There have been plenty of birds in the garden during the past week of all descriptions. The small birds have included blue tits and great tits, the robins and sparrows. They are coming to the feeders at various times, usually when the larger birds are not around but I've yet to see any young birds, although I imagine they probably have some eggs now. The sparrows and great tits have been looking for aphids and insects on my plants.
The medium sized birds have included the starlings, although it has to be said I don't think the group is perhaps as big as it was during the winter, and I have also seen the male and female blackbirds. The starlings are still eating their meal worms with enthusiasm and coming to the peanut feeders and the suet squares at the various feeding places. Certainly there has been a change in their feeding habits during the last few weeks, but they are also still enjoying their bathing in the bird bath saucers either at lunchtime or towards evening.
Finally, the large sized birds include the feral pigeons of course, the pair of collared doves, a pair of wood pigeons, a couple of jackdaws and one or two crows. Yesterday I saw two magpies in the early part of the evening and then another pair turned up. Seed, peanuts, suet squares and balls are also being consumed with gusto. The crows and jackdaws really enjoy sitting by the suet feeder and pecking the suet balls, which I think explains the rapid consumption. There have also been a couple of noisy seagulls flying about and one landed briefly on my roof the other day.
We sometimes use the expression bird brain, which I think is an insult to birds. The blackbirds have worked out that the ground by the bird bath saucers will remain wet, due to me replenishing the saucers, a twice a day job now, the splashing from bird bathing and that fact that the saucers shade the ground. That of course means that the area of ground by and under the saucers has some worms, as the rest of the garden is now very dry and the worms will have retreated below ground.
There has been some sunshine this past week but some days a chilly wind but that has not deterred the insects. I have two apple trees in full blossom currently and the bees have been taking advantage and hopefully pollinating the flowers too. My picture this week is of one of the apple trees.
Written by Margaret Emerson
Armchair Naturalist 28th April 2022
