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Post by blueeyedchick on Jan 30, 2019 13:41:03 GMT
Really nice photo's Paul of your dear little Sparrows. You are doing a great job helping them to increase their population. We have a lot of sparrows here and there might be an opportunity for a nest for them in my Box 2 if nobody else wants it! Sorry to hear you have snow. It's bright and sunny here but very cold, bird water iced solid this morning.
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Post by suep on Jan 30, 2019 19:32:40 GMT
So lovely the sparrows are back Paul, definitely regulars. Do you ever see any of your ringed birds Paul? Would be so lovely if you had a nest from them one day. Sue
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 31, 2019 11:58:59 GMT
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Post by matt on Jan 31, 2019 12:40:59 GMT
Nice pics Paul! Definitely a good move to swap the cameras I'd say!
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Post by karenupnorth on Jan 31, 2019 12:44:34 GMT
Looking good Paul.
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jan 31, 2019 13:38:55 GMT
Paul, fabulous clarity great that you did it in time. Pleased to hear about your numerous visits and to the Purple Box too well I never.......... Starling has visited 5 times this morning plus calling to a female I think? BT pair also but not so often. Really surprised cos it's not warm here!
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 1, 2019 11:53:12 GMT
Fantastic photos Paul! You're definitely all set up now when everything takes off in a few weeks, same with you Kathy & it's great that your starling has been five times already. Weather here is awful, it was dense freezing fog all day yesterday and flipping snow this morning which I hope melts soon.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 1, 2019 13:11:34 GMT
Thank you Matt, Karen, Kathy, Diane.
Kathy, Really pleased about your starling visits, You had anymore today? Isn't going to warm up until Monday here in Liverpool. Still snow on the ground which is like ice now and freezing temps hasn't stopped my visits though which is surprising.
Diane, Remind me do you have nest boxes in your garden? have you ever thought about getting yourself a camera box?
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 1, 2019 13:50:49 GMT
Paul I just wondered when you said a few days ago the female BT comes in to the box on her own now and doesnt wait for male to take her in first, do you think this would suggest she has chosen that box for her nest site this year, also how significant is it to see a nest wriggle and does only the female do nest wriggles? Many thanks.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 1, 2019 16:27:43 GMT
Karen, Our female at the moment also visits one of my side boxes alone. So I don't think she's picked the box so to speak, Its so early in the year that they keep their options open. I can always tell my male from female because when he comes in the box he looks abit "lost" because he is awaiting her to come in. Female always seems more relaxed as a peck around sometimes sits in there for a few minutes etc. Nest wriggles at this stage is a very promising sign, The female is the one who nest wriggles. However a few members on here have seen there males nest wriggles over the years (including me) but this normally happens when nest building is underway. In my cases it as been anyway, But yes the male will nest wriggle in some cases. I haven't seen a nest wriggle in any my boxes yet, Apart from the sparrow one but the female is roosting in there everynight anyway. I mean I could of missed the blue tits doing it because am not watching the camera all the time and its not on a recorder but if your getting nest wriggles this year then it really is a great sign of what is to come over the coming weeks. It is too early to be worrying over it though Karen, These birds will send you crazy if you let them!
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 1, 2019 17:00:29 GMT
We have only one nest box Paul, put up in August 2007 and we have been lucky to have blue tits nesting successfully from 2008 up to & including 2016. In 2017, there was a big fight between them & great tits & the latter won and they were successful too. Last year, it was the great tits again, but like nearly everybody else - we found five dead chicks in there when we took the nest box down.
We don't have a camera in it & unfortunately it will have to stay that way, as neither my husband nor I can stand on step-ladders anymore, as we both go "dizzy" - nothing to do with wine I assure you!
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 1, 2019 17:03:57 GMT
Hi Paul, Thanks for the info, I find it very interesting, I am not worried as such I am just fascinated in their behaviour and am trying to understand them more . Male behaviour compared to the female behaviour, how they interact and also their different calls they use. Just love it! Some of the behaviour you mentioned I can relate to, the male looking lost and the female pecking and sitting around taking it all in her stride I have seen that in my tree box and wall box.
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 3, 2019 15:39:53 GMT
Any further news on your robins possibly nest building in the ivy on your fence Paul? I've just read that three of us are now Junior Members & Senior Members are the next on the list, so I have two questions.
1. Senior members are like Prefects at school, so can they use the to keep the rest of us in order?! 2. If the next stage after that is Ancient Members, I'm not going there because I am one in reality!
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 3, 2019 16:05:15 GMT
Yorkshire lass that made me giggle!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 3, 2019 18:41:39 GMT
Diane that made me laugh Rankings are 0-49 - New Member 50-99 - Junior Member 100-249 - Senior Member 250-499 - Regular Member 500-onwards - Full Time Member After you reach 500 posts you'll be under full time member and stay as that whatever your post count reaches. Edit - P.s not been keeping a watch on the ivy due to the cold weather and snow I imagine nothing would be progress i'll keep a watch out this week.
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 4, 2019 9:52:40 GMT
Many thanks Paul for listing the "names" of the future, I can rest easy now. I realised this morning that my question about your robins was in the wrong place, so I'll be more careful in future. I'm still crossing my fingers for you that you do get a nest.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 5, 2019 12:05:32 GMT
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 5, 2019 12:26:32 GMT
Is that the rooster in the pic Paul or a potential tenant, or are they the same bird?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 5, 2019 12:33:11 GMT
Couldn't tell you to be honest, However both birds have been in and out all morning and one is removing some of the poo so if one is the rooster there is another one aswell. Guessing its same pair that keep checking the purple box out because both boxes have been very activity this morning! Along with the sparrow box, Which is very activity with both sparrows, At rate she is going I'll have nest material added within a week or so.
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 5, 2019 14:36:31 GMT
I've just checked back in to see if you'd put more piccies & news update on, after seeing the video on Twitter a short time ago. These are really something, so colourful & clear. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that two different sparrows are thinking about making nests in our ivy, as each one stayed where they were for ten minutes - one on the front & the other on the side of our "Big Shed".
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Post by suep on Feb 6, 2019 15:54:17 GMT
Brilliant clear pictures Paul . Blimey, just seen the ranking chart, at this rate i’ll be on here a few years before i’m a ‘regular’ better get posting. Just waiting for something to post about though. Lol Sue
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Post by sammi on Feb 6, 2019 16:45:17 GMT
Hi Paul I'm loving the clarity of your camera you changed. I'm thinking of trying a better camera in my old boxwatch box as the old Aldi cam isn't too good or it may be the position I fixed it in.
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Post by elle on Feb 7, 2019 19:09:11 GMT
Hi Paul What is the lifespan of a sparrow? Just wondering if same pair all the time.
Elle Xx
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Post by elle on Feb 7, 2019 19:22:55 GMT
I’m so envious of the clarity of your camara Paul, I will never have that clear a pic cos of limited positioning of boxes. Just shows, I have same box & camara and yet 2 very different results! I also darnt put extra lighting in incase I cook the potential eggs. You know the problem I had last year with heat on side view box, I know the lights only give off minimal heat, but don’t want to add any additional threat, it’s nerve wracking enough as it is without the added worry, you know what I’m like Elle xx
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 7, 2019 19:46:39 GMT
Elle, I didn't know the sparrow question but just googled it and the usual lifespan is 3 years but the oldest one on record reached 19 years old and 9 months so nearly 20! It does say sparrows stay loyal to eachother and the nest place though so it is very likely its the same pair. And my boxes all have lightening in this year Elle, My pictures / videos wouldn't be anywhere near that quality without lightening. I lost alot quality as it is by filming it off my phone off the tv, The led light doesn't give any heat off at all it plugs into your camera and uses the power from the camera. Only comes on during daylight when it goes dusk the sensor turns the led light off. There off greenfeathers only £9.99 www.green-feathers.co.uk/products/daytime-led-lamp-for-bird-boxesI talked about them alot during last year on the old forum alot members have them this year due to this, There simple to set up as it just runs off your camera power. I'll post some pictures below off the old forum from last year showing it.
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