A WET WEEKEND

Feeding frenzy

The wet weekend weather hasn't put a dampener on the instincts of the blue tit parents, with both regularly queuing up to enter the nestbox with various food items for their chicks.

The chicks are now just over a week old and are squawking each time a parent enters the nestbox. They should fledge over bank holiday weekend and I hope to capture the moment.

I'm helping them out with small amounts of mealworms in the morning and evening, but the other local resident birds are quick to realise the offerings I regularly give out.
In fact I can almost hear the birds as they get excited in the trees and bushes and start chattering among themselves that I've filled the feeders with mealworms!

The tree sparrows seem to have given up their attempts at a coup. The fierce defensive tactics of the blue tit parents and internal squabbling has knocked the steam out of them.

I'm hopeful the blue tit parents are becoming used to my presence as they seem to tolerate me being much closer to the feeding stations and nestbox. They rarely use the alarm call even though I was in the garden for quite a long time on Saturday.

The dunnocks and great tits are still regularly feeding in the garden, with both seemingly feeding chicks still - some on the ground and some in the nest.

The robins have spent less time in the garden which points to a glut of food elsewhere taking their attention.

There does seem to be plenty of food about. I watched the blue tits this morning return to the nestbox every two minutes with food for the chicks.

Two of the local male blackbirds are constantly singing at regular times during the day at various posts. They even manage to have a contest against me when I'm whistling.

I hope the wet weather stops soon as this is preventing the mesmeric sight of the local swallows whizzing through the air feeding and collecting materials for their nests.

It also seems to be responsible for many of the other birds 'hiding' away in the trees and bushes, rarely coming out for me to see them.

Just as I write this the sun begins to shine again and I'm going to go out and try to get some close photos of the blue tit parents and other adult small birds.

Pics will be added later, if the sun keeps shining!