We must either have the cleanest blackbirds in the area or avians riddled with feather mites of some kind. They seem to have decided that the smaller of the water trays is the most suitable bathing pool. I was watching a blackbird today and his technique was positively reinforced with every swoop. He would duck his head to get some water onto his head and back and then thrash his wings in the water in a pattern of three beats, straighten up to shake his head and then start again. He did this seventeen times in a row, then hopped onto the large stone with weighs down the plastic tray, wiped his beak, back-and-forth on the stone, four times, hopped across to the hedge motel and disappeared into its depths….and will do it all again tomorrow.
Apologies for being a little late in posting this evening. There was a virtual pub quiz this evening. Mother and I did at least get the question about the ‘moa’ right.
thekitchensinkbirdwatcher 