Farming Friends

I dedicate this post to my friend Trisha or should I call her Birdy Trish over at Bird Table News who I know will be very interested to hear which birds are beginning to nest in my area.

In the last week or two I have noticed alot of activity with the birds. I have seen a great many varieties hopping around the garden and farmyard picking up straw, foliage, grass, leaves, twigs and anything the birds think will make a good nest material. It is a great sight to behold watching the activity of many birds all with the same mission to build a nest so that they can lay a clutch of eggs. Spring is truely here!

I have noticed blackbirds, songthrush, sparrows and fieldfare all collecting nest material. which birds have you seen nest building?

Incubation Period

The incubation period for pigeon eggs is 17 days.

Incubation Temperature

The temperature in the incubator for pigeon eggs is 99.5 - 100.5 degrees fahrenheit.

Humidity Levels

The humidity level (wet bulb thermometer) for pigeon eggs is 84-88 degrees fahrenheit.

Final Day Of Egg Rotation

The final day of egg rotation for pigeon eggs is day 15.

Please note that all of this information is only a guide and that this information may differ according to the incubator manufacturer’s guide.

Always consult the manufacturer’s guide when using an incubator and automatic egg turner.

Click on the link below to visit Amazon.co.uk to find out more about this book or visit one of the Farming Friends Bookshops.

Commercial Pigeon Breeding & Rearing

A family of moorhens have been living in the back field for some time now and every so often I get a glimpse of one of these lovely black birds. They are very quick birds with extremely good hearing and my approach usually sends them running or flying away.

On Sunday I could see three of the moorhens near the back field and I luckily had my camera so managed to catch two of the birds on camera. I’m afraid it’s not the best photo but at least it’s evidence that they are inhabiting our land.

What unusual birds have you spotted in and around your garden?

Over the last couple of months I have noticed an unusual looking bird in my orchard every morning and afternoon.

When I described the bird to my husband he said he thought it was a fieldfare. I described the bird as looking a bit like a song thrush, except longer and not as plump, with grey and brown colouring. As the bird flies from the orchard, it usually makes a clacking sound which sounds a bit like the call of the magpie.

Once my husband had suggested that it was a fieldfare, I had a look on the internet and found some pictures to help me verify that the early morning visitor to my orchard is indeed the fieldfare.

Lots of bluetits have been visiting my garden this week as I have had all four of my brd feeders filled with bird food.

I have spent weeks trying to get some photos of these colourful and acrobatic birds but everytime I turned the camera on they flew away.

Anyway this week I managed to get some good pictures so I thought that I would share them with you.

What birds or wild life is visiting your garden at the moment?

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Birds seen in my garden in early December include:

Latin Name: Athene noctua

Description: A small, flat headed and short tailed owl with pale yellow eyes. It has a brownish yellow plumage with white spots and flecks.

Habitat: The little owl prefers wooded areas and orchards although it can be found in villages and city areas. This owl is often found in farmland areas.

Food: The little owl eats large insects, spiders, mice, small birds and reptiles.

Distribution: The little owl can be found throughout the British Isles all year round and is a common bird on the Continent.

Nesting: The little owl generally nests in holes in trees or holes in stone walls. Very little nesting material is used and the little owl will rarely nest in a building.

Eggs: The eggs of the little owl are white and the breeding season for the little owl is from April to June. The females lay 3-5 eggs with an incubation period of 24-28 days. The fledglings leave the nest after approximately 34 days.

Did You Know?

• The little owl is normally active during the day and night.
• The little owl has a variety of cries.
• The little owl was the introduced into Great Britain in the late nineteenth century.

Read all about the Little Owl spotted in the lane.