Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Blackbird; I'll 'Ave 'Ee ....!
Game on ....!
I've been feeding the blackbirds their apples for months on end now. So much so that my weekly bag of apples has just become part of the household shopping list and budget.
Worth every last penny though. Just to be able to look out through the back door and see them scarfing down their life assuring rations, within minutes of me putting it out there.
Always cut their apple in half, 'mind. They don't know what to do with a whole one, it seems. I've always cut them in half anyway. Just something I've done. I like to give them half, then, now that the days are longer and they have the time, I'll give them another half later.
Anyway; I've had a male and, more particularly, a female out there for ages now. Both rung. (I'm a licensed Ringer and my Trainer and I have caught most of the 'resident' birds, in Mist Nets, and rung them long since). More than one male bird gets around here. Sparrowhawk took one a few weeks ago.
Today though, I've seen 'my' female bird, enjoying her apple. Then, she's come out from the shelter of the hedge, where I feed them, and started bouncing around, pecking up the ground! 'My' bird's never done this before!
She also looked 'different'. Her brown wasn't the same tones. No doubt about that. I've grabbed the bin's and focussed in on her right leg. No ring!!! I was right; This was a completely different bird! Straight away, I decided we'd have to catch her and sort that leg out!
But, here's the best bit: Five minutes later, there's a Male bird out there. And he's fucking about, digging the ground and such too. Glass on the bugger straight away. Dear god! He's somewhere between 'warm brown' and 'browny black'! Probably last years hatch then? And no ring!!!
Fuck this! These birds need catching and ringing! God knows where they've come from. But, rings may let us find out where they go. How they get on as they go there. How long they live. All sorts of fascinating and useful shit ye never knew ye didn't know.
Ringing even just the birds in my 'garden' has expanded my knowledge and understanding of the True dynamics here exponentially.
You may observe the birds at your feeders. Count them, even. And think your finger's on the pulse? I used to. But, no. You're really just looking at a procession of Chinese. They all look the same and ye really just seeing apparent numbers. But, are they passing by? Or just walking endlessly round the block?
You too could be amazed. Start Here.
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Interesting Ditchy.
ReplyDeleteHave you had any feedback on your ringed birds yet? Any turned up somewhere in a distant land?
Matt
Not as yet, Matt'. But, with the amount of Swallows I ring, there's hope yet. Or, perhaps one of my Blackcaps or Willow Warblers?
ReplyDeleteNotable turn ups, thus far, have been the Siberian Blackbird we had here. It was a bloody monster!
We take the birds out the nets and pop them into little cloth bags. Keeps them content till it's their turn for processing.
My boss has held this bag out. Says, " Here's the blackbird. " Of course, I've handled a fair few blackies and knew what to expect.
Imagine if I passed you a pound block of butter. Only, it was actually a block of lead, wrapped in a Kerrygold wrapper! Know how ye arm would go down with the unexpected weight ....?
Can't remember what that beast weighed now, off hand. But, it was close enough to the record to be impressive!
Imagine if he got caught again, somewhere like Russia or where ever he came from?! We'd hear!
Another example ~ and I have several ..... Hell. I was about to say, " But, I don't want to turn this into a Blog Post.
Maybe I should? I'm not at all sure I haven't already, come to that? Yes. I've just had a scratch about and see I've made a few posts about ringing.
This is where I come unstuck, see? I've no idea how to point you at them. Don't know if ye can search this place on " Bird Ringing " ?
Great post Ditch! I been trying to get more pics of the birds that come into our garden but it's the old story - "Look at that one!" "Where?" "There - oh shit! It's gone!" & that's before I even got my camera out! :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've been a bit quiet lately -still sorta down you know? I went to my son-in-law's funeral the other day, the one who was a cop in Durban that was facing a whole pile of trumped up charges 'cos he was investigating our President's (he of many wives) son. He finally got boarded for his dicky heart, his papers came through on a Friday & he popped his socks on the Sunday. Bummer. So I have not been brewing or blogging for a while now. I will start again soon.... How you keeping mate?
Fucking hell, man! I hear So Much bad shit happening to others, it makes me wonder .....
ReplyDeleteWell; Having just pondered all that myself there, and teetered on the rim of a deep black hole? I think my answer can genuinely be to get the fuck back, mate.
Get back from that hole. Get back into what gives You some reason for living. Get back on with ye own life, in the sure and certain knowledge that Your clock's ticking too.
Crying shame to waste a day, at our point in the game.
Saddle up, mate.