Poohdog, Question please

[Penny]

Sorry to bother you but wondered if you could tell me. My Blue tits coming along nicely. Question is. When parents feed them they swallow whatever and then turn upside down and the parent takes away what seems to be the same they have just swallowed. Any idea what it is they are eating? Do hope you are keeping well Take care.
cheers Penny

[Maywalk]

I hope he answers you Penny because he has not called in and wondered if he was ok.

I hope you are keeping well too.

[Poohdog]

Sorry to bother you but wondered if you could tell me. My Blue tits coming along nicely.

"Aw Cmon!" Maisie...A sure fire way to get a reply out of me is to start a post with a sentence like that!!
I'm the same as everybody else...Old...Past my sell by date...and bored with lockdowns.

I note from your recent post you are sorting out bits and bobs to give your family...I do hope you've not forgotten to put on one side for me that tape of You...The Duke of Edinburgh,and a Stallion for my collection.

And Penny after feeding what are usually tiny caterpillars to their young.The chicks then eject a waste parcel which the adults then fly off with and drop away from the nest site.

[Penny]

Thank you so much Poohdog, super solution. Like Maisie, delighted to hear from you. Could you drop in a little more often. cheers Penny

[Maywalk]

Pooh I have sorted out utube of when I used to do Pole Dancing just for you but age has caught up with me now and the only ruddy poles I can hang on to are the bars at the side of the door.

Its good to see you still about and able to let Penny know about her Blue Tits.
You never gave me any advice so I had to cover mine with a blanket.

[Penny]

Re=read Poohdogs answer, I thought what a super sense of humour. You really must post more Poohdog, give us all a much needed lift, not only the tits part . What say you Maisie. cheers Penny

[vannin]

But just look at Maisie's humour re the blue tits. I think you two rascals have a superb repartee , the entertainment is a tonic for all!

[laurie53]

Many fledglings, and some adults such as owls, will regurgitate indigestible matter. Valuable information on the prevalence of prey species can be found from owl pellets, as field voles.

Parent blue tits will also remove faecal sacs from the nest area.

[Penny]

Thanks Laurie. Am still looking out for the Goldfinch which called in the other day. Beautiful creatures. cheers Penny

[laurie53]

Niger seeds are supposed to particularly attract goldfinches.

[Penny]

Another question please. Two robins have been in and out the clematis for a little while and I watch them but today, no sign whatsoever. The only thing near are pigeons on the front lawn but never seen them trying to get on the plant. Any reason the robins would have vanished please. cheers Penny

[Poohdog]

The pigeons wouldn't bother the robins...but cats rats or sparrowhawks might give them a fright and make them decide to find a safer nesting site.Next year hang a couple of nestboxes deep in the clematis to tempt them.Robins don't usually like boxes with an entrance hole, they prefer the type with a half open front.

[Penny]

Thank you so much. As it happens we don.t have rats or anything like it. As the plant is on the corner of the front porch, well away from anything, I wondered if the fact that a night light in the porch pops on when we draw the curtain. Sorry to be a pest but thank you very much. cheers Penny

[laurie53]

My open front nest box has never been used by Robins, but regularly by dunnocks!

It's a bit late, but they might have moved north.

It is not generally known but some Robin populations are migratory.

Most of the Robins which appear every winter are from Scandinavia.

They are slightly darker, but the difference is only noticeable in the hand, not in the field.

In the case of your two, she might have got a better offer and he's gone after her!

Many predators, even cats, are no match for territory defending Robins in the breeding season!

[Penny]

Thanks very much Laurie. It is a shame but mine definitely have gone. I did wonder if it is because I have so many rooks, about 150 now, but robins must be used to them as they have also been here for a long tome. Anyway, will keep you up-to-date. Hope you are keeping well yourself. Take care. cheers Penny