After a bit of the alternative Xmas, one not to be repeated, I hope, The Hideout has been a welcome refuge while trying to get back on my feet again.
The Hideout, just a random name I gave it, is my man cave, an integral brick built extension to the garage, which became a convenient dumping ground when we moved in 23 years ago, now nicely converted to a man cave.
A short 4 minute guided tour, no waffle, of The Hideout, which can be viewed HERE.
In my previous The Hideout thread, I did confess to honourably borrowing an annual based theme, so here it starts, and a link to the shorter 2023 thread, "Some from The Hideout 2023";
https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/285975/some-from-the-hideout-2023
Not many photos to start with, I didn't fancy lugging the camera and dropping it, but The Hideout has been a comfort, heating on, gentle music in the background and urban nature (if such a term exists, well it does now), going about its business, and particularly nest building.
A pair of magpies seemed to be nest building atop our cherry tree, twigs etc being taken in, then the next day, the twigs seemed to be transported out, and to another tree, most likely a lot higher, further away. it may have been the cherry tree provided a central storage place, or not.....
The Hideout is definitely fulfilling its intended role.
Less of the waffle, and more photos.....
What better than an early sign of spring, daffodil shoots, that started showing very early December, which they always do here.
Mr BB looking for more suet pellets to be thrown from The Hideout, onto the grass....
Yesterday, 13th Jan,
Blue skies
and a magpie enjoying a bathe...
These first few images were taken through a dirty kitchen window, I know, should be clean, but I had been a guest of our fabulous NHS over Xmas/NY
Though blurred and out of focus, I hadn't anticipated the magpie taking flight,
These last few were taken from The Hideout
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Mr Kes said:a fun set of photos. I wonder about that Squirrel potentially something even stronger than an alcoholic beverage
Thank you.
As for the squirrel taking something stronger, I dare not think!
Some years back we had a very obnoxious squirrel, that challenged everything, even the squirrel baffle dome on the feedings station. We still had my son's old, and dilapidated playhouse then, and that squirrel sat on the top for a few seconds, then leaped onto the feeding station, a distance just short of 3 metres!
Lot to learn
gaynorsl said:Good to see your photos Mike, sorry to hear you have been poorly but you're evidently working that camera well now and putting in some decent hours on your time sheet.
Thank you, The Hideout has been a sanctuary since the start of the year, even on grey days.
My apologies for the delayed reply, normal service is slowly being returned.
Psst, I've a couple of trip reports to post.
tuwit said:Out of interest, what is the medium that those bluebells are growing through?
Normal soil, though there is some pieces of gravel from a plant pot that cracked early last year.
The soil bed is about 20 cms deep, well drained and gets plenty of afternoon winter sun, when it isn't cloudy.......
After a good mornings photoshoot of snowdrops, nuthatches, robins and jackdaws, I sat in The Hideout while the PC converted the RAW photos to JPG, and what was to make a visit?
Great visitor to have in your garden Mike ... as I said in my post of 14th Jan
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
WendyBartter said:
It is, and always a pleasure to see.
Jays have been an predominantly an autumn visitor here, to have one, or two (there has been two seen together), to have more regular sightings is definitely good to see, and a moral booster.