The Young Ones

                                 SUNDAY 15^th. MAY 2011

 

Yesterday I spent an enjoyable few hours (and numerous cups of tea!) watching from my patio window the comings and goings in my garden.

The overriding theme seemed to be "the young ones" or to put it another way, the next generation.

There was a family of House Sparrow fledglings (six) being attended to (fed) by dad in various locations around the garden, although mum seemed to be missing, perhaps sitting on a new clutch of eggs? 

I noticed that all six fledglings never seemed to be in the same place at the same time but scattered around the garden, I wonder if this was just coincidence, confusion or self preservation. Whichever it was it all added up to a lot of work for poor old dad! 

"you're not my Dad"

 The Starlings were by far the noisiest and rowdiest, ten or twelve squabbling and fighting continuingly over the suet treat feeder. No fledglings yet but I guess it won’t be long as some of the birds were flying off with beakfuls of supplies.

Mr. and Mrs. Blackbird were on the lawn with just the one fledgling, although mum and dad stayed well away I noticed that Junior decided to mix it with the Starlings under the feeders until he/she was given a lesson in how sharp a Starling’s beak is!

A pair of Blue Tits were busily to’ing and fro’ing from the fat ball feeder in a relay of about every two minutes or so, I guess (hopefully) I’ll soon be getting a visit from some young Blue Tits.

And my favourite young visitor of the day has got to be a fledgling Robin looking very smart in his/her speckled coat and already showing that air of arrogance that says “this is my patch, watch out”!

Other visitors to the garden included two Collared Doves, a Woodpigeon, two Goldfinches and a very brief visit from a male Chaffinch looking very dapper in his immaculate and bright breeding uniform. And as I sit at the computer writing this I can see and hear him singing out from the roof of a neighbour’s house.  Wonderful.

                                All images taken through a double glazed window.