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11th January

Just before we went to Tenerife in the first half of December I got some birdfeeders from Lidl and birdfood from Dofos. I thought I'd wait till later to install it at Warriston and it has taken till now to get started. Well actually I put a test feeder there around November. It was a very cheap thin plastic job I picked up somewhere and initially it fell from where it was hung. I taped it up with gaffer tape and it stayed in place but the plastic was gnawed through, no doubt by one of the animals it was designed to prevent feeding - squirrel would be first suspect, but crow, rat or pigeon also in the running. The Lidl version is metal with a wire protection cage to give the smaller garden birds access without allowing squirrels, magpies, pigeons and crows access. At least that is the plan. It cost a fiver, about a fifth of what the middle classes will pay to get one out the back of an RSPB magazine. 

A combination of poor weather and midwinter torpidity meant I haven't been past Warriston in ages. Also there is often little to see and photograph there when the light is grey and sludgy and the animals and birds are all indoors sipping cocoa and watching tv. Long overdue a visit I threw some birdfeeding kit and the new camera into a backpack and marched there in goretex shoes to keep my feet dry against the mudfest below the tunnel. (There is a liquid finger of fudge all over the path there that requires very careful tip-toeing.) Another encouragement to go along was someone posting on Friends of Warriston Cemetery fb group page that there was what appeared to be an injured fox in the secret garden. I bought some chicken in Sainsbury's on the way in caser it was still there.

I was making my way there when I got distracted by a robin or 2 near where I used to put out food on a flat pedestal. Okay, you've got my attention. I took photos but the light was rubbish. Only just enough to get the speed up to 1/50th of a second at 3200iso. I heard some rustling in the ivy floor cover and thought it might be a rat so quietly had a look. The head of a female blackbird popped out!

meanwhile squirrels stripped the holly berries

I couldn't find any sign of a fox but the crows recognised me and mooched some peanuts. I also spent way too much time stalking noisy wrens and getting way too few photos to justify the hunt. But it did get me in the zone and no doubt quite a bit of quality time passed even if the results did not justify it. I was back among friends and enjoying spending time with them even if it was just another drab day in January.

I went along to the St Marks bridge end of the riverside area. I used to spend quite a bit of time here esp in the Winter when there is less leaf (light) shade. I decided to place the feeder here and hung it slightly out of sight behind the 1859 stone. I expected it to take a couple of days before the birds trusted it enough to explore, however within 30 mins the local robin, which is friendly or rather, curious, popped up to have a look. I was very pleased. The squirrel also made an extended appearance to eat the large amount of seeds and nuts I put out on a low stone. Not sure if he remembered me or was just on the lookout for any kind of a handout. He was less flighty than before, although several times had to scoot up a tree at top speed partly followed by a barky dog. Unfortunately there is no shortage of dogwalkers coming through, although the vast majority are well behaved. I even saw one pair coming down the path and turn off to take a different route, after seeing myself (with camera), which was really considerate. Thanks!

installed at last
contains fatballs, peanuts, macadamias

This backbird saw the food from a distance and flew straight over, ignoring my presence just a few feet away. He did keep an eye on me the whole time (between shovelfuls) but put away a huge amount of sunflower hearts before going into a trancelike state. Not dissimilar to post xmas lunch, I imagined. Just stood on the 1859 stone, motionless. I took a moment to realise then wondered how close I could get without triggering a response. A couple of slow steps closer and he kind of roused himself, had a last seed or 2 and then flew over to another tree where he had an afternoon nap. I was flattered it was no distance away and lower than head-height. I let him sleep off his feast.

zombie blackie!

thinking about it

first ever visit!

namaste

Eventually a wood pigeon flew down and risked landing on the feeding stone. It watched me closely to see if I was going to chase it off, if it was something of a trap, but it was the end of the day and there were no other takers, so for once I let it clear up the food. Even in the rubbish light I enjoyed the shades of its multi-coloured plumage. It is very easy to overlook the beauty available just because it is commonplace. I left the pigeon to enjoy its meal and walked home.