Blackbirds take over the garden and the birdfood.

Blackbird, Turdus merula, female
Soft bedding!

We have 12 of them now. They have totally shifted over the balance of power. The Rooks, Jackdaws and Hooded Crows, were mostly looking down from the fence at those Black and Brown birds fighting each other for the food. Mind you, it was fascinating to observe those big Corvids, trying to grovel their way into the garden!

In winter, large numbers of Blackbirds and other Thrushes visit Ireland and the UK looking for food and warmth.
Robin, Erithacus rubecula
All 4 Robins had drawn swords, and although last winter the cold weather made some species forget about territories temporarily, not this time around!


Ah! This coconut shell with peanutcake is mine!
The Rooks had managed to drop it off its hook, giving the Blackbirds a little ray of well needed fat and protein. They fought each other for the delicacy inside.



Redwing, Turdus ilacus
The Redwing, a little smaller than our native Song Thrush, was quick to respond to those free handouts.

Stand off between one of the Song Thrushes, Turdus philomelos, and a male Blackbird. The prize? Leftover peanutcake and crumbled fatballs. Among the seed.

Before the snow.
Dunnock, Prunella modularis

Male House Sparrow, Passer domesticus

Male Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs


Male Blackcap, Sylvia atriciapilla
Do I see food down there?

In that very cold spell in February, this year, we had a female Blackcap visit the garden until spring. This time, it is the male who needs a good feed. I only discovered him on Christmas Day, when I sat counting the many Blackbirds on the ground, and spotted him down there looking for fallen bits of seed and other food which the Blackbirds might have missed.

After the first snow, I made the big mistake of going outside into the garden to feed the birds. (as you do, right? That is just part of everyday life, right? I did not think that that low covering would be a problem. How wrong I was. Oops. Wheeling over to the 'birdtable' (The Fatsia japonica) I soon realised that I could not get back inside, as my wheels got stuck onto the tracks I had made getting out there. It took me 40 minutes to get back indoors. The distance? A little over a metre! On a certain moment I did have to get out of my wheels and pull her forwards, without pushing her into my legs. Needless to say I almost fell over. Anyway, that was 12 days ago. Today is the first day that I was able to get out ago, after the thaw set in. I was getting claustrophobic, sitting inside all this time. Usually I spent a large amount of time outside, whatever the weather. Even when it was freezing during daytime, in late November/early December, I would still go and settle out in the garden with my thoughts, the birds above and around me.
The thaw has set in with lashing of rain; back to the normal gales and rain. From the south instead of the west. (Atlantic storms with used to be our normal winter weather-pre climate chance-) in other words, no chance for photos through those wet windows.

Eddy, our village shop owner, has helped us out by bringing shopping up to us, during this cold period, a service you only find in these small communities. When I had asked for lard for the peanutcake, I got a six pack of fatballs instead, because he didn't have any. The birds got this for free.

One of the Pied Wagtails, Motacilla alba


Our resident Blue Tits brought a few friends to dinner too.


Territorial bounderies forgotten?

The storm has past

A storm was and forecasted for Saturday for this island of Ireland, and that of the UK, with our West coast and the west coast of Scotland mostly exposed and therefore facing the and receiving the brunt of it before the West country and Wales would be getting the tail on the next (Sun) day.

With the gales raging around our house at 100miles an hour and with hail popping down most of the time, I was concerned for the little visitors of the garden and had scattered little pieces of bacon rind around the planter which were greatly received by birds like the Pied Wagtails, Chaffinches and House Sparrows.

I am always amazed how small birds will still come and fly in and come here to find their food. OK, it is logic also, because they do need their calories in order to fight the cold spread by the strong winds and when you need to eat something like 6x your own bodyweight, just so you can get through the night. (I am not sure these are the right figures, it could well be more times bodyweight)

Still, a lot of people do record less birds in extreme conditions like these, but not here. OK, not all of the Great Tits might come for dinner, yet I was thrilled to see the two little Goldcrests land in the planter, for a good feed on peanut cake and anything else they could find on their nose-down ramble around the planter and peanuts. I had feared they would not make it against these strong violent gales of force 11, tiny as they are. However, I was wrong and 2 of those little birds did manage their way into the garden.

I am still trying to attempt a Goldcrest photo when sitting on a Fennel stalk. It is very hard to do one of these. They will fly into the planter, or rather they show up in there quite sudden, flit around, feeding when they can, take a bite of peanut cake into their beak, then up into the Fennel before getting bak down again where the feeding will proceed in the same manner.
(This is whenever there are no other takers at the peanut cake.) Finding the tiny mass of feather and fluff on the Fennel stalks is the hard bit. And I haven't even been able to focus yet! So before I can post one of those shots, I have managed these shots





And for those who have followed the progressof our young Jackdaw, here are a few more of today's shots of the lovely boy or girl.





And another little fighter which battled its way through the storm. A brave little Blue Tit. I think I took the photo when we had a bit of an invasion of Rooks and Jackdaws this afternoon. It looks a little bit scared, doesn't it?

Here is one of the Rook culprits, looking for a portrait I believe:
And a picture of a female Xhaffinch and a Pied Wagtail are included here too.






Although we had decided that it would be best for me to stay indoors, rather than go to the shop, when it cleared up a little in the afternoon, I timed it well and was able to get down and up in one piece. As soon as I came off the estate and onto our little back road, I ws swept up almost and was pushed forward with the wind in my back. Now we, reasonable people, all know that any wheels like mine, have their own speed limits and will eiter go not faster than 6,8 miles per hour. (all depending on the state of your batteries in reality)

Yet, I was convinced that I was going a lot faster than whatever is the fastest my wheels can go. One day, when we know a storm is brewing, I want to try this out with all the apparatus needed.

It was therefore very funny that Francis asked why I took so long? At which my answer was (of course) that it was hard craft battling against the storm on my return.

Smoke.

Every spring we are confronted by an increased number of planes flying over en route to the US most likely and back.

Recently we've been having a lot of air traffic, other than that of Wild Birds in the airspace above us. I will not go into the whole pollution thing, apart from the statement that my preferred way of transferring between Continental Europe and the UK in the days I was still travelling a lot on the UK mainland. We tried it from our little SW corner of Eire too, in 1986, but having to go home from The Hague or Rotterdam-Harwich, Swansea-Rosslare-Waterford, Cork, by rail in UK and by bus in Eire took days on end. And the surprise waiting for us at home?

Sassie, one of our cats kept scratching the bedroom door for hours during the night and we also kept hearing this meowing, and yes, her litter was in the old sideboard in the bedroom.
Point is, rail doesn't go any further than Cork, although not from Rosslare,, which has no station and the next hiccup is then that the last bus to Bantry is leaving at 6pm from Cork. Still, we then still do get transport home. Public Transport is also one of the big reasons to return to the Netherlands which has excellent rail links. With my wheels it would be even more energy sapping to travel by anything other than air. I rather stay home though, if I'm honest. I'm done with travelling for holidays for the time being. Not that I would not love to go to other places.

Many countries or cities on my wish-list would not be the same when visiting in wheels. Like Prague, the city of 100 spires. I love getting to the tiny corners, the old buildings, churches, without having to enter via the new addition where shiny ramps are giving access to most of the inner sanctum; yet much of the building will keep itself hidden from me. And hidden too much from me to enjoy it. I know, because I have visited many in the past.

Mind you, I have been sensing all along that Holland will not be my final destination, that it will not be tha last country I'll be living in. No idea which country will be that place, or when even.
It will be awhile yet before we move from here anyway, so, who knows what will happen?

Fennel seed-head in the garden,


Last week's 'Silver Birds in the sky'


Adding a touch of colour to the Sunset already in progress, and which had caught my eye in the first place.

Smoke. in the air

Every spring we are confronted by an increased number of planes flying over en route to the US most likely and back.

Recently we've been having a lot of air-traffic

Fennel seed-head in the garden,


Last week's 'Silver Birds in the sky'


Adding a touch of colour to the Sunset already in progress, and which had caught my eye in the first place.