Cyn's Nature Notes: Wintry weather, the fox and the magpie

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Wintry weather, the fox and the magpie

The last two days have been very wintry, thunder, lightning, horrendous hailstone storms and torrential rain.

I fear for the baby birds and can't imagine how difficult it must be resting in a nest when hail and heavy rain are pounding down. I wonder how many nestlings will succumb to this inclement weather, which has come at such an inappropriate time for them. Finding food for their youngsters must be quite a trial, surely many of the caterpillars and insects must have been washed from plants, bushes and trees making searching for it much harder.

I felt particular concern for the blackcaps, their nest is on the ground on a bank and I am delighted to report that they are both still active and appear to be feeding young.

This evening I watched with amusement as a magpie tried to steal food from the fox, each time he slowly came nearer the fox would turn to face him head on. He allowed the magpie to almost reach the food several times and each time just as the magpie must have thought nearly there, so the fox would just take a few steps toward him and the magpie would retreat. Only to return almost immediately, reach the same spot and be chased off again.

It was such a lazy movement by the fox, that I wondered if he was toying with the magpie and would suddenly rush at him and try to catch him for supper --- but no. After a while the fox grew tired of the magpies persistence and chased him further across the lawn, then he stood waiting, and as soon as the magpie stopped moving and turned round, the fox again chased him putting more effort in this time and the magpie took fright and flew away!

I would have been surprised to see the fox catch the magpie because I have watched foxes eat with passing cats in the garden and show no aggression toward them.

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About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.