The Standoff !!

For a bird that looks so cute, they can be very territorial. Maybe you should put up a notice - 'trespassers etc.... ' ! ;o)

Ha Ha Oji. Thats two signs I need - A 'No Trespassing Robins Only' And.... 'Low Flying Carrots' :o))))))

Robins get the feistiness prize every time.

great stuff - :)))))

Its not fair I get all the starlings! Dont really mind tho, they still keep me amused with their arguing.

They were funny Paul :o)
The Starlings are so greedy Willinilli and they are funny when jumping up and down fighting over the food !!

Tell me about it, they cost me a fortune.
Last year I had one in the garden, I dont know if he was old or had just had a knock but he was standing swaying in the same spot for about an hour. In the end I picked him up & he sat on my lap for about 15 mins then seem to pull himself together & flew off. They arnt the prettiest of birds but they are still a living creature. We can't all be beautiful !

We are having such awful weather at the moment, the birds are obviously having a dreadful time - there doesn't seem to be a speck of green or possible food for them, and the farmer next door is keeping his ducks in the shed and so there is no poultry food around, so I have been putting out a plate of seeds and bread and fats and fruit on the ledge below our breakfast room window. I have to dig it out of the snow and take it in every couple of hours to microwave it, since it only takes that long to be covered with snow and freeze it like iron. We have had chaffinches, great tits, blue tits, my dear little robin, a nuthatch, redstarts, a magpie, a dunnock, collared doves and, to my amazement, this afternoon, a green woodpecker! (It didn't stay long) The cats think it is widescreen entertainment just for them, and get very twitchy and excited.
I do hope you are planning to put extra food out for Roley and his friends when the blizzards reach Blackpool, n3tyy!

Awww that's lovely Willinilli, he obviously just wanted a rest :o) All the creatures are beautiful in some way.

I do Gattina, and like you have been putting fresh food and water out (thawing it regularly during the day) Tyler and Baggy give me very strange looks when the birds get their food and water first :o))))) Today we had Roley Robin, blue tits, coal tits, doves, magpies, jackdaws, wrens,Mr and Mrs Blackbirds, Dunnock and another type of sparrow oh and, of course, the starlings :o)) Would love to see a Woodpecker. Shovel at the ready incase of blizzards too. :o)

great pics :)))))))))

Cheers Pixi :o)))

Lovely pictures N:). The wee solitary robin in my garden doesn't seem to be territorial. He/she just hops about with the blackbirds and doesn't go near the others (most of which I haven't learnt). I don't like it when the starlings scare of the little birds...they are just bullies!!

Well caught N3tyy, ours don't get much of a look in at the moment, with the 3 squirrels!!!!!, greedy beggars, I'm filling the feeders everyday thought I'd found a squirrel proof feeder but they're such clever little creatures didn't take them long to destroy it, even saw one chasing a pigeon,lol.
We did have a episode the other day a fight between 2 kestrels, must have been a territorial thing, they landed on the grass right beside me feathers flying and screeching, ended with the smaller of the 2 birds cowering in the hedge while the other hovered above, only seen one since so assume he warned the other off,I know they prey on the songbirds but do like to see them, everything has its place :-))

'Low flying carrots'?? Have I missed something here?

Thanks Scottish. Must admit the Robin doesn't mind the Blackbirds, but then they don't go to 'his' swing. The Starlings are naughty, I must confess I do shoo them and the feral pigeons away, after they have had some food, otherwise the little ones would get nothing.

Cheers Simbad. I to have a squirrel, sometimes two, he does like the feeders and is very good at getting to the food, however, I do have a soft spot for him (Cyril) Put a pic on here with him swinging from a feeder and a pigeon looking on lol!!! Tried to get my camera to catch the Robin pecking at a starling last week but was too slow, but the Robin kept dive bombing it until it flew off. I know what you mean, but like you say everything has its place in the circle of life :o)

Oji - My 'Phew' Blog explains the 'low flying carrots' if you fancy a chuckle at my VERY scary episode :o/// (o:

Great blog! :)

Thank you Severn. Always used to think January was such a boring month, not any more :o)))

My eldest daughter loves the squirrels,in fact she'll say have you fed the squirrels today, not the birds!!!!, must say he does give me a few laughs too, he was right outside the kitchen window the other day burying something, so funny digging the hole then patting it flat after, we were laughing at him, he ran up the drainpipe right beside the window and hung there staring in at us as if to say "What you laughing at" :-))))

added to F's, well photographed. Wonderful that we use this sweet colourful bird as a xmas card token of peace & love & it's the ONLY native garden bird that will fight their own to the death re territory ?????
See my blog 'My xmas Robin' Not even my Stafforshire bull terrier was a match for this particular robin.

A girl after my own heart Simbad. I buy him peanuts and he comes along and spends an hour burying them all over the garden, even in the hanging baskets!!! He is so funny and as you say buries then pats down the soil/grass. I have said on here that I have been into the garden looking to see where and can never find out, very nimble little paws. Last year I thread some onto a soft wool and watched, he came along pulled them up to the table and looked around as if to say 'that was way too easy' Think they laugh at us. :o))))) Will always feed them as well as the birds.

Thank you Bampy. I have just read your Robin Blog. Oh my goodness almost made me weep! As you said an amazing experience, and what you did simply brilliant. Love the picture with your dog, loved them all actually. :o))))) A Fantastic Blog and one for favourites to show family and friends.

We have been spending time watching our very own standoff outside the kitchen window. Two tiny robins have been fighting so long and energetically and viciously over the plateful of food I put outside, that no other birds have had the chance to get near enough to feed.
I have to report that robins (and other small birds) seem to appreciate tinned cat food!

They are little monsters fighting :o). Made me laugh Gattina, I heard about the cat food, put some out - excited waited sooooo patiently - what did I see ........ Baggy (my cat) jump on the table !!!!! Sheesh :o)))))))

LOL! N3! We are lucky to have what used to serve as a "pantry" in these old houses - a projecting shelf under upper windows where animals can't get any food you store there. Everyone now uses them to put pots of pelargoniums in summertime (What's that? I hear you cry......) and they are now the only place that wild birds can come to feed without the danger of getting caught by passing cats.

Must give the cat food a try. I put out fresh cat food for the cats at each meal time - there is usually some left in their bowls which I bin...would this be ok to use or should I really use fresh sachet.
Personally, I don't feed the birds until 3pm...I bring the boys in at this time and then the birds can get a bit of piece and quiet to enjoy their dinner!!!!

You know, Scottish, the birds are probably desperate for food, and the fact that the left-overs are a little elderly will not bother them at all, I should think. I just think that we often cater for seed-eaters, and put bread out, too, but there are insect and grub eaters out there that might appreciate something a bit more meaty: I think that the fat content is important in freezing weather. I wouldn't suggest you put out cat food that has actually started to go off, and if it hasn't gone 48 hours later, THEN throw it away. I very much doubt birds (or cats, come to that) would eat iffy meat.

I'm not to sure about the cat food, as the cat makes sure it goes before it goes off. I, however, when cooking the Sunday roast (when the OH does actually :o) ) take the stock and fat and mix it with seed and the birds love it. Especially the Black Birds ( oh and Starlings ) I do think the fat is essential at this time of year ??

Never thought of putting left over cat food out Gattina, I'll give it a try, having the fussiest eating cat in the world,there's usually some leftovers.
Not surprised the birds don't come till you bring the cats in Scottish especially if its the one on your avatar,lol, ;-)

It's difficult - I've already microwaved the plate twice this morning, and it's covered in snow yet again. When I bring it in, the dripping I've mixed in with the bread and the seeds is so hard you could smash rocks with it - like concrete -those poor, fragile little beaks trying to get into it don't bear thinking about.

It is awful today isn't it Gattina I've been out twice with boiling water to defrost the bird bath and yet again the poor little birds are skating on it :-(

Sounds like we are all losing the 'freezing' battle :o))))))

I'll give it a go and see how it goes. The cat food is never any older than a couple of hours - will be interesting to see how the birds take to it.
I will have to leave it high up on the bird table though - if I don't the dog will sneek and eat it :)
And for once...the bad weather seems to have misssed us here in Edinbugh!
Simbad...I wouldn't like the bill to feed that little puddy tat in my picture!!!!