time, this poses a problem so the female becomes submisssive and he woes her with food! 10% of Robin die from fighting. Now I loved all your photographs and seeing the Moors and dogs.

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    1. Thanks so much Margaret.....I've amended.....thank goodness you're here to help me! So exciting to have the Brambling having never seen one before. Shame its beak is out of focus. Really interesting about the Robins too - thanks so much.

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  11. So glad you shared all these pics Em :-)

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    1. It was a bit of a rushed post Ann; in front of the telly!

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  12. You live in such a beautiful place. Two of my dogs are long haired and in need of a cut. I'm trying not to get it done for a few weeks as it's still so cold. Hopefully it'll warm up a couple of degrees and they can be done. Wouldn't want them freezing!

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    1. I'm very grateful that Snippet and Jack don't moult!

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  13. Foal no. 3 scratching his bum made me smile - gosh, he's got a good thick winter coat on him. That should line a good few birds' nests I reckon!

    I have taken my bird-feeders down now, as we don't feed through the year anyway, and cash is tight. I miss seeing them queued up in the apple and damson trees though.

    Ooh - a Brambling. That name came into my mind too, and I was going to go and check it out. Well done Margaret, and interesting about the Robin pairing too (and I never knew they fought to the death. Good grief!)

    I loved that last photo (and title) too.

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    1. I'm very grateful to Margaret, if a little ashamed at my ignorance. In my defense, it is very Chaffinchy!

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  14. Brambling is very exciting! I am very jealous xx

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    1. Isn't it gorgeous.....now I know what it is! xx

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  15. Well done on the Brambling - very jealous here too! Its one of my "bogey" birds!
    ps Hope I haven't left this comment twice - the first time I typed it it seemed to disappear!!!

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    1. That happens to me a lot and I always wish I'd copied it so I could paste. Never remember! I have MANY bogey birds too.

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  16. I loved seeing all the bird photos, some of which we do not get here in my part of Canada. Suet feeders attract such gorgeous birds

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    1. They do love fat but then they're not alone there!

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  17. Wonderful photos. I'm envious of your Brambling, I always look for one here in winter but haven't seen one yet and I love the two Robins together. Apparently today's results of the RSPB Garden Bird watch in January show the House Sparrows are the most common bird but they are the one bird I don't get here! It is lovely to see that you have so many.

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    1. What a shame you don't get them Wendy! You can have a load of ours if you want....there are hundreds of them.

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  18. You were lucky to see a Brambling! I haven`t seem one since our time in Yorkshire, where they appeared in the winter to feed in the garden.

    More lovely photos - thank you.
    It is good to hear that your cards have turned out well.

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    1. I'm a bit overwhelmed with the cards and don't know where to start!

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  19. Nice shots, Em.

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  20. Beautiful Em, another lovely selection!

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  21. Beautiful photos!

    LOL, Great Tit. I never even thought about it until you mentioned it!

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    1. It's a worry Gail.....I've stopped looking at the referring sites completely now after some extremely unsavoury ones popped up!

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  22. I love the pony shots, they are very thick coated and it shows up so well in the sunshine. Great to have a Brambling and even better to get a photo!

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    1. Shame I didn't know what it was when i took it!

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.