Psilos
allotment birds |
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MondayMarch
19th 2007 - "Males rule" |
This weekend the weather has roared in
like a lion and what did feel like spring feels very much like winter
now. This is a repeat of weather from last March. All winter we have
mild weather and then it is as if it wants to give us one last reminder
of what it could be like if it so chose. Heavy sleet showers have made
the ground cold and wet and I need little excuse not to have to do any
real work. My goal for Mondays photography is to create perches that
have a more natural feel to them. I therefore had a good hunt around
for some moss and lined the stumps I already have with it. I then settled
down to wait for the nuthatches to arrive. The sun this morning is shining
really brightly despite a cold wind and it should make for some good
photographs. |
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Everyday on the allotment I
see different birds and love to watch their habits and behaviour. Female
chaffinches are very common here but for the last week I have barely
seen any male birds. Today that changed and the males certainly ruled.
They seem very much bolder than the females and they readily came very
close to feed. Maybe the cold weather has made them very hungry? Chaffinches
are a very underrated bird and the males when in full breeding plumage
are a whole pallette of colours and are very beautiful. |
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One bird that thrilled me immensly
today was the female Greater spotted woodpecker. Holding my breath I
saw her come in. The male is incredibly wary and will not land if I
am there so I decided to sit as still as I could and just watch and
let her get used to my being there. Flying down she landed on the trunk
and immediately started to eat the fat. She didn’t seem to mind
me at all. So after a minute, very, very slowly I brought my camera
up and started to click away. Still she did not mind. |
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She was a real beauty and these are my
favourite of all birds. To be so close is an honour indeed. In the end
a magpie came along and scared her off but I am so pleased that she
accepted me and look forward to more of her visits. Maybe the male will
get to accept me too but for now he continues to avoid me and just shouts
when I am near. |
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Sadly hthe Nuthatches were not around today
when I had the best of the sunlight. Three hours they kept me waiting
and by that time it had clouded over and light quality was poor. I took
my shots but I wasnt happy with them and vowed to try again another
day. |
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One other encounter I had today was with
a wren. Skulking in the grass I saw it go inside a hole in one of my
rotten border planks. Knowing that it could only come out that way I
waited for it to come back. Wrens are constantly active birds, they
never stop moving but this bird totally surprised me. Suddenly his head
appeared from the hole and he just sat there looking, not moving, perfectly
still. I think he sensed that I was close by and was listening for danger.
For both of us time seemed to stand still, neither moving just watching.
He must have sat like that for a full two minutes before my hand felt
it was going to drop off holding up my camera and my movement startled
him into flying away. That must have been the longest time I have ever
seen these little birds sit still for, quite amazing |
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All in all a mixed kind of day. For a change
the sun shined and the birds looked wonderful in such lovely light. |
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