The Most Finicky Birds In The Neighbourhood Happen To Be Ours.

 Our own fault, really!

We love feeding our birds. A growing flock of all sorts - the other morning Bob noticed a red robin breakfasting with elan - hanging out in our garden. Most wonderful concert all day long, especially before feeding times.

Last year we conservatively fed them sunflower seeds - only food available at our local shop - and they were happy with that. Seeing that they were so cute when they pecked for those sunflower seeds, made us buy more eclectic bird food. From dried worms via a lard dripping stick to shelled peanuts. And those shelled peanuts are the nouvelle cuisine that they all go mad over. Within half an hour of putting ample out, it has disappeared.

We ran out of bird food on Monday so on Tuesday I drove to our local Lagerhaus to get some more. They don't stock the fancy kind so the basic it would have to be. But as they only have big bags of either sunflower seeds or peanuts ( at outrageous prices no less ), I opted for the cheapest bag on offer. A bag of avian raisins. Yes, I think I got conned because they look like ordinary raisins which is surprising seeing that they were much more dearer!!!

Anyway, I thought I would create a new must-have-menu item for them but alas, the raisins are becoming more dried out as we speak. Still out there and even the crows leave them behind. Spoilt lot, aren't they? The last two days I have adhered to the motto of; you'll eat when you are hungry enough  and it seems to have backfired. Must head off tomorrow to get their beloved vittles again!

Of course the other reason they might not eat my raisins is the fact that yesterday morning the local village elders had two big old trees across our gate chopped down. A most elegant and proud walnut tree has gone. When I asked them before they fired up the chainsaw, why they had to cut them down, I was told that the two trees were so dead inside that the mere hint of a storm would knock them over...big fat lie.

Today there is only a five meter tree stump of the walnut tree standing and it shows that the tree is in perfect health. The other tree was cut down to its base but as I don't want to stir the pot by inspecting it too closely, I have to assume that it too was in perfect health. It makes me so sad that they had to go and I suspect that it was at the leisure of someone's personal preference. Haven't they heard of climate change?

Our birds must have been traumatized by the loud noise of the chainsaw, not to mention the two resident squirrels. Humans, we never learn...

Biggi