Hey everyone!
Well that’s been a hot couple of weeks in good old Blighty . I’ve been delayed in writing this post and I am totally blaming it on the weather. It’s been too hot don’t you think to do anything other than just lie in a crumpled heat trying to get any kind of breeze to waft over you whilst mopping up the endless amounts of perspiration with paper towels? No? Just me ? Ok then, moving on!
So I mentioned before about a new found love for Rob the Robin. It started with a small bird feeder outside the bedroom window. I used to wake up and peek out of the blinds to see who was hanging around the branch. And usually it was always my Rob getting first dibs. Now I fully understand that Rob probably wasn’t always Rob and could’ve actually have been Peter or Paul or Tom, Dick or Harry, but let’s just pretend that it was always Rob.
Actually the sound that a robin makes is marvellous. It’s such a happy sound. I always feel as if spring is on its way when I hear the Robin chirping away in December or January. But for the Robin, he’s probably sat there on his branch freezing his breast off, totally fed up of the same old bird seed, waiting for the ladies to turn up after a miserable winter and sick of having to perform his song on repeat.
Anyway, after a few months of only watching, I somehow ended up speaking to him. It started off with ‘Hey Rob!’ and sort of went into ‘Here Rob-a-Rob!’, to full blown conversations. I’d take the bird seed out in a bag and shake it about and start calling for him, and then once he’d appeared ( nothing to do with him hearing the sound of bird seed shaking of course), I started telling him all about my day whilst filling up the tiny bird feeder. And then I would actually get a garden chair and sit outside so I could carry on chatting whilst he was feeding . I should point out that we were still in Lockdown, and talking about my day in reality only took about 10 mins.
Not long after this I decided I would get him to start feeding from my hand. I had a whole training schedule planned. I had visions of me walking about with him sat on my shoulder, or sat on my knee whilst I drank tea from a vintage chipped teacup and shared my cucumber sandwiches with him. Ahhh happy times, happy thoughts! It was all dashed to shreds though by the arrival of a new neighbour.
Granville! As in ‘Open All Hours’ tv program Granville. GRANVILLE AND HIS BLOODY BIRD PALACE, not a normal feeder but a palace for all birds, complete with different levels.
Rob (the turncoat) and all his mates who appeared out of nowhere must have thought all their springtime’s had all come at once. And of course my little bird feeder was suddenly of no interest at all compared to 5 different types of seed, fat balls , peanuts AND coconut halves ( not to mention 2 water baths). Even the field mice who appeared occasionally sacked my feeder off in favour of the pickings left on the grass from the bird palace . I can’t even talk about the betrayal by our Terry……… a deep cut to my heart!
Anyway I sulked for a few days (weeks!), and ignored Rob for a few days more. I mean, that really taught him a lesson I’m sure ! And then I began to sit and watch the coming and goings of all the birds at the bird palace. And it was such a beautiful thing to see . Everyday, there would be Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Long tailed ( my favourite), Bull finches, Green finches, Siskin, Chaffinch, the dreaded Starlings, Woodpeckers. I even enjoyed watching the Jackdaws.The list is longer and I have some fantastic photos which I will share with you at some point .
So Rob still comes and says hello, and I still have a bit of a chat with him. And actually, it’s not so bad having the bird palace in place .
Alison
Xxx
PS Granville is a lovely chap and a really great neighbour to have.
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