What's flowering as forage in your area

[Swarm]

Our apiary site at catherton common has fish pools, he does much the same thing as you, grows the fry on then sells them, he has carp, roach, perch, koa carp among others..

When I go to inspect my hives out in the field, I have to disconnect the electric fence that runs all around the perimeter of his ground this is to stop beavers.
Do you have such problems with beavers.. He was telling me that they can pick a sent up 2 miles or more down stream, all from the water.

He's also had corvid ( crows etc) taking the young ducklings this year there a meniss and don't just take ducklings.. Owlets as well, I've seen one this year with a baby owl.

If there was one species of bird that needs culling it's them.

I kid you not, only a few days ago I counted 30+ Magpies congregated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Went to pick a few apples earlier - only to find blossoms on my Prince Albert

 

[Antipodes]

Others on the forum have reported some blossoms on apples in the UK at the moment. Is this very unusual?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Others on the forum have reported some blossoms on apples in the UK at the moment. Is this very unusual?

No
I have blossom on some of my apples, a medlar, a pear tree and the wisteria. Just the odd one mind.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I kid you not, only a few days ago I counted 30+ Magpies congregated.

Did you have a gun handy? Tin hat I'm gone.....

 

[Apple]

We used to have Rook Pie after the Crying of the Neck when shooting was allowed and propper beekeepers had bees in skeps!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Others on the forum have reported some blossoms on apples in the UK at the moment. Is this very unusual?

Not that unusual - this year is not the first year I have had blossom on my apple trees in the autumn

We used to have Rook Pie after the Crying of the Neck when shooting was allowed

Rook shooting is still allowed although not often practiced. But it's a springtime pursuit, you pick off the 'branchers' (young ones who have left the nest but not really flying) and use the breast meat in a pie. Like pigeon, the meat is very rich so you mix it 50/50 with beef for your black bird pie

 

[Curly green finger's]

Not that unusual - this year is not the first year I have had blossom on my apple trees in the autumn

Rook shooting is still allowed although not often practiced. But it's a springtime pursuit, you pick off the 'branchers' (young ones who have left the nest but not really flying) and use the breast meat in a pie. Like pigeon, the meat is very rich so you mix it 50/50 with beef for your black bird pie

In my younger days I use to take my 4/10 down in the wood at roosting time and point the gun up in the trees and pop a few corvid of.. I've never tried the meat but I've tried pigeon, and rabbit.
I've still got the 4/10 ... The thing is there's not many trees up here and we don't have many corvid.

I wonder maybe I could rein act one of the stores in the twits by using heavy duty glue spread over the branches, that would give the children something to do.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In my younger days I use to take my 4/10 down in the wood at roosting time and point the gun up in the trees and pop a few corvid of.. I've never tried the meat but I've tried pigeon, and rabbit.
I've still got the 4/10 ... The thing is there's not many trees up here and we don't have many corvid.

I wonder maybe I could rein act one of the stores in the twits by using heavy duty glue spread over the branches, that would give the children something to do.

Maybe you’ll be able to pop off the odd Velutina nest

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe you’ll be able to pop off the odd Velutina nest

Think you would need something with a little more guts than a .410

 

[Curly green finger's]

Maybe you’ll be able to pop off the odd Velutina nest

Point me in the right direction. I don't see hornets up here at home at all either.
But down at the apiarys lower down there's lots.
Do they not like high ground??

 

[Curly green finger's]

Think you would need something with a little more guts than a .410

I agree, and I would have to get quite close.
I've got a water pistle

 

[Curly green finger's]

Video of the ivy flow this colony have been like this since 10am.
Looks like we are going to have a bit of ivy honey..
The ivy flow is really good this year

 

[Moobee]

Sedums!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Point me in the right direction. I don't see hornets up here at home at all either.
But down at the apiarys lower down there's lots.
Do they not like high ground??

Now you leave our European ones alone!!!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Now you leave our European ones alone!!!

I'll let you know when I see them.
Or...I can forward it to the association for there hornet count.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Went to pick a few apples earlier - only to find blossoms on my Prince AlbertView attachment 22264

Blossoms on your Prince Albert? Have you seen a doctor?

 

[Antipodes]

We have the jet black forest raven here in Tas, which is like a rook I believe. They importantly eat much roadkill. At one apiary site I have to cover the windscreen wipers up as they rip them apart otherwise. Perhaps they look like snakes or something?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

At one apiary site I have to cover the windscreen wipers up as they rip them apart otherwise. Perhaps they look like snakes or something?

Windscreen vipers?

 

[Murox]