We’re beginning to expect to see the woodpeckers as regular visitors and I believe that I’ve identified two pairs, one large and one smaller, although the same type of birds. The larger individuals come from the West, over the school roof, whereas the smaller birds are arriving from the North, over the other gardens down the street. They are more adventurous, in the sense of investigating all the different feeders, they can, for example, grasp the edge of the three-quarter coconut feeder and the little female seems more prepared than any of the others to go down to the grass.
Other visitors included the wood pigeon which sat with its back to our window on the side bar of the bird table. When it was so close it became possible to see the detail of its plumage, in particular the white collar, which has a chestnut rim at its base and at the back of its head a small area of irridescent peacock blue-green feathers. It is really rather beautiful, which it is why it is so jarring to have it turn its head to show the tiny, yellow-rimmed black eye which is too small for the rest of its body.
Finally, there was a starling and its nestling, which gave the phrase ‘pester power’ a whole new level of grating meaning. The calls were so continuous it must have mastered circular breathing and it was mobile enough to be constantly at the adult’s shoulder. I would have abandoned it.
thekitchensinkbirdwatcher 