Wednesday 28 May 2014

WET BIRDS


It rained today, as it did for most of yesterday…and the day before that. I guess tomorrow, it will rain again?

So, stuck indoors looking out at the watery view I noticed that the birds coming to the garden feeders were struggling to keep dry. A lot of the the birds were recently fledged youngsters and it was noticeable that they were suffering the most.

This young Blackbird was continually running backwards and forwards across the shed roof trying to shake off and dodge the raindrops.
Wet Birds 1  BB

A recently fledged Robin looking rather grumpy!
Wet Birds 5  R

One of the many (wet) young Starlings that were in the garden.
Wet Birds 6  S y

The adult birds were not doing much better at keeping dry.
Wet Birds 2  WP
                     Wood Pigeon 

Wet Birds 2b  CD
                     Collared Dove

Wet Birds 3  HS
                     House Sparrow

Wet Birds 4  S ad
Starling

So what do you do if you’re soaking wet and stuck out in the rain?…..

Wet Birds 7  S y wish
…..Cast an eye to the heavens, like this young Starling, and say “I wish this bloody rain would stop”….

Wet Birds 8  BT shake
….Or, like this Blue Tit, just shrug your shoulders and shake it all off…

Wet Birds 9  G twizzle
….Or maybe, just give it a bit of a ‘twizzle’ like this young Goldfinch?

Or perhaps like this young Starling….
Wet Birds 10  S y sleep 
….you tuck your head under your wing and go to sleep!

For one visitor to the garden the hard work has to go on come rain or shine. This Blue Tit (there appears to be only one) has, for over a week, been coming to the garden at regular intervals, from early morning to late evening, grabbing some food and quickly flying off…doing the ‘food run’ as I call it.  This morning he/she was being closely followed by five, very newly fledged and noisy, youngsters? I hope they survive the rain and make mum or dad’s hard work worth it?
Wet Birds 11  BT ad

Sorry for the dark and grainy images but they were all taken through the double glazed windows.
Oh!…and did I mention that it was overcast and RAINING?


I’m off to polish my wellies now!!


14 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

The poor bedraggled birds, pretty though. I've never heard of polished their wellies????????

The Herald said...

Bob, the birds are having a hard time at the moment, hopefully we'll get some sunshine soon.

Didn't you know? Wellies, along with pac-a-macs, have become the number one fashion items over the last couple of days!...lol...[;o)

Douglas Mcfarlane said...

Despite the weather you have a healthy selection of juveniles in your garden. I feel for the wood pigeon, drowned rat springs to mind :-)
I like the Goldfinch have a good shake. At the moment we are waiting for the Blue Tits to fledge from our nest box however we do have 2 juvenile Blackbirds sheltering in our trees but the odd thing is two adult male blackbirds and one female are feeding the juveniles!

grammie g said...

Hi Trevor... Yuck it is the same here, even the temps today are terrible for this time of year,forty degrees when I got up and,it is miserable, had to turn on the heat!
If the sun comes out for a bit all it does is fuel up thunderstorms and more rain!! I want to go outside and play : }.
My birds are busy at the feeders to and look just as disgruntled as yours do!!
The Blue Tit and the Goldfinch shot's are brilliant just great!!

Hope all the fledged young make it!

How are those wellies looking ; }

Grace

The Herald said...

Douglas, I don't know if a dozen or so noisy, squabbling young Starlings can be classed as healthy? Some of the birds did look rather forlorn and bedraggled. Looks like your Blackbirds are getting well looked after, I hope they don't grow up confused?...lol.
If they know what's good for them I reckon your Blue Tits should stay in that nest box for a couple more days yet!...[;o)


Hi Grace... It's horrible here at the moment cold and wet! But I've just seen the weather guesser on the TV say that we're set for some sunshine on Saturday, I won't hold my breath!!
I've not seen those little fledgelings again, I guess they've been spread out for safety around the other gardens, I hope the make it too?
The wellies are doing great, I can see my face in them!...[;o)

FOREST SNAPPER said...

What a great post Trevor, it shows that even on a wet day there is a photo. The blue tit in my garden is starting to look a bit ragged, boy do they do some work in a day.

peter

FAB said...

Excellent depiction of the current conditions Trevor.
I have to admit your birds look far wetter than mine but more rain due from the east again tomorrow won't help them.
It will make a change when we can talk about something else other than the weather or is that wishful thinking!

ADRIAN said...

Trevor, for once I think I'm in the right place. It is warm and overcast here but little rain.
You captured the misery perfectly.
Clean windows you have.

holdingmoments said...

Despite the crap weather Trev, you've got some great shots. Must be really tough for the birds when the weather is like this.

Reminds me of the usual weather here.

The Herald said...

Peter, thank you. Yeh, it's a busy time for the birds at the moment and it's not made any easier by this prolonged rain that we're having...[;o)


Thanks Frank, We're a fickle lot so I guess, as soon as(when?)the sunshine appears we'll be complaining that it's too hot?...[;o)

Thanks Adrian, make the most of that dry weather...it won't last!!...[;o)

Thanks Keith. Yeh, the birds do suffer when it rains, especially at this time of year.
You're welcome to have your 'orrible Welsh weather back..any time!...[;o)

Roy Norris said...

Some superb images under the circumstances Trevor.
Can we have some Summer now please.

The Herald said...

Thanks Roy. It's been wet for so long I reckon if the sun shone we wouldn't know what to do?...lol!...[;o)

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Hi Trevor just getting caught on reading posts and did you say you had rain? We have been very fortunately here and all the while I was away no rain although dull at times. You got a great selection of be draggled garden bird shots and I love the ones that are shaking the rain off. thanks for you comment and I hope you will look in tomorrrow to the final saga

The Herald said...

Thanks Margaret, We're all feeling much happier here now...it's sunny and warm!....for now?...lol...[;o)