I managed
Blackcap at the Garden Feeder
to get a half-decent Blackcap shot this morning. It was dull, the camera tried to use flash, then a Robin chased it off. But somehow I got a usable image. It’s a very distinctive bird to say that it’s basically grey.
As I started to type this, Julia called me through to see a Jay. I grabbed her camera (it is better than mine for this sort of thing because it has a rangefinder – mine only has a screen) and was lucky to get three shots of a Jay at the ground feeder.
Of course, the card was still in the computer. All I got was a message “No Card in Camera” when I reviewed what I had done.
I’m sure it will be back. And next time I will be ready. The bird feeders are already producing more than I could have hoped for – more species, more fun, more interest, more excitement and, of course, more frustration and more Senior Moments.
Little Egret – this wasn’t far away, but it may be over-ambitious to try to tempt it to the garden.
The squirrel was on the feeder first thing this morning, and things have got to the state where it merely looks at me disdainfully when I knock on the window.
One thing that helps it get to the seeds is the positioning of one of the arms on the main feeder pole. That will be moved. It may be enough to stop the raids on the seeds. However, experience suggests it won’t be.
I’m happy to let it feed on the bread and other scraps on the floor (which include apple, cabbage, stale scones and some old dried fruit), but I object to it taking loads of expensive seeds, spilling them on the floor and keeping the birds away. If anything, it does good work on the floor by making sure there is nothing left for rats, plus, as I’ve said before – squirrels are part of the garden wildlife, and quite interesting, so it is welcome, as long as it behaves.
A Peacock once turned up on the farm (seen here with guinea fowl) so you never know what might happen.
I’ve been observing its movements, and had isolated a number of places where I could put vaseline and chilli. Unfortunately, as the feeder becomes more popular, the birds are starting to perch there too, as they wait for a turn for the seeds. I don’t want to make a mess of their plumage so it looks like I’m going to have to postpone the use of the vaseline.
My next move, if the repositioning doesn’t work, will be mixing seed with spice and see if that keeps it away.