| Alright you bird lovers? 15:05 - Mar 7 with 2673 views | Mick_S |
The suns out so I’ve been walking around my garden. Lots going on, the feeding stations are being used non stop unless the dog is out there, so it’s looking ok.
I’ve been on the internet wondering whether to clean out the nesting boxes, and guess what? It’s a yes or no thing. Yes, get rid of the potentially harmful parasitic stuff. Empty the dwelling and soak it in boiling water.
No - leave it, it’s what birds do in a non garden environment (generally). I don’t know the answer, I’m thinking of just leaving things as they are this season, but of course, the internet has confused me.
What you lot reckon? |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 15:10 - Mar 7 with 2101 views | Boston |
You wouldn't happen to have four and twenty Blackbirds, I'm feeling peckish😉 [Post edited 7 Mar 15:11]
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 15:13 - Mar 7 with 2087 views | Monkey_Roots |
I reckon you must have a pretty bloody big garden to be wandering the grounds and having feeding stations.
Are you royalty Mick? |  | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 15:48 - Mar 7 with 2035 views | Mick_S |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 15:13 - Mar 7 by Monkey_Roots |
I reckon you must have a pretty bloody big garden to be wandering the grounds and having feeding stations.
Are you royalty Mick? |
Round this way, yes mate 😂
What I meant was metal poles with bird hangy things on them that are quite close together.
Random irritation - if they are not perfectly vertical ( big bird disturbance ) it does my nut nut in. | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:03 - Mar 7 with 2013 views | dmm |
I've wondered about this too, Mick, but have never cleaned out the bird boxes we have. They've been nested in several times so I tend to think the birds know what they're doing. |  | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:23 - Mar 7 with 1972 views | Mick_S |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:03 - Mar 7 by dmm |
I've wondered about this too, Mick, but have never cleaned out the bird boxes we have. They've been nested in several times so I tend to think the birds know what they're doing. |
That’s my guess too, David. Thought I’d ask what the general advice is. Thanks mate. | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:29 - Mar 7 with 1945 views | CateLeBonR |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:23 - Mar 7 by Mick_S |
That’s my guess too, David. Thought I’d ask what the general advice is. Thanks mate. |
Good idea, Mick. You wouldn’t want to do anything you might egret! |  | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:32 - Mar 7 with 1915 views | Mick_S |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:29 - Mar 7 by CateLeBonR |
Good idea, Mick. You wouldn’t want to do anything you might egret! |
Here we go : tern it in mate. | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:32 - Mar 7 with 1909 views | Lblock |
Birds and boxes..... so much too choose from here. |  |
| Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:48 - Mar 7 with 1860 views | R_from_afar |
Good thread! I wasn't sure either so I had a look for what the RSPB says. It's below.
I'd leave the boxes for this season. If you hang around near them now, you might cause any birds which are already nesting to desert their nests, unfortunately.
I'm not sure if it's really essential for nestboxes to always be clean because quite a few birds happily reuse old nests built by other species.
It is important to clean feeders regularly because they can carry a disease which badly affects finches :(
Nest box cleaning
It’s helpful to clean your bird boxes out after each nesting season, so that they’re ready for the next breeding season. We recommend cleaning them annually, between September and January at the very latest. Make sure you check the box’s contents before you proceed with cleaning, as some birds can nest later or earlier in the season.
Use gloves to empty out any remnants of the previous nest, before pouring boiling water on the inside of the nest – this can prevent the risk of parasites in nests the following season. Make sure the box is fully dried before you put it back up. Please note: if any unhatched eggs are found in the box, they can only legally be removed from September to January in England and Wales and from August to January in Scotland, and they must be destroyed once removed. |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 19:55 - Mar 7 with 1660 views | colinallcars |
Aaah, spring - when a young man's fancy turns inevitably, to avoiding relegation. |  | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 19:57 - Mar 7 with 1652 views | Boston |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:03 - Mar 7 by dmm |
I've wondered about this too, Mick, but have never cleaned out the bird boxes we have. They've been nested in several times so I tend to think the birds know what they're doing. |
The Young Master Boston made a bird box about 25 years ago when he was in the boy scouts. We hung it on the back porch, it's never been cleaned, used every year, sometimes twice.
My kitchen looks straight out onto the porch and I enjoy watching all the kerfuffle. Randy little buggers aren't they. | |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 19:58 - Mar 7 with 1647 views | HantsR |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 16:29 - Mar 7 by CateLeBonR |
Good idea, Mick. You wouldn’t want to do anything you might egret! |
Egrets? I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention |  | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 21:10 - Mar 7 with 1546 views | BlackCrowe |
I keep the sunflower seeds stocked up because i like the life in the garden. But the pigeons scavenging beneath the feeders piss me off. |  |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 01:25 - Mar 8 with 1401 views | Boston |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 21:10 - Mar 7 by BlackCrowe |
I keep the sunflower seeds stocked up because i like the life in the garden. But the pigeons scavenging beneath the feeders piss me off. |
That's cause you crows are unsociable bast@rds. | |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 09:41 - Mar 8 with 1215 views | hubble |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 01:25 - Mar 8 by Boston |
That's cause you crows are unsociable bast@rds. |
Oi, I like crows. Try telling their parliament they're unsociable! |  |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 10:05 - Mar 8 with 1181 views | dmm |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 09:41 - Mar 8 by hubble |
Oi, I like crows. Try telling their parliament they're unsociable! |
I do too, but the collective noun isn't a murder of crows for nothing!
I like all the corvids. They're a highly intelligent bird species. | | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 10:13 - Mar 8 with 1159 views | hubble |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 10:05 - Mar 8 by dmm |
I do too, but the collective noun isn't a murder of crows for nothing!
I like all the corvids. They're a highly intelligent bird species. |
Feck, I got me owls and me crows mixed up! Or did I??
Did the Norse/Germanic-derived collective noun come first?
A parliament of crows "is an ancient English expression which derives from Germanic folklore. It is due to the belief that crows, which were believed to be as intelligent as humans, would reunite to judge their own who had offended the community. If they were judged guilty, the parliament would tear them to pieces.
Pleasure to be sharing pedantry with you Mr M! | |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 11:10 - Mar 8 with 1059 views | Boston |
Parliament meets.
Outcome is murder. | |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 11:33 - Mar 8 with 1011 views | CateLeBonR |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 11:10 - Mar 8 by Boston |
Parliament meets.
Outcome is murder. |
Sentence. Death by stoning. | | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 11:51 - Mar 8 with 990 views | johann28 |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 10:13 - Mar 8 by hubble |
Feck, I got me owls and me crows mixed up! Or did I??
Did the Norse/Germanic-derived collective noun come first?
A parliament of crows "is an ancient English expression which derives from Germanic folklore. It is due to the belief that crows, which were believed to be as intelligent as humans, would reunite to judge their own who had offended the community. If they were judged guilty, the parliament would tear them to pieces.
Pleasure to be sharing pedantry with you Mr M! |
The collective noun for crows ('murder') probably comes from medieval peasants’ fears that the sinister-looking corvids had been sent by the Devil. They were often associated with death, as they would often scavenge on battlefields, hospitals, cemeteries, or the gallows waiting for a chance to pick over dead bodies. The word 'parliament' for a group of owls, by contrast, seems to be have arisen from their association with wisdom and careful deliberation (I know, things were different in medieval times). However, ornithologists now usually refer to a group of birds, any birds, as a flock.
I'd get out more, but there's too much going on in my garden. [Post edited 8 Mar 12:22]
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 12:02 - Mar 8 with 964 views | dmm |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 11:51 - Mar 8 by johann28 |
The collective noun for crows ('murder') probably comes from medieval peasants’ fears that the sinister-looking corvids had been sent by the Devil. They were often associated with death, as they would often scavenge on battlefields, hospitals, cemeteries, or the gallows waiting for a chance to pick over dead bodies. The word 'parliament' for a group of owls, by contrast, seems to be have arisen from their association with wisdom and careful deliberation (I know, things were different in medieval times). However, ornithologists now usually refer to a group of birds, any birds, as a flock.
I'd get out more, but there's too much going on in my garden. [Post edited 8 Mar 12:22]
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There's a number of old birds on here that descend on the Flock on match days. | | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 12:29 - Mar 8 with 905 views | johann28 |
Crows are also renowned for their striking intelligence - studies have shown that they possess problem-solving skills comparable to that of a seven-year-old child, demonstrating abilities to craft tools and remember human faces. Despite their small size, crow brains are densely packed with neurons which allows for advanced cognitive capabilities, such as using tools to obtain food or solving puzzles. These findings underscore the importance of brain structure over size, shifting the focus from mere scale to more intricate neural connectivity. They are also social animals, living in complex family units. Their social interactions require sophisticated communication skills, which involve learning and memory. Young crows learn by observing adult behaviour, indicating a form of cultural transmission that was once thought exclusive to primates, whilst memory plays a crucial role in their survival, since crows often hide food for future use. Remarkably, they can recall where they have stored food even weeks later. | | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 14:46 - Mar 8 with 770 views | Boston |
I'm an odd bird, always enjoyed seeing / hearing crows, they have so much life about them and are only too happy to let you know they're around.
I'll flock off now. | |
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| Alright you bird lovers? on 14:56 - Mar 8 with 755 views | HantsR |
OK, just sat down to watch the match having seen Ted try and sort out the drainage in the lower meadow. Thought any avid birders here would appreciate the current visitors to my feeders. They include 4 Lesser Redpolls, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Siskins, 1 Goldcrest, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, 2 Greenfinches, 3 Chaffinches, a Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk plus many Goldfinches, Tits and all other usual suspects. A bumper year here in deepest Hampshire. Now for the footie! | | | |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 19:35 - Mar 8 with 621 views | R_from_afar |
| Alright you bird lovers? on 14:46 - Mar 8 by Boston |
I'm an odd bird, always enjoyed seeing / hearing crows, they have so much life about them and are only too happy to let you know they're around.
I'll flock off now. |
There is a brilliant German word for the racket crows make:
Das Krähengeschrei.
Great name for a metal or punk band. Perhaps... | |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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