Psilos
allotment birds |
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March 21st
2008 - "Temper tantrums" |
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Spring is almost certainly in the air.
Buds are breaking on the trees and there is a scent of excitement
all around. The birds are off doing what birds normally do this
time of year but one bird is about to put on a very strange show.
Who else could it be, of course, but one of my nuthatches. I love
the Nuthatches and the Coal tits as I know beyond doubt that the
four birds I see are the same ones all the time. Just as you think
that you know them they do something unexpected. |
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Often the Nuthatches come in and out so
quickly that you have to have lightning reflexes just to get them in
frame. Sometimes they take their time and sometimes like today they
seem not to want to leave. Recently I have been hiding food in different
places, making the birds look for it. They get seeds and nuts but today
it seems neither were acceptable. |
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In he came and found the peanuts.
Suddenly nuts were flying in all directions. His head bobbed up often
looking around. Almost frantic he dug deeper. Had he lost something?
What did he expect to find? Nuts continued to fly. Then he stopped and
just sat there. |
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He looked left and he looked
right. He even looked straight at me as if I knew the answer to his
quest. He seemed to take a really deep sigh and started again. |
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He had a really good look and
I so hoped that he would find what he was looking for.... |
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Ahhaa how about a nice sunflower seed?
He sat there joyfully holding it in his beak offering it up like some
great prize. I watched and waited expecting him to fly away but he didnt
he just sat there. You could almost see him changing his mind. No this
wasnt what he wanted either. The seed was duly dropped and he changed
tactics. Off he went manically running up and down the stumps and perches
like a bird possesed or as if some invisible force was chasing him.
Searching every nook and cranny he returned to the stump with nothing
in his beak. Then he just looked down, seemed to almost shrug his shoulders
in defeat, picked up a peanut and flew off. |
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