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Sparrow and a Thrush

Posted on February 1st, 2009 in Birds I've seen in and around my garden by Trish

I put a fatball on the grass today.   I don’t know why. I just thought I would.

This fatball has been popular today and pecked at by a lot of birds.

A blackbird was pecking at it and later on some blue tits.

Sparrows have been there as well. 

About half an hour ago there was a sparrow pecking it and a large Thrush came pecking at it as well.  The small sparrow wasn’t having any of it and tried to peck the thrush. 

The sparrow wasn’t scared of the big Thrush at all.  Seeing the two birds on the ground together made me realise how small the sparrow is in relation to the Thrush, yet the sparrow actually frightened the Thrush away.

The sparrow stood guard over the fat ball.  It was looking up at the thrush.  It made me laugh.  The thrush backed off a little, then turned and  disappeared into the hedgebottom. The sparrow kept on pecking at the fatball.

How do Thrushes survive when they are so timid?  Hopefully there is a lot of food in the countryside.

I’ll soon have to go and collect what is left of the fatball before it gets dark.  Don’t want to attract any vermin.

What is your favourite bird?

Posted on February 1st, 2009 in Birdy Ramblings on my daily dawdle by Trish

What is your favourite bird?

Mine is the sparrow.  My daughter’s is the robin.  A friend who goes walking a lot says his favourite bird is any bird of prey that he sees flying high.

I like the Thrush, but its shyness annoys me, when I see it hanging  back and other birds getting the food.

The blue tit is lovely.  It is a colourful b ird and hangs from the peanut feeder with acrobatic ease.

The wren is one of my favourite birds – but I hardly ever see one!  They are very small and seem to spend a lot of time hidden away.

I will stick to the sparrow as my favourite bird.

Plants for Birds

Posted on February 1st, 2009 in Bird Friendly Plants by Trish

I’m putting together a  Bird Friendly Plant list.  Hoping you can help.

Deans Garden Centre in Scarborough have been helping me with planting dates.

Here are two that can be planted at any time of year – which means you can plant them now – tomorrow even! 

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES PROVIDE:

  • Seed for birds to feed on

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ELDERBERRY SHRUB PROVIDES

  • Berries for birds to feed on and
  • A nesting site for our garden birds.

There will be a lot more information about Bird Friendly garden plants in the next few weeks.

Why not take a trip to the local garden centre?

Whatever you plant will last years and help our garden birds for years.