Bird Table Cage.

Because the larger birds like Wood Pigeons, Jackdaws and Magpies, have been monopolizing the bird table for months, gobbling up all the food put there in minutes, the smaller birds have been left with little to feed them on the table. Latterly, I stopped putting food out entirely. It was just too expensive for no good returns. 

Now however, the small birds are the chosen ones. This week I fitted the bird table with a protective cage, which effectively keeps out larger birds and even squirrels. 

To begin with I was sceptical that the birds would enter the enclosed space, after all, it does resemble a trap. I also thought that even the largest apertures, (30 mm square,) would not be big enough to allow Blackbirds entry.

It took only a day for the local birds to case the joint and add it to their go to zones. Now they are popping in an out in an unconcerned fashion. They are in fact much safer as they feed. Blackbirds have a bit of a squeeze, but nothing uncomfortable. Best of all, any food placed on the table, lasts them much longer than in the days of the pushy plunderers.

Showers For The Three Bears.

There are three shower cubicles in one of the changing rooms at the gym.

 

• The first shower is at high pressure and is far too hot.
• The second shower is tepid and counts as being too cold.
• The third shower is just right, but you can never get into it.

 

Everybody knows the characteristics and makes for number three.

 

I'm not sure who did the pumbing, but it was surely done in-house.

Wood Pigeons.

Over the years I have tolerated these plump and pushy birds. I have rescued them innumerable times when they have entered the greenhouse to feed on our produce and then been too dumb to get out. I have allowed them to feed from the bird table, even though they devoured most of the food placed there, thus denying the smaller birds a decent feed. I have let them trample all over our daffodils and I have never seriously contemplated harming them.

 

But of late, it seems that this treatment has encouraged more than ever of them to frequent the garden and they are starting to be a significant pest. Unfortunately,  they are too large to be tackled by our also numerous Sparrow Hawks, which can take out a Collard Dove but do not attack the Wood Pigeons. 

 

This has resulted in me shocking myself, with the thought that I should cull some of these birds. I don't know whether I can steel myself to do it, but just in case, I have been reading through pigeon recipes and looking at an excellent video about how to pluck and gut them. (View.)

 

Macabre or what! No, just cost effective game control and usage in the countryside. It couldn't be more natural.  

Don't Stone The Crows.

When a raucous and unruly gang of Carrion Crows gather in the garden at the crack of  dawn each morning, to unleash a jarring and loud cacophony of their version of "song", I am reminded, (actually I never forgot,) of just why these birds are no favourites of mine.

 

There is however, a reason why I do not berate them for their lack of melody and why I do nothing to deter them. These crows do not like their cousins the Magpies and I agree with them in that.

 

Both types of birds are omnivorous, but the Magpies are voracious nest robbers, whilst the Crows, though egg eaters, are less of a danger to other birds in this respect. You only have to witness Magpies attacking and eating young nestlings a few times, to find yourself beginning to dislike them. They may only be doing what comes naturally to them to fend for themselves, but I would rather that they wouldn't do it in my sight.

 

Now, when Carrion Crows are in the area, they do not tolerate the presence of the Magpies and because the Crows are bigger and stronger, the latter tend to keep out of their way and this helps to reduce the number of songbird nests that get destroyed in the garden.

 

Last year it so happened that a pair of Magpies built their domed twig nest in a nearby tree and the female laid a clutch of eggs. One morning about six crows flew in from all points of the compass. Some of them distracted the breeding pair, whilst the others gained access to the nest and breakfasted on the eggs.

 

Call me a unfeeling ghoul, but I was quite happy with that result. 

Fox Demon.

The eyes of this young fox glare in the flash light, as it tries to go unnoticed, whilst taking a midday snooze on top of the ten foot wall which runs along the side of our garden.
It never moved all day, despite our curious visits. Since then it has not reappeared. Wise to be distrustful!