Curmy,

I've sent the private message again. There is a way to block notification via e-mail and you've probably caught it. However, go into User Control for yourself and the private messages from people should be obtainable if any have been sent. You are sending them out ok.

Gildy

Gildy, when I click on my name, what do I click on next on the control panel ?

If you are in your own control panel and are showing it as I have on mine as I write this, down the left hand side you have some boxes:

Settings and options are ok if you are changing your own personal details.

The most important for you are personal messages and subscribed threads. Play around with that area and see what happens


Try List messages that will show any that have been sent to you and are in your inbox if you go on the box at the top of that page where it says jump to folder you can also see what messages you have sent. If you are finished with them you can also create space and delete them.

Its the same with subscribed threads and again if you no longer want e-mails arriving to tell you someone has sent a message that can be switched off. And again you can unsubscribe from threads.

There is very little that you can make a mistake with. And if you shout on the forum help you'll find help too or an answer to a question where someone has asked before

I hope that I have not confused you.

Gildy

Hello All,

I should say that its been quiet in my garden of late but the weather has played its part. You think its quiet but in reality alot of small birds are hiding amongst the trees I assume to try and stay out of the cold winds etc...

In recent days I have noticed the food that I do put out is disppearing more quickly than a few weeks ago and just maybe the extra obsticles that have been placed in the other gardens is protecting the birds again from hawks. I hope so...I have noticed a cat in the garden but it seems to using our garden as a short cut and there is nothing to suggest that its catching or harming birds. You'll have seen from other posts that I now can definately say that there are more squirrels visiting and probably always have been but unless they arrive at once, you never know if they are the same ones or how many there really are.

And this also means until they all become tame I do not know which is in the garden until I see what reaction I get.

The numbers of doves happy to sit in my trees, on fence or walk around the garden continues to be quite high but I have also seen some birds return that have deserted my garden for ages and I have been surprised by how many Green Finches and Bull Finches are back.

And a couple of hours ago though very fleeting I saw a Gold Finch back on the washing line in front of the Kitchen window so just maybe they will be a regular visitor for Winter and hopefully they'll stay.

I also saw some very fine feathers on the lawn probably lost from a Dove that took off quickly and a little sparrow picked two of them up andflew away and quickly returned for the remaining one so I guess it was lining its nest for Winter. I have collected a bag full of feathers and was keeping them back for spring. At least it looks as though they'll be used.

Now that my visit to the hospital went ok I know I am at home to accept deliveries this weekend I hope to order my supplies in for Winter and the shrubs I wish to plant for the birds, too late for this year but I hope they'll grow enough to benefit them next year.

I have seen some more Sunflowers growing in the tubs of gardens that belong to neighbours so its a fair bet its birds hiding or dropping seed that I am providing. I know it hasn't happened before this year.

Not the new neighbours but the one's I mentioned who had added some bracken screening to their side of our fence, they already have a patio area and a shed in their garden but upon returning from a shopping trip two days ago...they were having either a fancy shed delivered probably influenced by the one the new neighbours erected or its going to be a kind of little Sunhouse/Conservatory. They are decent sized gardens but everyone is so intent in putting so much into them there is hardly any room left. We can only wait and see what they are planning next

I suspect that's probably why they put up the screening up to raise the height. Well, when my bushes go in and get growing, who cares!

Thanks to some information on another post Minihaha showed me what a Mountain Ash was like and its beautiful. It would look good in my garden but think space is against me but I realise that on a corner of a street I can see from my house there are a group of trees and one I am almost certain is a Mountain Ash. Its got all the colours of the illustration you posted. And the another tree next to it comes out in white blossum at another time of year.

Hope you are ok Mango...and you've just been reading even if not posting much of late...

Cheers!

Hi Gildy,
thanks for asking after me, I never seem to get around to posting at the moment, I've been extra busy.

I'm very pleased to read that your hospital visit went well

I heard on the radio that if anyone has a problem with hawks to keep moving the bird feeders and this confuses them, so perhaps the new obstacles have had a similar effect
My you have very busy neighbours, it must be hard work keeping up with the Jonses

In regards to sunflowers, unless you want a particular type my hubby plants a few out of the bird food and they come up very well

Well the starlings are coming to my garden daily now also some blue-tits, it's very mild for the time of year so I guess they are still getting natural food also.

After a very foggy and grey start to the day it has turned out beautiful again, so we have been for a visit to our local wildlife reserve, it's around a water resevoir and looked really lovely in the sun.
There was some canada geese, ducks, moor hens, swans and gulls which some people were feeding but they didn't seem very hungry.

In the wooded part we heard a few birds but didn't see any
Only the remains of three pigeons that mr fox had for supper

Another thing that I like to look for is all the different fungi, but sadly that seemed very thin on the ground......I have more in my garden at present than I saw there
Not even a squirrel, when we went there a few years back, a young squirrel took a liking to my hubby, he ran up his leg and back and then down his front, it was really

Hope that you and everyone are having a good day!

Chris

Hello Gildy, Is it very mild where you are ? its been quite sunny in Suffolk today.The birds seem quite active in the garden.I should think this is good weather for you neighbours to come out brandishing their hammers, saws etc !

I listened to that programme about the different Trafalgar Squares, it was very interesting.I think I told you my old man's gone off sailing for a week with his friends. At least I can now watch Antiques Road Show instead of Scrap Heap Challenge.!

I've been pottering about today doing odd jobs, tidying the garden talking to my daughters on the phone, visiting my Mum in the Nursing home etc.Quite whacked now, I'm going to have something to eat and then read the Sunday paper. Have you ordered your plants and bird food yet ? Speak to you soon, love Curmy.

Hi Curmy,
Glad I'm not the only one that has to suffer scrap heap challenge!
Lucky you, enjoy your week of 'freedom' and control of the remote!
:smt026

Chris

Curmy and Mango,

I would've loved to have a day doing either of what you both did. I used to love pottering around but if I go out something on the lines of seeing the wildlife and well doing something so simple. And I love the expressive way you talk of what you have been doing. They keep saying that conversation is dying out and sometimes blame technology like the net not being personal enough, well for all the horror stories most of us are pretty nice and we've made some friends and I think people do talk and express themselves as much as they ever did.

On the whole its quite mild around here if Autumnal, warmish when the sun is out but it can soon cool down.

I've posted some thoughts on the Avian Flu on the other place...I will worry for my friends such as you and I would say family but that's really only my Mum(there's not many of us left now)no little Gildy's on the horizon...but I was reading up on the subject and you know "Bird" flu has been known of for at least 100 years and its equally known that on avaerage you get 4 bad out breaks every century but like so many viruses and deseases they do change so its not surprising this has happened.

We should protect and be concerned but unfortunately the media is adding fuel to the fire and rarely do they explain things simply but go for the sensational headlines.

It is still safe to eat Chicken and eggs(if you cook them properly)but that's always been the advice without the flu story.

It is still ok to feed the garden birds that visit but do watch for anything unusual and be extra careful about hygene...that's not a bad thing anyhow.

If the wrong information is out there people will panic and may even stop feeding the birds. Also, some people if they do that will be left with supplies that they have purchased or if business is affected some firm supplying feeds may fail.

One thing that I can add seeing I'm talking birds again...yes, the Hawk was back tonight and was barely visable as darkness fell, I knew it had something and was thinking leave it but then I spotted the Squirrel only a few feet from it so I moved as quick as I was able and the Squirrel wasn't bothered by my sudden appearence nor the hawk. If I'd had a camera I suspect I could've got close to the hawk as it seemed unbothered either.

But I scattered it away in the hope that may help keep it away for awhile and at least the Squirrel was safe. He just carried on burying his nuts!

Anyhow, I looked and all that remained of the hawks kill were a few feathers but not very many. So I think its caught it elsewhere, been disturbed and came into my garden to finish off the remains. Probably a dove again. Next time it could be a squirrel.

I have to still hear that programme but I do have it here. I also have the Radio 3 play that was on tonight and had a good write up in the Radio Times. I may have to listen in stages as its about two hours long.

Mango, thanks for your concern and wishes after the Hospital visit.

I have a private message I owe you, I have to still get back to Miranda and my friend in the States too.

Think I'll start afresh in the morning...

Take Care both of you

G xx

Gildy and Mango, thanks for your last 2 messages, which were very interesting. You must have stayed up late last night, Gildy! I can assure you' pottering ' means things like shoe cleaning, etc, nothing very exiting.

I've started a rant on the Points of view board, because the BBC is only broadcasting the Trafalgar service from St Pauls on News 24, just what they did in the summer.

When you see the rubbish thats on BBC 1 and Radio 4 at that time, you'd think they could have made the effort. Talk soon, Curmy x