I have a new Bird in my life, one that brings gladness to my heart and joy to my day as we play out the courting ritual to get to know and trust one another. Goodness knows where it may lead.
It all started a few months ago at the beginning of the New Zealand spring when I started to awaken my garden from its winter slumber, coax dormant plants back into life and prepare the soil for new plantings .
It was while I was spreadeagled on all fours to reach a dormant Clematis and rake in some pelletised sheep manure into its root line that she fluttered down close to me to search the disturbed soil for worms and came within inches of my hands as if she well knew that my prostrate position would prevent any sudden attack .
I slowly continued my task chatting to her as I went until she seemed to accept that what I was doing was for her benefit .
This ritual carried on over several days until she casually walked across my outstretched left hand to get a a big fat worm before it disappeared.
Then came the time that all the raking, tilling and fertilising was done and it was time for me to step back and watch for the growth. That was not good enough for her , as soon as I walked out to the garden borders she would appear out of nowhere to land almost at my feet as if to demand more disturbed earth and it was obvious that she had absorbed my ritual and wanted more.
Frankly I was enamoured with this attention from a female Blackbird and the guilt surfaced as I recalled previous seasons of abuse as she or her kin never failed to peck holes in my lower trusses of ripening tomatoes and any other fruit or vegetable that took their fancy . As a youngster I did enjoy a Quail pie or two but to now countenance
any bird life in a pie let alone a four-and- twenty Blackbird one is abominable and my mind turns to ways and means of protecting this very special relationship .
I know that she knows me, others of the species won't use the bird bath while I am seated under the sun umbrella nearby but she has no hesitation to frolic and splash like a wonton woman while I watch .
I view this liaison with wonderment but am I just becoming a strange old man ?
Bob
It all started a few months ago at the beginning of the New Zealand spring when I started to awaken my garden from its winter slumber, coax dormant plants back into life and prepare the soil for new plantings .
It was while I was spreadeagled on all fours to reach a dormant Clematis and rake in some pelletised sheep manure into its root line that she fluttered down close to me to search the disturbed soil for worms and came within inches of my hands as if she well knew that my prostrate position would prevent any sudden attack .
I slowly continued my task chatting to her as I went until she seemed to accept that what I was doing was for her benefit .
This ritual carried on over several days until she casually walked across my outstretched left hand to get a a big fat worm before it disappeared.
Then came the time that all the raking, tilling and fertilising was done and it was time for me to step back and watch for the growth. That was not good enough for her , as soon as I walked out to the garden borders she would appear out of nowhere to land almost at my feet as if to demand more disturbed earth and it was obvious that she had absorbed my ritual and wanted more.
Frankly I was enamoured with this attention from a female Blackbird and the guilt surfaced as I recalled previous seasons of abuse as she or her kin never failed to peck holes in my lower trusses of ripening tomatoes and any other fruit or vegetable that took their fancy . As a youngster I did enjoy a Quail pie or two but to now countenance
any bird life in a pie let alone a four-and- twenty Blackbird one is abominable and my mind turns to ways and means of protecting this very special relationship .
I know that she knows me, others of the species won't use the bird bath while I am seated under the sun umbrella nearby but she has no hesitation to frolic and splash like a wonton woman while I watch .
I view this liaison with wonderment but am I just becoming a strange old man ?
Bob
