PON conversations tend to be a combination of yodels and muted throat noises. Today is a throat yodeling morning. Sophie stands by the river and runs through a lengthy litany of her thoughts. Generations of PONs have exhibited this strange behaviour. There is no hurrying a PON at such moments.
Down in the valley the farmer and his two sons are chopping wood and loading it onto a trailer. The three farm dogs wander over to say hello to Sophie. They are greeted affably until they become overly familiar. The farm dogs quickly get the message that they're not wanted and wander off.
The local paper leads with the news that mask wearing restrictions are being lifted even though infection rates remain high.
A man in a local village has been taken to court for keeping a Goldfinch in a cage. It seems that Goldfinch numbers are in serious decline. This is a surprise. Our garden is full of Goldfinches. Hundreds of them. This may be down to 'The Font' having bought five enormous bags of sunflower seeds in the autumn. The bird feeders are filled four times a day, every day and during this cold winter these red and yellow villagers have flocked to them.
Yesterday was La Chandeleur - Candlemas as it's known on the other side of the Channel. The Old Farmer says this is the day when farmers can tell whether winter is over or is about to double down. It was mild but windy yesterday which is what we should expect for the next six weeks. That's fine by me.
8 comments:
Goldfinch numbers have increased in the UK due to the growing enthusiasm for putting bird feeders in gardens. There is some concern that the 'garden feeder effect' is disturbing the ecological balance in the bird population, although surely far less so than by industrial farming methods and rampant urban development.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58346043
In spite of the black and white cat, your garden has obviously become a safe haven for Goldfinches. Since the arrival of the feral cats, sadly we rarely see birds in the garden these days, although they do occasionally visit the water bowl put out for them. Unfortunately leaving suitable food out, even in a feeder, results in an increase of rats which have been displaced as building work continues nearby.
Hari Om
Oh that is interesting, I had remarked to a neighbour only recently that there seemed to be a lot of Goldfinches around this winter... as Gail remarks, I have often pondered the effect that feeding might have on the balance. YAM xx
A quick errand on the main pedestrian street here showed people preferring to err on the side of caution. Few shoppers (so not at all crowded), and all were masked, despite being outside. That said, the kind of people shopping on a Thursday morning tend to be of the triple-vaxxed, ultra-cautious senior variety.
Was at the emergency room last night for someone with what was known as the Big C before that became Covid. So many coughers. I realized it was the first time I'd heard the famous Covid cough in person. Was glad for an FFP2 mask and even more glad to get outside.
Unscientific observation seems to indicate that we have 4 flocks of Goldfinches that rotate from tree to tree and then onto the bird feeder. Their scheduling is remarkably coordinated. One group finishes and flies off and the next group moves in. The bird feeders near trees are much busier than those at the end of the orchard that are surrounded by lawn. Trees seem to provide a vantage point from which to observe predators. We're guessing that whatever they feed on is in short supply after this unseasonably bitter winter. Blue Tits are notably rarer this year. They tend to outnumber the sparrows in a more clement season but have suffered in the 2022 frosts. . Goldfinch numbers are generally thought to be down 30% so we're bucking the trend. Having RSPB feeders that male life difficult for C-A-T-S may also help.
You're right. Thursday am shoppers are likely to be of a more 'prudent' variety. One of the challenges for businesses going forward will be catering to a more cautious crowd that has money while retaining a more youthful and carefree clientele. Brave to go to A&E - stay safe.
Looks like a nice day for a long walk
Apologies in advance, but I can't help but remember Angela Landsbury's marvelous scene and song in Dorian Gray (1945), Goodbye Little Yellow Bird. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd0_K0fqGVA. Our dogs (of various breeds, throughout the years) all had different vocalizations.
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