Well, of course we're not feeding five thousand birds but it does seem like we're supporting an avian crowd of biblical proportions in these freezing conditions. But it is great entertainment and virtually free so I'm not complaining really. In truth , I love them all. Yesterday I watched a robin peck a squirrel on the backside in order to shoo him off the ground feeder. It worked too, but only for a short while so my husband picked the feeder off the ground and rested it on top of the frozen bird bath. This way, the squirrel could no longer hog the thing as it put it well out of his reach. What did happen though was that it made it easy for me to sit in my chair, camera in hand at eye level and snap away at everything that came down to feed.
Picking up the seed left on the ground was left to a small cohort of the starling flock that inhabits the field next door. I love their plumage in the Spring with all those iridescent green and purple patches but their current markings are very striking too in close up. They are voracious feeders so we couldn't afford to keep them in seed for the winter....
Neither could we keep up with the nuthatch nicking the peanuts. Hmmm, I think there's a clue in the name there my girl.... so now I know why stocks get low.... anyway, this nuthatch kept coming back time and time again no matter what bird was on the table. He was not put off by Mrs Blackbird either despite that look she gave him....
The biggest thrill though was seeing a jay visit the table, a sure sign that times are tough for all our wild birds at the moment. After he came down on it the table wobbled a bit so we put it back to the ground. He then visited again, picking up about a dozen nuts, one after the other and storing them in his crop before flying off. I guess they're either to eat now or keep for later. It was fascinating to watch and cheaper than the TV licence.
My friend Sue has also been snowed in but she's used the time to get on with some work which she's written about here. With her tongue firmly in her cheek (I think... but maybe not..) she's taken a photo which she says could be her Christmas card for next time around! I feel lazy just sitting in the chair taking photographs so Sue, the robin is my Christmas card for 2010, what do you think? Is that cheating?
9 comments:
No such thing as cheating, I am hoping you will pass on some photoshop hints to me to make my snowy 2CV work better.XXX
I would... if I had Photoshop. I think I got lucky because of the contrast between the sun and the snow. Still, considering they were taken through glass they turned out OK.
If I had such a good Robin photo I would use it for my cards!!! I enjoyed seeing all the birds that visit your garden. Do you think the birds would survive in this cold weather if we didnt feed them?! :P We don't get Jays here but it would be interesting to see one up close. :)
Lucy xx
Lucy,
I'm sure some would not survive without feeding so you're doing your bit too I know. The jay is a member of the crow family and does have some habits that are not nice (I won't mention them) but you could forgive them for a lot with those beautiful azure blue wing feathers!Lesley
Stunning photos Lesley. We used to get a lot of jays in our garden in France but hardly ever see one here. We do have quite a lot of different birds including woodpeckers here and owls which we hear at night. We too are feeding the birds but it is very difficult to discourage the squirrels but they too are God's creatures and I guess entitled to a meal so we just put out extra! In France we had red squirrels but no greys - I wonder why reds are good and greys are not?
I'd certainly use that robin pic on a card if I were you.
Jane x
Hasn't the snow brought the birds? I am feeding them plenty and hoping that the songthrush and woodpecker I don't normally get near the house stay close once the weather changes........... I live in hope.
I like the starling photo.
The photo of the starlings is wonderful Lesley. You are so talented with a camera, they don't look like they've been taken through glass at all!
Our visitors have been mainly blackbirds and thrushes and they are eating for England - poor things. I want the snow to very quietly disappear now!
Lovely set of photos Lesley, we never seem to get any starlings these days. Our robin is also a real bully and sees off the little dunnocks as soon as they land on the bird feeder.
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