Apparently coal tits have a better rate of winter survival than many other birds their size, @Fairygirl, because they "cache" food - and presumably remember where they put it, some time later.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I assumed that was the reason @Liriodendron, so thanks for that. I haven't seen them do it before. It was lovely watching them We have lots of blue and great tits too, but it was only the coals doing it. Maybe I've just not noticed them going into the pots in the past, but I'd re jigged that little bit of the garden, and there's several pots I can see from the back windows, so maybe that's the reason.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I don't know where they're hiding sunflower hearts in my garden, but I suspect they may have found some crevices in a very old hawthorn in the hedge. That's certainly their usual direction of flight... it's fascinating watching the different habits of the various bird species. The tits are the first to notice when I've refilled the feeder, and nip in quickly before the sparrows take over. Most of the chaffinches hop around on the grass below, hoovering up the bits of seed dropped by the goldfinches, who are incredibly messy eaters.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
It's fascinating @Liriodendron. I've just remembered that I saw one on the back doorstep too. We have a little hole on one of the steps, just where the bottom of the riser meets the step. He was also poking around at the new doormat thing I made, which is like a duckboard. There's a gap there too. I think he was probably caching food there. Now that Dave gets some of his meals there too, he might cotton on that there's a handy supply for him
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I dunno @Liriodendron - he's worked out that if he comes to the back door I'll feed him, so he doesn't need to hide any grub! The coal tits are among my favourite birds. We certainly have lots of them here. There's so much food available for birds nearby though, that sometimes they appear in fits and starts. I'm hoping the pair of bulfinches re appear soon too. He was a handsome chap.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
We have a pair of bullfinches. Sometimes they sit on the same feeder, other times they will be back to back on separate feeders, as though they have had a falling out. I think the greenfinches have just managed a new load of fledglings. It seems to have been a good year for the birds breeding this year.
Nice to have the greenfinches too @fidgetbones. We aren't getting them in the gardens, although there's a considerable amount round the fields and farm roads. We get nearly as many fledglings here - two lots would be good going. It's never very favourable in spring, but this year they definitely started a bit earlier because of the hot April. They've all been very busy though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The greenfinch gang seems to be twelve strong, with only a couple in full adult colours. We used to get a lot, then they dropped right off, now they seem to be back with a vengeance.
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We have lots of blue and great tits too, but it was only the coals doing it.
Maybe I've just not noticed them going into the pots in the past, but I'd re jigged that little bit of the garden, and there's several pots I can see from the back windows, so maybe that's the reason.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Now that Dave gets some of his meals there too, he might cotton on that there's a handy supply for him
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The coal tits are among my favourite birds. We certainly have lots of them here. There's so much food available for birds nearby though, that sometimes they appear in fits and starts. I'm hoping the pair of bulfinches re appear soon too. He was a handsome chap.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
We get nearly as many fledglings here - two lots would be good going. It's never very favourable in spring, but this year they definitely started a bit earlier because of the hot April. They've all been very busy though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...