November 1987, a Saturday afternoon, a blue sky. Sitting at my desk, I hear a blue tit. Blue tits were always the first to come. I had discovered a thing of marvel; a plastic bird feeder that stuck to the outside of the window with a suction pad. This was the first winter I had decided to feed the birds so anticipation was high. Always took a while, but as I would come to learn; they always came, every winter and this feeder did the trick as the pigeons couldn't get near it. Living four floors up I had a great view of the canopies of the trees but being able to see the birds close up was an extra thrill.
It was the usual suspects: blue tits, great tits, robins, chaffinches and greenfinches. Watching the birds feeding this winter, almost thirty years on got me thinking. The tits are still there, plus coal tits, the smallest of the tits, very cute and long tailed tits turn up in groups from time to time. But no greenfinches and no chaffinches. Instead the ridiculously charming goldfinches are regulars. We have a feeder that attracts goldfinches. I bought it cynically last winter and within around a week, they were there. Couldn't believe it. How do they know to find it? They feed two at a time and have little competition it seems for this particular seed, the nyger seed, perhaps due to the feeder dispensing seeds that they can easily access with their beaks. The blue and other tits do jump on occasionally but probably just to wind up the goldfinches. Blue tits really are the cheeky chappies. The great tit, big and macho, more like some rugby enforcer, Martin Johnson springs to mind and the coal tits, are so tiny, like mini great tits but with a big personality.
The goldfinch feeder is the one that needs the most attention and is hardest to refill. Seems somehow annoyingly appropriate that the fairest of them all is also the most high-maintenance! The other feeders in the garden have more competition. The suet feeder is popular with the tits, the robin, the dunnock (the brown bird that skulks around the bushes) and some more unusual guests from time to time. Blackbirds, a spotted woodpecker, a starling, a jay have had a go and even the woodpigeon has tried but failed due to its humungous girth. And the seed dispenser is equally popular. The squirrel seems immune to my telling it to f**k off so I have to keep moving it around, the feeder that is. I do respect squirrels' dexterity and athleticism but I won't stand for them. The woodpigeon being unable to access any of the feeders directly just hangs about underneath and does pretty well from whatever drops to the ground. Pride and lack of humility are not issues amongst garden birds, at least. Though paranoia seems to be, in the case of the robin. Fiercely competitive it attempts to scare off other birds the minute they approach for a spot of lunch. Shame really, lucky there's plenty to go round.
There's one other garden bird worth mentioning though they don't come to feeders. The wren, tiny little brown bird which is immediately recognizable by its little tail that sticks up like a mini quiff. You'll see them hopping about from time to time.
So, there it is, feed the birds, you don't even really need a garden. A window will do, though mind out if you live on the tenth floor. You won't regret it, I promise.
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