A new trick

The magpie has learnt a new trick. He’s discovered that if he stands on the bird bath & stretches up, he can just reach the peanut holder. Now each day we watch his antics as he feeds on the nuts. It seems a hazardous endeavour but he succeeds in catching the nuts as they swing back & forth, batting the feeder away as his beak goes in for more nuts. It’s great entertainment.

We’re glad to see someone at last is getting some satisfaction from our feeders. Since we had the garden redesigned a few years ago, most of the small birds, our previous regular visitors, have disappeared. Only the bigger birds, the blackbirds, collared doves, magpies & woodpigeons are regulars.

The problem is twofold. Now the feeder is in the middles of the semi-circular raised bed. There is no easily reached cover. Sure there’s plenty of lavender & mint but that’s about it. The nearest bigger item, the magnolia or the apple tree, is too far away if a quick dash is needed when a passing bird of prey swoops down to attack. And sparrowhawks do sometimes venture into our garden.

The second reason is now the garden itself is so well stocked with natural food, berries of one sort or another, insect attracting plants etc. the birds no longer feel the need to resort to the feeder as such. They still appreciate the water but rarely stay for much else. Occasionally a flock of starlings descend but that’s not often.

A few small birds still visit the walled garden. There’s another bird bath there. On one wall there’s a nest box. On one side of this garden there is a row of holm oaks to give them shelter. We had wondered about moving the bird feeder to this part of the garden, but then we would only see the antics when we were at the kitchen sink, & that with quite a screw of the neck in my case as I’m so short, whereas the main part of the garden is visible from the kitchen table.