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Post by Cherry on Nov 26, 2011 21:12:53 GMT
We saw an unusual sight the other day....normally we only see magpies mooching around on their own.....there were 6 of them....must have been their annual convention  A crowd of magpies is usually called a Magpie Wedding Lou. I have seen that only twice and both at Weston Green in Surrey, not far from Hampton Court. it really is something to behold. Must have been upwards of 50 magpies in the ones I saw. The noise was something else! Well we get lots of maggies at once here. They walk down the grass on both sides of the driveway which is mown and they clean up the mess left by dogs and deer, etc. |
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Post by Lou78W on Nov 26, 2011 21:34:33 GMT
Thats handy  ...your own outside waste disposal |
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Post by esther on Nov 27, 2011 10:37:01 GMT
I was thrilled the other morning watching our Jenny Wren taking a bath ;D I often hear her but don't see her  We have loads of sparrows in the garden  |
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Post by Cherry on Nov 27, 2011 12:24:34 GMT
Thats handy ...your own outside waste disposal They are fairly disgusting Lou. They carried off a mole which the molecatcher had left for my disposal. |
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Post by sweetpea on Nov 27, 2011 13:01:30 GMT
I was thrilled the other morning watching our Jenny Wren taking a bath ;D I often hear her but don't see her We have loads of sparrows in the garden You could occasionally see that too in Pompey but it ws risking a court martial ;D |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Nov 27, 2011 17:30:48 GMT
Trust you SP We have a couple of Jays in the orchard, we do have lots of mature Oak trees around so I suppose it is not that surprising. |
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Post by Louise on Nov 28, 2011 8:34:20 GMT
The Blackcaps have arrived ;D
I saw a male in the front garden earlier and the others will no doubt be around somewhere !
They arrive at the start of each winter and stay until the spring ;D
Here they're often seen at mid level heights aswell as with the dunnocks, on the ground.
I'll be sprinkling more ground feed mix around now.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Nov 28, 2011 8:40:44 GMT
You are lucky Louise, they are a very rare visitor here. We had one last year during the very coldest part.
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Post by Rosie on Nov 28, 2011 13:22:02 GMT
A crowd of magpies is usually called a Magpie Wedding Lou. I have seen that only twice and both at Weston Green in Surrey, not far from Hampton Court. it really is something to behold. Must have been upwards of 50 magpies in the ones I saw. The noise was something else! . They walk down the grass on both sides of the driveway which is mown and they clean up the mess left by dogs and deer, etc. I just looked out of the window and there was at least 8 magpies in the garden, they flew off when i tried to take a picture. |
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Post by Louise on Nov 28, 2011 15:16:27 GMT
The magpies here are 'controlled'. We often hear shooting in the woods (next road across from here) and then we notice significantly less of them around for a while.
Their numbers got to explosive levels about 5 years ago and this controlling happens regularly now.
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Post by sweetpea on Nov 28, 2011 15:44:59 GMT
I know a sparrow when I see one but can somebody tell me the difference between a House sparrow, a Tree sparrow and a Hedge sparrow. It would be good to be able to know which ones I have seen  |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Nov 28, 2011 15:57:15 GMT
A Hedge sparrow is a Dunnock  A house sparrow is the common one   A tree sparrow is quite a bit rarer  |
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Post by SueA on Nov 28, 2011 16:07:42 GMT
I think it's easiest to spot house sparrows Sweetpea if you see them in a group because the males & females are different, the males have the chestnut/grey caps & black bibs & the females are plain grey/brown. Tree sparrows are similar but have a chestnut head, small black bib & a black spot on their cheeks & the sexes both look the same & hedge sparrows are actually dunnocks which look a bit like female house sparrows but have a grey head & much finer beak & bob up & down a lot flicking their tails.
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Post by SueA on Nov 28, 2011 16:09:08 GMT
Jus noticed W.F. has answered you above already with some pics., much easier than trying to follow my waffle! ;D
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Post by sweetpea on Nov 28, 2011 16:12:57 GMT
Thank you for that WF. I did know that the hedge sparrow was a Dunnock. Its just that I sometimes get a bit confused when seeing them. They don't stop still for long enough the little beggars I think we may have some tree sparrows visit the peanut feeder at the back of the house and also picking up the bits from the ground but I will have to look more closely. |
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...your own outside waste disposal 
