"Are you going to feed me" ?

gaynorsl said:

I think next year your garden should be nominated, just think of all the bacon butties you will be able to make and camera men around your oak trees in their camouflage would be amazing :-)

lol Gaynor  !      We're not planning to have a garden next year -  long story on that which hasn't reached the final chapter and is currently longer than War and Peace  !   …..    but regarding Springwatch ….as long as I'm not in front of the camera that's fine,  knowing me I wouldn't be able to resist having a test of the "big guns" cameras !       

Some of the bird activity I've witnessed here would be hard to believe although I don't force birds to land on me by any "training" and only offer my hand out if they are fluttering close to me or perched on the tree fern next to the garage……. they just build up a natural trust as they follow daily routine as I fetch the mealworm dish from the garage and even the Jay which you would rarely see for dust with them being so shy landed at the patio table I was sitting out (this was a few years back) when it also helped itself to the mealworms less than a metre away from me;     the Jays will always come within 5ft or so, especially at breeding time when the need for extra food is their top priority.    The highlight had to be the male GSW who came almost to my feet to help itself to the mealies a year or two back - the trust in that bird was unbelievable.      I try always to put the bird's welfare first, as I know you all do on here,  before any camera shot but it is so touching to see these birds so relaxed (on the whole) as they follow me around to the garage en masse  !!    I tend to feed them now close to rockery/shrubs as I always fear their attention could be distracted from a sparrow-hawk attack although I hadn't seen one for six months until a couple of weeks ago when I saw from inside the house a male sprawk zip round the small pond area chasing a blue tit which he failed to catch.    Anyway.....   I'd better go top up the mealworm dish before BT does her yo-yo impression at the window again and I have a Jay that's been looking for some kibbled nuts and landing on the patio outside the window here !   Think I'd make a good zoo keeper with my skills   lol        

What a brilliant sequence of photos, and superb clarity.

Unknown said:

Many thanks Mike and Ann,
@ Ann, to be honest we will miss this garden so much for the amazing variety of birds and wildlife but it will be a huge relief to pass all the garden work, as well as the house on to the next owners so we will finally have more time to enjoy our bird-watching outings. We have been here 9 years and will never forget all the special moments we have experienced with our menagerie of confiding birds; I can recognise some of the birds individually and when you study them as closely as we have done you can almost anticipate their next move ! You get to know one or two of the birds and I have been humbled by the amount of trust they have put in us. Strangely enough, and on a rather sadder note, this morning was the very first time I have seen a Magpie take one of the garden birds ……. a Great Tit accidentally hit the window (not too hard) and the noise attracted the attention of a magpie which took the GT from the patio...………. it was a heart-stopping moment as I saw it carried off :( In 9 years and having been privileged to observe the garden birds for many a happy hour, I was totally shocked by what happened as I had said recently I had never ever witnessed any of our corvids attacking the garden birds. I think it was the noise of the bird hitting the window and the GT going down to ground temporarily that attracted the magpie's attention and it therefore took the opportunity to predate.

You're welcome Hazel.

I can imagine how much you will miss your garden when you move, I'd be lost without ours, it was an asset while I wasn't mobile after having my leg rebuilt, and still is, well, the truth is, it always has been, and the pond provides endless relaxing hours, so I do feel for you.

Has your new place got a garden?

Unknown said:

Oh, Hazel, I can believe that seeing the Magpie take the poor little Great Tit was a shock, despite knowing that they do eat other birds. What a shame that you chanced to see it happen--not the sort of images which you want to have in your mind. I hope that remaining events in your garden are all much more benign. It is truly wonderful that so many of your birds have come to trust you so completely. We've been lucky that we've not seen an actual kill although we have watched a few Sparrow Hawks working on their prey but after it had died.

Without wishing to seem harsh, as we all know, that is nature.

However, it is always upsetting to see these scenes.

While at RSPB Conwy a couple of weeks ago, there was a magpie sitting on the cafe roof, and when the small birds came down to the feeder, the pigeons (mostly ferule) came down to scoop up the food from the ground, and after less than a minute, the magpie would swoop down just like a raptor.

I never saw it catch anything, but it certainly tried, and I guess at this time of year, there will be lots of little mouths to feed...