How many sparrows can you get in a water tray? It has been scorchingly hot today and I had to refill the water dishes twice, after the starlings had sprayed it in all directions – the lily of the valley plants close by are appreciating the attention. The families of sparrows and there were close to twenty of them in the garden today, in all stages of maturity, largely stood and watched the starlings. Once the larger birds left, the sparrows piled in, three or four at a time, although the odd new fledgling would perch on the rim of the saucer and flutter its wings to beg for food from its dripping parents.
Meanwhile the buff starlings were manoeuvring around the fat ball feeder hanging from the greengage tree. One bird who’d been perfecting his technique would land on the top of the ball and lean down to peck at the fat and seed mixture and at first this worked well because I had stuffed three fat balls into the wire ball, stretching it somewhat. However, by lunchtime the birds had reduced the stock to one shrinking ball, rolling around at the bottom of the wire globe. Now it couldn’t reach the food from the top of the feeder and whereas, when there were three, even two, fat balls remaining, it was fairly relaxed about a sparrow hanging onto the bottom rungs, upside down to peck at the mix, it would protest loudly and shake them off.
There are currently four buff fledglings, five if you count the ‘very’ young bird that managed to get itself trapped in the sunroom and had to be rescued from behind the tubs of bird and hedgehog food, and the elder four took turns, albeit enforced by some level of sibling violence, at tackling the ball feeder. One attempted a humming bird, stabbing technique, which wasn’t sustainable, whilst another walked up the wire rungs and tucked its tail upwards to steady the ball. Eventually, they gave up and when the garden was momentarily quiet, one tiny bluetit appeared to feed at the remnants of the ball. Further down the garden, a great tit had claimed the cone peanut feeder. In many respects it will be a relief to get past the breeding season and greet the full range of our birds again.
thekitchensinkbirdwatcher 