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Norm B

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Norm B last won the day on April 14 2023

Norm B had the most liked content!

About Norm B

  • Birthday 11/25/1946

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Hampshire UK
  • Interests
    Sea Angling, Conservation and shooting.

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  1. Nesting. The blackbirds have built a nest in the ivy behind the Buddleia so I'll have to watch out for the magpies as it's not an ideal spot for shooting the pests. The bird feeders have seen the "normal" visitors. Robins, we now have a pair of robins after the nest was raided last year, not certain what by, possibly magpies or squirrel but Mrs robin disappeared from the garden although cock robin stayed but didn't find a new mate but he has done this year, better luck this time. No goldfinches as yet but blue tits and great tits are feeding well. The cock blackcap has been around all through the winter but no sign of the hen, didn't see her last year either, possibly destruction of the nest site by overzealous pruning. Loads of house sparrows, eat most of the feed with dunnocks sweeping up the spillage. Not seen the green parakeet this week, possibly taken by the sparrowhawk. No green finches or chaffinches this year so far but I live in hope. Plenty of house sparrows but none showing any interest in the 2 boxes I put up under the eves, perhaps one day, as they may be in too much shade. Newts are active in the pond, early but no sign of the GCN's yet but it is early yet. I saw 2 goldfinches on feeders yesterday, the first this year so there is still hope. No interest in nest boxes yet but it's still a bit early. Looking at the pond last night as the sunshine and warmer weather have made the newts more active and I'm sure I saw the flash of a male GCN tail. Checking the pond this morning I see the newts have commenced spawning already. Too early as the pond weed hasn't started growing so they are laying their eggs in the submerged ornamental reeds that I planted last year so I must scout around for some more suitable weed. No frog spawn as yet although I did see 3 frogs last year but knowing my luck they will all be the same sex. No info on spawn locally, although I was told of a heap of it in a stream last week but from the directions, it appears to be within the confines of a country park so a no go area for me with a bucket and net. Any Canadian pond weed and frog spawn will be welcome.
  2. I now have VERY robust feeders due to an earlier squirrel problem which has been almost eliminated with my Webley Mk3 .22. We now have a regular pair with the odd outsider visiting occasionally.
  3. I was scooping the dead leaves from the pond as with all the gales there were plenty of leaves in the pond although I've had the trees around the pond lopped, trees from farther away have had their leaves blown in. Surprisingly I've scooped up some very small newt tadpoles which must be late hatchers from last year's spawn, they are now safely in the hippo and aquarium until they grow bigger as adult newts are now out of hibernation in the pond, very early, so I'll have to start feeding them soon. As of last year, any "spare frog or toad spawn spawn" will be welcome as the "killer cats" are no longer a threat to them. Also, any ramshorn snails, red or black are welcome, I can collect them locally, or will pay postage. Cheers, Norman.
  4. I remember a few years ago that the RSPB or English Nature wanted them culled because they are not an indigenous species, there was an uproar against it but I don't know if it went ahead. Not seen ours today, not sure if it's the weather or if a sparrowhawk has got it as it would be an easy target.
  5. Contact me on email as I don't get on fishing sites much now. Norman.
  6. I heard a strange bird calling in my garden yesterday and saw a green parakeet with a red beak feeding on my feeding station. It hung around for about an hour then disappeared, probably due to dusk falling. This morning while I was having breakfast it came down onto the feeder holding the sunflower hearts and fed there until the squirrel disturbed it. I thought that was it but an hour later it returned to feed on the peanuts. I assume it's not an escapee as not read anything on local Facebook so it's probably migrated west from London or Kent. It would be nice if we had a pair locally as it would add a bit of variety to the local twitchers' view.
  7. ALL is quiet on the pond front as summer is over and all spawns have hatched and either decided to hibernate in the pond or somewhere near it until winter is over. I still need some Canadian pond weed for the newts to spawn in next year as the hot summer seems to have wiped most of it out, even my local Aqua Center hasn't got any at all. I have some other oxygenating pond weed to swap but it has fronds as opposed to curling leaves which the other newts lay their eggs on but it's not as good as Canadian pond weed for the GCNs eggs. I had so many young newts I stocked 3 local garden ponds with them, not Ideal but all the wild ponds I've stocked have either been drained or filled with builders waste. On the bird front it has been a poor year for birds. No blue or great tit young on the feeders. Robin's nest was attacked, Mrs robin missing and young dead or not hatched, No young goldfinches on the feeders and only one pair of adults seen instead of usual two pair. No chaffinches or greenfinches seen either. No woodpeckers, green or Great Spotted. Black birds built 3 nests, the first two, eggs were robbed by magpies, third the young were taken at about a week, not sure if by squirrels or magpies as in next doors garden. More bats around than last year, Still got one or two hogs feeding but rarely seen but nice to know we've still got some. Not seen sparrowhawk lately.
  8. Just checking on the newt spawn hatching and I saw another newt in the hippo feeding on Daphna or newt tadpoles, caught it in my net and this one was a male palmate newt so definitely not the same one as before. If this keeps happening I'll have to put the hippo on bricks to make it more difficult to climb into.
  9. 2 Ian Golds 5ft padded rod holdalls in cammo. New. Will take a brolly etc. £25 each collected or post at cost. I thought this would be a better place than the beach section.
  10. Famous last words. Was looking at the hatching eggs in the hippo pond and saw there were a few GCN tadpoles, an encouraging sign. Then to my horror a female smooth newt surfaced for air so I went indoors to get my net and caught her and put her in the main pond. Then today I was checking out the newt tadpoles when I saw another female smooth newt in there, or the same one I removed a couple of days ago. The hippo is at least 6 feet from the main pond and an 8 inch vertical climb to get into it so was it the same newt as before that had found a rich source of food or another one returning to the main pond that stopped off on the way? Probably why I don't have as many newt tadpoles as a few days ago, I shall have to check for interlopers daily as the newts are hatching regularly now. Fortunately, my daphnia breeding program is working well so it could be a record year for newt breeding without breaking my budget, for a change.
  11. My neighbour has found a split cane Hardy fly rod with 2 tip sections among his father's effects and has asked me what is it worth? Not a lot unless it has a good name on it I replied. We had a look, nothing on the rod but on the aluminium butt it says Hardy. Any idea what it's worth?
  12. My neighbour has found a split cane Hardy fly rod with 2 tip sections among his father's effects and has asked me what is it worth? Not a lot unless it has a good name on it I replied. We had a look, nothing on the rod but on the aluminium butt it says Hardy. Any idea what it's worth?
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