We have a blackbird and a robin still feeding their young, but as soon as I put food out for them , the pigeons and magpies fly down and gobble it all up. I have noticed that if I call to Blackie before I throw the food out, they are waiting as soon as the first handful hits the ground. So my plan is to put the food out quietly and hope Blackie finds it before the others.
Earlier, we were in the middle of tea when we heard someone knocking on the patio windows, it sounded like someone tapping with their car keys --- not a normal knocking, looking I saw no-one, however as I turned away I noticed a movement high up. Turning back and looking up, I was amused to see the female duck's head suddenly appear and her long neck stretch down, as she reached for the glass and then tapped at it with her beak.
Going to the kitchen I fetched two slices of bread wetted them and breaking them up threw them out of the window, before they hit the ground she was there. I took half a mug of bird seed and holding it out of the window, I shook it to gain her attention with the sound, and then showed her it being poured from the window to the ground underneath, she cannot see this ground from the lawn because of the flower border between. I wondered if she would understand that if she wanted the seed she would have to come and find it. She did not disappoint me, as soon as she finished the wet bread she waddled round the flower border and consumed the seed, before flying back to her precious chicks.
She has tried so hard to lay eggs and bring up a brood of youngsters this year, the first time she made her nest on the garage roof. This didn't work and the next nest was in a large ornamental pot in my neighbour's garden, it was full of geraniums and although she couldn't be seen from their lounge, she was very visible to the fox as he walked up the garden. So she lost these eggs, but fortunately survived herself. This was a few weeks ago and we haven't seen her since.
We didn't know where her next nest was but felt sure she had one. A few days ago we visited a nearby nature reserve and while there we spent time in the hide, great was our pleasure and delight when we saw her in the centre of the water with her brood of six chicks.
Did she hear us I wonder, because we had only been home a short while when she flew in and came to the lounge window for food. Since then she has been back daily, eating the food at great speed before quickly flying off, not even taking time to visit the pond or a bird bath for a drink.
