best part of the day: meet you at the cemetery gates

The forecast for Sunday 31st Jan was pretty good and sunny all day. The reality was not quite the same but I'd got up early to see about catching those worms and so made my way to Warriston for about 10am. By which time the sun was almost breaking through the thin cloud. I shuffled along the cyclepath raising the pace when I was overtaken by a jogger. My competitive urges took over and I had to up the pace. Which was not my intention as I was wearing 3 layers and a puffer jacket and didn't want to arrive in a sweat. I climbed over the unofficial cyclepath entrace and was set upon by a couple of robins.

goldfinch on Pilrig St

dinner plate sized fungi on dead birch

I hadn't even settled down to properly checking the riverside trees for wrens and kingfishers. A blackbird or 2 kicked through the leaf litter and the 2 robins appeared. I got some bread out and also some mixed goodies. I'd put some muesli and seeds and nuts in a bag (I'd forgotten the mealworms) and so chucked a small amount of that on the ground. Delightfully the robins continued to pester me. I noticed one was up in a tree nearby and as I went to get out some bread it flew directly towards me then, at the last moment sort of pulled up in flight and turned right to land on another branch. It seemed like it had almost been considering landing on me and then thought wiser at the last moment. I fished out a small corner of bread and held it out so the robin could see the bait. I thought it so unlikely I didn't even hold up my camera. It flew over to me and hovering in the air just in front of my hand for a quarter second took the bread from my outstretched fingers. 'Well I might as well just go home because it isn't going to get better than that!'

hand-fed robin, with his prize

I walked under the tunnel in something of a thrilled daze and crossed over to the South East corner. There is often a wren about here and they were high on my list of birds-that-have-outsmarted-me-so-far-this-winter. Instead I met Alan as he arrived for a session. We chatted for a bit then headed in different directions. It is a sport best done solo, although Mary and I have wandered around together and the results weren't any worse for it.

Now I had read on the RSPB page that thrushes, robins and blackbirds enjoy dried fruits. Hence the muesli mix and seeds and nuts. I had noticed on the photos posted on Friends of Warriston website and facebook page that one of the members Graham, puts out feeders and food for the birds. I had been considering this and so realised there was an established position in the reclaimed section next to the cyclepath wall. There were neat bricked out areas and 3 raised brick bird tables with corrogated plastic sheet just under the top layer of bricks presumably as a squirrel defence. I put out some bread and mix and as I was finishing off the third "table" birds were already landing on the first.

BTW if the RSPB want to update their files, it would seem that the last item on a bird or squirrel's shopping list is dried fruit. I fully expect a letter from FoWC, telling me to sweep up my muesli and never darken their doorstep again.

robin looks at the food questioningly

squirrel says those nuts are mine

The food platforms were not an instant success. I waited at various distances as the locals had a good look. Just a blackbird, robins, great tits and a squirrel to start with. I planned to leave them to it then return and if required, top up supplies for a photo-shoot. I went past the friendly robin near the East gate several times. His stomping ground isn't always well lit and sometimes I just gave him a piece of bread and he disappeared off with it to where he may have a bolt hole in the brambles.

The gang of redwings were up the North end and weren't in a well lit tree. There was only the occasional treecreeper and most were too high for photos. I had a wander round to see if I could spot any woodpeckers or the buzzard, but no sign of either. I was fairly keen to see how things were progressing at the feeding tables so made my way back, via the teasing wren who popped out for a quick look and warning call then disappeared into the undergrowth.

chaffinch

the friendly robin
it hopped remarkably close to where I was standing

I would stand and watch the brick feeding tables from a decent distance back. It was cold work and I slowly became hypothermic waiting for some action. It wasn't dead but it wasn't Piccadilly Circus either. Same as before but with a few great tits and a brief appearance from a LTT which sat still enough for a moderate quality picture. While all this was going on there was a movement just above and to the right and I looked up to see a robin looking down checking I was doing a proper job. I wish they had distinguishing features so I could tell if they were the ones from 80 yards the other side of the place or one I hadn't interacted with previously. This one didn't budge while I zoomed out to take his/her photo.

The squirrel was an interesting candidate. It could tell from its tree there was food on the go. It came cautiously into the area and scavenged about the ground for stuff knocked off by the flapping wings. It then went into the lower branches of a rose bush near the most easterly of the 3 tables and jumped from there onto the top. Where it sat eating stuff until yet another dog came through. Several dogs had come through even though this area is separated from the main cemetery. However Graham and his team (I imagine this, I don't know for sure) have made the place attractive and it has an ambience that people enjoy. Every dog through cleared the place of birds and squirrels, and nearly every dog had a good sniff around the brick feeders. They do have clever noses. But I'd have to encourage them to leave as heedless owners walked on expecting them to follow and they'd still be jumping up at the tables thinking they could smell bread and muesli for breakfast. Another 5 minutes and the birds would slowly filter back.

I have a 60second video clip of this squirrel in that position giving me the stink eye. Looking just absolutely full of vitriol and hatred. Though I think it is just considering the surroundings and whether I am worth bothering about or not. When a dog came charging round the corner (the squirrel was on the ground) it made a far quicker assessment and shot up the nearest tree like a rat up a drainpipe. They will be well used to canine pursuit. It also leapt directly from the feeder to the nearby ivy. Which is not to say the plastic deterrent isn't a great success on the other 2 feeders.

Even really warmly dressed I eventually got cold. I was mostly walking between the feeders and the friendly robin near the East gate. On one occasion the friendly robin was being ridiculously pally. I was squatted down holding my gloved hand out with bread on. It was flying to the nearest branch or landing on the ground and checking me out from various angles only inches away. I think it helped I was wearing robin colours on my hat. It did a short flight halfway to my hand but I think stopped short of the bread. I probably got tired of squatting on the ground and gave it some bread then headed off. I left more bread on a gravestone it had been sitting on earlier. Which was where Alan got some pics of it later.

I returned to see if the other robin by the river was about. It was and again seemed very friendly and happy to sit really closely to myself. I think we can safely say this is about the quality of my breadmaking rather than charisma alone. I got my camera up and readied it for a shot if I could coax the robin to fly to my hand again. I wasn't quite sure I could believe it did it the first time.

There was a robin that would sit on your hand (for the price of a mealworm) at Cammo but I had assumed years of training had taken place and habituation to humans who would regularly visit there and feed the birds. And there was the robin in the Chinese Garden at the Botanics that would do similar. I was showing an elderly American visitor round a couple of spots after she approached me while I was taking photos of hoverflies near a tree in the Botanics. She was interested in all manner of insects and hadn't seen the nearby Comma butterfly that was usually at the corner of the Chinese Garden. There was a robin there too and I fished out some sunflower seeds and it landed on my hand as if we'd been practising all week for the American lady's amusement.

I was delighted again. There is little that can match the interaction with a wild creature you get in a situation like this. For once the subject behaves like a friend and comes towards you instead of running or flying in the opposite direction. Even though it is all about the transaction of food it still feels remarkable and I floated home feeling euphoric despite not seeing half of the birds on my wanted list. The ones I did see filled my heart entirely.