This last few weeks there has been little tapping noises going on all over the house.
The 'culprit' was my resident Blue Tit, aggrieved to find a rival Blue Tit right in the heart of his territory. Everywhere my Blue Tit went around the house, it would find its competitor popping up. Each time my Blue Tit went on the attack, the other would fight back.
Yes, the curse of reflections had struck, something that evolution hasn't prepared most creatures for. Unwitting male birds find their posturing is matched by their opponent who seems equally matched and unwilling to back down. It's so confusing!
So when I heard the tap-tap-tap last week, I thought Mr Blue Tit was up to it again. But no, it was this little fella getting annoyed:
If you haven't worked out who it is, perhaps if I show a flight shot you'll get a better idea of who it was:
Yes, a Long-tailed Tit; check out those wonderfully pinky shoulders.
Of course, the issue of reflections is only a small part of nature's window problems. The biggie is the number of deaths as birds fly into them - so-called bird-strikes. These photos were making me think that I ought to wash my windows, but on second thoughts, until I get my bird of prey silhouettes up, I'll leave them be!
Birds saved; time saved - perfect!
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
Amazing, great that there are no combat injuries - well apart from the occasional bump on the window! I was intreagued by the fact that he only jumped up the window to the level of the open blind on my window. ie. if the blind was open half way he would only jump half way up the window.....Cheers Pat
Pat Adams - Flickr - BLOG
Hi Pat
Thanks for sharing that. He must have been exhausted! For thousands of years, birds must have entered these 'conflict' situations but pretty soon the stronger would have won and the weaker disappeared with his tail between his legs. How strange therefore these window and mirror encounters must be where the 'two' combatants remains even matched for ever!
Hi Adrian, I have also seen Blue Tits pecking car mirrors. You might enjoy my notes and video clip of a little friend from last year. See
www.northdevonfocus.blogspot.co.uk/.../a-little-spring-bounce.html
Cheers Pat
My husband had a similar encounter with a LTT when in our garden shed yesterday - clean, shiny windows definitely not a problem there!
Awwwww! How lovely.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.