During the summer
months our leafy garden is home to numerous birds,yet although they
can be beard many are seldom seen owing to the amount of cover our
garden affords. Now that the trees are bare it is a different tale
and we can watch our visitors at the numerous feeding stations placed
about the grounds for their benefit.
Used as we are to a
wide range of species in our London garden, here in our village there
is an even greater diversity and it has been a source of great
pleasure to see once more species which we have not seen for many
years.
Bull Finches, stocky
little birds with breasts as red as a robin but rose red instead of
warm terra cotta, Green Finches, seldom seen in London are daily
visitors here 'and oddly enough, sparrows, now rare in London are
present in abundance;adding to the daily performance in our theatre
of birds the element of comedy which only they can provide.
These little clowns
,squabble over the largess we provide, unlike the orderly Blue Tits
who queue nicely for a turn at the fat feeders and the bird bath.
We have a large flock
of Gold Finches which blow in and out of the garden adding greatly to
the spectacle with their bright colours and an even larger flock of
Long Tailed Tits shaped like teaspoons which flit about all through
the daylight hours.
Pied, Grey and Yellow
Wagtails usually visit early in the day and are plentiful owing the
the presence of a pretty little brook which runs parallel with the
lane.
My pride and joy is a
beautiful Song Thrush which during the summer months could only be
heard but which now spend almost the whole day foraging about the
garden.
During our time in
London these lovely birds were eradicated from our area by the over
zealous attentions of contractors employed by the Local Authority to
(maintain) green spaces, such as the ancient church yard behind our
old home.
Black Birds are present
in quite large numbers and seem to live in reasonable harmony are
just now beginning to contest for the best territories and I foresee
may fierce battles before the breeding season arrives.
Chaffinches, also in
large numbers spend most of the day with us, such pretty little birds
who seem sociable yet are reputedly given to pecking to death any
of their breed who seem sickly , although I must say that I have
never witnessed such behaviour.
Blue eyed Jackdaws,
Crows, Rooks and Magpies all take a turn at the bird table,
preferring pieces of bread to the seeds and nuts we provide,and from
time to time a Buzzard flies over the garden causing all its
inhabitants to flee for what ever cover is available among the bare
trees.
Robins, Great Tits,
Cole tits and Wrens, all play their part in the daily pageant and
all are welcome. Since the weather has become so cold we are feeding
the birds twice a day, once at first light and again in the early
afternoon, yet by the time darkness falls there is nothing left
except the empty husks of peanuts, put there for the squirrels of
which there are a great multitude.
We have found that
providing them with peanuts in their shells means that the leave the
smaller nuts and seeds for the bird, and after all squirrels must eat
too.
It has been snowing on
and off since last evening and the hard ground is white over with new
the new fallen snow, Snooks, our tame Pheasant and a small group of
Partridges have arrive to partake of the feast and very beautiful
they look against the snowy background.
The provision of a
little wild bird food brings such great rewards and ensures the
survival of these lovely creatures without whom our world would be a
sad place indeed.
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