Ornothologists - question for you
29 March 2006, 11:28 AM
#1
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Ornothologists - question for you
Below my window at work I over look a swans nest with 3 eggs in it 
How long can the eggs be uncovered for without dieing? The female swan has bu66ered off for a while and I thought the eggs died once they got cold say after 30-60 minutes of being unattended? Really looking forward to seeing them hatch so hope they don't get abandoned.
How long can the eggs be uncovered for without dieing? The female swan has bu66ered off for a while and I thought the eggs died once they got cold say after 30-60 minutes of being unattended? Really looking forward to seeing them hatch so hope they don't get abandoned.
29 March 2006, 11:41 AM
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http://nwr.mcnary.wa.us/reports/discovernests.html
Doesn't say how long, but some useful info anyway - especially for cat owners
Doesn't say how long, but some useful info anyway - especially for cat owners
19 May 2006, 09:06 PM
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Well after 5-6 weeks of sitting on the nest without leaving the eggs once the female swan got up and bu66ered off today with none of the 5 eggs hatched, looks like Mr Swan has been firing blanks. What a waste of 5 bloody weeks for that poor creature sitting in one place for absolutely nothing.
19 May 2006, 09:22 PM
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i put up a 'home made ' ( i made it) bird-box about four years ago. over my shed.. never had anything in it. but noticed recently a small bird (size of a sparrow) with whitish markings ( i assume some kind of Finch??) in and out.. my mrs noticed today that there were feathers on the lawn..(the box is partially hidden behind a small leaved ivy..or was, untill last night the winds have blown most of it down)so out came the step ladders, to resecure the ivy.. whilst on the ladders i peered into the bird box and noticed at least one egg inside... what im now thinking is that the mAGPIE that lives in the tree at the back of our garden has killed 'mummy' bird all over our lawn, and the egg(s) are not gonna survive!!....its really upset me as daft as it is, ..
19 May 2006, 09:50 PM
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Don't disturb the box as those feathers could be from any bird in your garden killed by a cat, crow/magpie/jay etc and the parent birds could have been out of the box at the time you put the ladder up. They may well come back, best thing to do is watch from a distance out of sight.
I know what you mean as I was rather gutted when the swans upped and left today with the eggs abandoned. I find it a privilege to be able to see wildlife rearing young and was looking forward to seeing the swans hatch and grow from tiny pink blobs to signets.
The best rearing of young I saw was as a kid when a fox used to bring her cubs out during the day at the back of my parents garden in the woods and could watch the fox cubs playing in the sunshine, just like a load of orange puppies charging about
I know what you mean as I was rather gutted when the swans upped and left today with the eggs abandoned. I find it a privilege to be able to see wildlife rearing young and was looking forward to seeing the swans hatch and grow from tiny pink blobs to signets.
The best rearing of young I saw was as a kid when a fox used to bring her cubs out during the day at the back of my parents garden in the woods and could watch the fox cubs playing in the sunshine, just like a load of orange puppies charging about
19 May 2006, 10:08 PM
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I've got sparrows nesting in my burgular alarms bell box for the 5th year in a row, also got other sparrows and blackbirds nesting in the bushes, think they feel secure as the dog keeps the cats away, but I'm worried about a big magpie who seems to be hanging around the garden with great interest, I'll let it be just now, but if any the nests get disturbed by it I'll be dusting down the air rifle and popping a cap it it's ***.
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19 May 2006, 10:20 PM
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true.. i live in the 'Burbs too so theres all manner of wildlife close at hand. i spose i should put this down to 'nature' the survival of the fittest etc.. but im gutted that the poor wee thing and its egg(s) should be so callously dispatched.
19 May 2006, 10:35 PM
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You'll have to be a damn good shot and well hidden to shoot it. I tried to take out some crows a few years back, the ******* knew I was hiding waiting for them. I put some food down and a rock in the middle of the lawn covered in tin foil to attract them as they love the shinyness and they were all over it. As soon as the barrel of the rifle so much as poked its tip out the window from behind pulled curtains they were off like a rat down a drain pipe 
All the time I was hiding they didn't come within 100yds of the garden. As soon as the barrel was withdrawn they came down to the lawn 
Next step will be claymores
Edit to say that the reason I was trying to kill them was because they were killing all the baby birds and destroying everything in sight, far worse than any cat!
All the time I was hiding they didn't come within 100yds of the garden. As soon as the barrel was withdrawn they came down to the lawn Next step will be claymores Edit to say that the reason I was trying to kill them was because they were killing all the baby birds and destroying everything in sight, far worse than any cat!
Last edited by Bravo2zero_sps; 19 May 2006 at 10:42 PM.
19 May 2006, 10:39 PM
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ahh.. problem solved!! fekker nest in a tree at the bottom edge of my garden. they are used to seeing the windows open. (very rare they're shut) so if oi left the barrel out awhile while they 'acclimatise' to it . then......... KA-BLAM!!!
'claymores' .. isnt that whiskey??
'claymores' .. isnt that whiskey??
20 May 2006, 02:05 AM
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Well live with the fact you probably chased the mother of that egg away and hence you are responsible for the death of a chick-to-be.
If only you could learn to leave well alone when people tell you to.....
If only you could learn to leave well alone when people tell you to.....
20 May 2006, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by sociopath
What is this? This is thick-speak. 'Feeble ****'?
What the hell do you think this is? Prime time toddler's tv?
I shall be far from 'gone' Hectic. If anything I shall 'behere'.
You may well have toned down your excess ',,,,,' and your excess 'OveR EMPhasis' but toned down does not an intellligent person make!
I suppose you thought your new happy-go-lucky presence would slip by my dragnet?
You sorry soul.
What the hell do you think this is? Prime time toddler's tv?
I shall be far from 'gone' Hectic. If anything I shall 'behere'.
You may well have toned down your excess ',,,,,' and your excess 'OveR EMPhasis' but toned down does not an intellligent person make!
I suppose you thought your new happy-go-lucky presence would slip by my dragnet?
You sorry soul.
oh, and FYI.. as I looked out of the kitchen window this morning.... 'mumma' bird flew out of the bird box.. (just proves how much you know in the great scheme of things)
All is well in the world!
20 May 2006, 01:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Leslie
Mollox,
I hope the burglar alarm never goes off with those poor sparrows inside it.
Les
I hope the burglar alarm never goes off with those poor sparrows inside it.
Les
20 May 2006, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Mollox
Magpies seem to be on the increase, where I stay you very rarely seen them a few years ago, nowadays there seem to be millions of them everywhere.
That and these damn grey squirrels, there's hundreds of them here messing up the garden. I believe you are allowed to kill them as they are classed as rodents.
20 May 2006, 01:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Mollox
Magpies seem to be on the increase, where I stay you very rarely seen them a few years ago, nowadays there seem to be millions of them everywhere.
That and these damn grey squirrels, there's hundreds of them here messing up the garden. I believe you are allowed to kill them as they are classed as rodents