I was going to title this ‘Means Testing for Birds’. I may go right wing and start hitting the idle birds in their tummies. Greedy little devils are shifting fat balls, seed, (expensive RSPB seed) and peanuts by the kilo. I’m living on porridge and fruit.
I’m listening to Nora Jones as I type this. She’s better than her dad. All that strange sitar stuff is just not as appealing without a spliff on the go.
How does one means test a bird?…….It could turn out that one penalizes a bird worthy of help…..I’ll forget the means test. It could cause more trouble than it’s worth.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker. I have two males visiting but the female has gone. I hope she is okay.
These were taken on Sunday afternoon and it was the second time I’d filled the fat ball feeder. Starlings don’t help. They fire fat ball all over the place but the Robins and Chaffinches get to hoover up.
I woke to a sprinkling of snow on Monday. A vile start to the day. Freezing and damp so I let the dogs walk themselves whilst I had breakfast…..you guessed….. porridge again! I settled down with my current book Alchemist by Peter James, I’m about halfway through and still can’t convert base metal to gold. I’ll get on with reading the second half and see what I can glean from it.
By noon things had brightened up and so we toddled out for a proper walk.
The horses are wrapped up warm.
I may struggle to post over the next few weeks. Christmas is not my favourite feast and to make matters worse the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant. The news is wall to wall ‘Duchess Done’ commentary. Expert opinion on almost all aspects of the matter are being sought. Almost all aspects!….The media have so far failed to go into details of the conception. Within twelve hours I have heard more, informed, rubbish than I was subject to during the entire US election.
Have fun, I’ll turn the radio off and try and preserve what little sanity that I have left.
I’m listening to Nora Jones as I type this. She’s better than her dad. All that strange sitar stuff is just not as appealing without a spliff on the go.
How does one means test a bird?…….It could turn out that one penalizes a bird worthy of help…..I’ll forget the means test. It could cause more trouble than it’s worth.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker. I have two males visiting but the female has gone. I hope she is okay. 
These were taken on Sunday afternoon and it was the second time I’d filled the fat ball feeder. Starlings don’t help. They fire fat ball all over the place but the Robins and Chaffinches get to hoover up. 
I woke to a sprinkling of snow on Monday. A vile start to the day. Freezing and damp so I let the dogs walk themselves whilst I had breakfast…..you guessed….. porridge again! I settled down with my current book Alchemist by Peter James, I’m about halfway through and still can’t convert base metal to gold. I’ll get on with reading the second half and see what I can glean from it. 
By noon things had brightened up and so we toddled out for a proper walk. 
The horses are wrapped up warm. I may struggle to post over the next few weeks. Christmas is not my favourite feast and to make matters worse the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant. The news is wall to wall ‘Duchess Done’ commentary. Expert opinion on almost all aspects of the matter are being sought. Almost all aspects!….The media have so far failed to go into details of the conception. Within twelve hours I have heard more, informed, rubbish than I was subject to during the entire US election.
Have fun, I’ll turn the radio off and try and preserve what little sanity that I have left.
Aunty Beeb never did believe in brevity when they decide what should be top news billing. I have often wondered how much of our money they pay each of the 'experts' to blather on. I quickly changed over to R4extra - the only BBC channel with no news broadcasts.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of the GSW.
I tend to use Radio 4 John. They are annoying but I like news and they do cover most of it. I accept that Kate having a bunny in the oven is news but hardly front page stuff. Twenty years ago I wouldn't have minded having a go.
DeleteI suspect they are amazed he has that much work in him. Time will tell, he may not have and possibly employed a striker.
I love the woodpecker! My husband goes on, and on, and on concerning the amount of money that goes towards feeding the birds. He says they eat better than he does - he's probably right!
ReplyDeleteAnnie, Woodpeckers are doing well but I am one missing.
DeleteI was trying to work out the cost of feeding them.
It's about the same as feeding two dogs but only if I include their weekly treat of chicken.
I love having them visit and one soon gets to recognise individuals.
Aaaaw! you old miser you, fancy begrudging those poor little birds a decent meal, think of them stuck out there in the cold and the snow while you're tucked up in the warm keeping things regular with all that porridge and fruit!
ReplyDeleteMind you, after Georgie Boy has delivered his plan to save the world tomorrow we could all be down to living on nothing more than a bowl of gruel a day. (what do you reckon to fat ball soup?) I guess there's one future new mouth that won't want for a decent meal tho'.
Nice to see the GS Woodpecker...well fed of course!!...[;o)
Trevor, I've run out of peanuts. These fat balls are fit for a prince. Over ten pence each and I buy them a hundred at a time. Got twenty free last week.
ReplyDeleteThere are three Societies in this country Us...Normalish.
Animals and Birds, Really Normal, (apart from one starling and a Wood Pigeon).
And then the dregs. (Royalty, and the Bloody Government). I used to detest Wilson and that old drunk George Brown but a breath of fresh air they were. Even Tony is beginning to have some retrospective appeal.
Tis old age. I wishes I had blue blood. I'm daft enough.
PS. We slipslided to Morrisons and purchased more oats and dates and figs and apricots.
I also made a load of Toulouse sausage. It's really fat belly pork and garlic, and a bit of white wine, should have been a bit more wine in it but whilst mincing the pork it evaporated...... I think..... Life is fine.
I'm on a 'C' free zone this month, so ..... the snow looks good, but I'm glad I ain't got it here.
ReplyDeleteFeeding the birds can be quite expensive; but very rewarding. I hope Mrs Woody is Ok.
I enjoy snow.
DeleteUnbelievable what a few birds can get through in a day.
I haven't seen her for a week. The fox has had five hens but i don't think we can blame the fox.
You will know this but if you buy big bags of food they are VAT free. Same with dog food. I think the limit is 20 kilos.
DeleteDithery will twig and I doubt it will last for ever.
It's been snowing here for two days now and it's bitter cold and windy... Brrr. Had to wrap up much like your horses just to take the garbage out today! ;)
ReplyDeleteMonica, trying to get the rug on the little horse is a right carry on. They usually stand still but she doesn't. Like doing two rounds with a boxer it is.,
DeleteWonderful to see the GSW enjoying your generous offerings :) No snow here yet, but your wintry scene reminded me that it is the season. Sunshine does make such a difference. Christmas is a difficult time for many, and I hope you are able to keep your special sense of humour and wit alive and well. That will cheer us all up :)
ReplyDeleteSuch beauties you attract.. I like those suet balls.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a long gestation period for your folks. ;)
And yes, Ravi's girl is far more enjoyable to listen to than her dad.
Hilary, I'm a generous chap...I'll send you a couple.
DeleteSwap you for a little tobacco livener. Then I'll promote your most famous immigrant.
You are welcome to the Royals and all they promote...Themselves! Princess Anne is okay but Charles is a total dumb nut.
We have wasted too much mineral and oil wealth supporting them and their ilk.
Norway got a tenth of the oil but did a hundred times more with it. Having said that, Norway is a grim place to live. Good scenery but funny folk.
Glo, I love seeing the birds.
ReplyDeleteI hate Christmas but console myself by thinking of Easter. I wonder what happened to his Christmas presents? Bet that bugger Judas had them away under his frock.
I still have two Woodpeckers but do wonder where the female has gone. She is hopefully defending a tree full of insects.
Yes, I love our girl Nora, she can pluck her sitar near me anytime. I like the pictures, especially the last, neigh neigh.
ReplyDeleteBob, Andrea Corr rings my bells. Joss Stone more so. I think I'm just a dirty old man....I'll live with it and buy a mack.
DeleteHi Adrian! Your snow pics are fantastic! Love them, great atmosphere ... Thank you Adrian
ReplyDeleteNo they aren't Laura. It was just a quick post. Thank you. You show me what can be done with images. If I could be so bold then I suggest you paint water, let it dry and then paint over.
DeleteLove A.
I'm another of the Bah Humbug brigade I'm afraid. I carried on too far there and deleted it all. I was even beginning to upset me! I like the comparative scenes above: amazing what a bit of sun (okay a lot of sun) can do.
ReplyDeleteGraham, they got me wound up. I thought I would be used to the drivel by now.
DeleteThe only bird for the means test is the starling and maybe you shouldn't bother and just use some very lethal method. Birds seem to come in when there's nasty weather. The woodpecker is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteRed, I find Starlings good entertainment. All the squabbling.
DeleteThose are beautiful woodpeckers, sounds like they are eating you out of house and home though. The horses look pretty good in their winter coats.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a good week, find an all music station if you can.
Gillian, they are getting through a ridiculous amount of food. The female Woodpecker turned up half an hour ago.
DeleteBrrr!!!! It looks cold! Love your birds....and that feeder is awesome. Pretty cool set up with those seedballs inside the container!
ReplyDeleteChris, the fat ball feeders are standard over here
DeleteI want snow! The birds on our feeders throw stuff around too, and I try to discourage the little ones from ground feeding because of our two cats, although Hobie the tomcat only ever stares confusedly at them anyway. We have a pigeon and sometimes a squirrel that clears up the ground stuff, and both cats don't seem to want to tackle either of them.
ReplyDeleteGary, I enjoy winter. It is blasted cold though.
DeleteThe pregnancy is all we will hear about for the next months...I'm sick of it already....I love porridge though..!!
ReplyDelete-Trevor
It has quietened down a bit.
DeleteWhy they think anyone is interested I really don't know.