It was a busy day in the garden today with birds of many kinds arriving to have a free meal at my expense. There were finches, and Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Robins, the lot. This morning I was watching them through my kitchen window. I have two seed feeders. One has two perches and the other, a taller one, has four perches. I alternate them and when one is empty, I clean it (if you don't keep them hygienic, disease will spread among the birds) and hang the other out. Today the two perch feeder was out there and a little Blue Tit was impatiently waiting for two finches to get off the feeder and let it have a chance. It was so funny. It was hopping around from the shed roof to the water feeder. Having a little drink, then hopping around, all the while checking out the seed feeder. The finches, however, didn't plan to move so the little Blue Tit started flying close to one finch to try and make it shift. Eventually the finch lost patience drove the poor little Blue Tit away. The sudden departure set off all the other birds and I took the opportunity of their absence to go out and exchange the feeder for the one with four perches, tipping some seed onto the ground as well. Anything for a quiet life in the garden. Sorry the images are a bit poor but I took the photo through the kitchen window or off they would have gone!
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| Blue Tit (top), Coal Tit (centre), Goldfinch (bottom right) |
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| Greenfinch (left), and Goldfinch |
I feed birds all year around but recently they seem to be arriving by the dozen and the squirrels, which have been absent all spring and summer, are arriving too.
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| Grey Squirrel near the Wisley Magic runner beans |
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Grey Squirrel, with a fat tummy! - 22 August 2015 - it could be a pregnant female
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| Detail of a Grey Squirrel's tail from behind |
I've been feeding the birds and squirrels on husked sunflower seeds which are more expensive but I am tired of cleaning up the mess with the husks. Small birds dine at the feeders suspended on a hook and the large birds have been cleaning up after them at ground level. There's also an abundance of insects, worms, and even fruit in and around my garden (blackberries grow behind my fence) to attract them too.
Soon it will be getting cold and time to make my
homemade fat balls which I make from a solid fat (lard), dried fruit (sultanas, raisins) and seeds. The rice balls I made were not very successful.
This is a YouTube link from someone
saving a ground squirrel from drowning. The link will work as long as the clip remains on YouTube. It's a beautiful and compassionate thing to see. I would have done the same. Would you? I think so.
