Wednesday 27 April 2016

Busy Birds


At this time of the evening the Wood Pigeons begin to roost in the trees across the way, trees with leaves beginning to bud now, the Starlings chase one another round high above and the Blackbird and Thrushes take a high spot and inform the world around that this is their patch and he is watching all that goes on within it. 
These poor birds must be tired.  I read somewhere that a small caterpillar appears at this time, dangling forlornly from all the trees where it emerges, and Blue Tits need 18,000 of these to feed their young!  They, like all the rest, spend all day guzzling as much grub as they can so mum can produce eggs and then both spend the day guarding the nest and feeding the chicks when they emerge.  To to this all these birds are chasing the worms and wee beasties and searching  around for hanging feeders that are found in almost every garden these days.  Some say this actually makes the birds prosper better than when all this was farmland as they find food easier and often better prepared for them.  Whether this is so you can decide but one thing is clear they like the Suet and Mealworm pellets found here as I have to refill them daily.  Tomorrow I must go to the 'PoundShop' where they are found and buy more.  It's costing me more to feed these birds than feed myself!  
Mind you money may be flowing out soon, the Hoover, the cheap Tesco variety, was failing to clean and the burning smell was worrying.  That ended when I removed the long shoelace that was entwined around it but it still fails to work.  Later I will have to clean the whole thing out properly and see if that works, tomorrow is museum day all day, and if it fails a new proper one might be needed.  I did splash out (£4) on new scales as clearly my 30 year old ones could not bear the weight were lying to me.  One day I was heavy, the next I lost lots then it all came back again.  The lass in the shop suggested dancing would lose weight as it had clearly done so for her, maybe she was just trying to pick me up, it failed as the thought nearly flattened me.  Me dance, aye right!

Spring!


5 comments:

the fly in the web said...

The dancing problem is solved! You need a colleague to re enact those scene from Westerns where the black hatted man shoots at the feet of the goodie, who displays agility worthy of Frds Astaire. Make sure they use blanks,though...

Nesting season here too...flycatchers have extended their nests in the chandelier on the balcony - we haven;t been able to use the thing for years!- while a pair of woodpeckers are guarding their nest against squirrels and toucans outside the bedroom window. Nasty habits toucans...and there was me thinking they survived on Guinness.

Lee said...

Ah! There is a spring in your step. I know you've taken up Irish dancing on the sly!!

Birds are fabulous creatures. I've many that hang about here where I live...and they don't need wrist watches or clocks. They arrive, en masse, every afternoon at the same time, knowing the bird restaurant is about to open. If I'm running a little late they are not backward in letting me know! I love having them around. Kookaburras, magpies, butcher birds, currawongs and crows...all the meat eaters are my regulars...they get the scraps from the meat I cut up for Remy and Shama, my two cats every afternoon. And for the birds that aren't carnivores, they get pieces of fruit or a cherry tomato or two.

Adullamite said...

Fly, I don't think I would wish an Essex boy with a gun around me!
Toucans look great but those bills must hurt!

Lee, What a variety of birds. I had to buy five more bags of feed today and one is gone already!

Lady Di Tn said...

Wow, I stopped feeding suet two weeks ago after the birds gobbled down to expensive no melt suet cakes in three days. We did go and get some more sun flower seeds as the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks have been here since April 14th. The usually stay only 3 to 4 weeks and when it gets hot they head north. We try to be a generous stop over for them. When it is hot I will keep the bird bath full of water and some safflower for the mother and babies also with hummer food ( now the honeysuckle is in bloom so the Hummers visit but not as often) Peace

Adullamite said...

Lady, Spring brings out the best birds.