Posted by caprycorn on Wed 2 Jan 08, 2:53 PM to caprycorn's blog.
I tell you, that's a sentence I never thought I'd say.
Yes I have a new fetish, feeding the birds. And no that isn't a euphamism for something including feathers. It is what it is - feeding the birds. Oh and yes I do have cats but one is mildly agoraphobic so spends as little outside as possible. The other was indeed a feline killing machine in his younger days but now has a passing resemblance to a black and white bagpuss without the amiable streak. So I think my feathered friends are safe.
J and lucky bought me a birdtable for my birthday. I'd already purchased some bird feeders when we first moved in, but had to buy some more which also formed part of my birthday present. The reason for this? The local squirrel mob, little grey bastards that they are.
First things first, I have no problem with the squirrels nicking the odd peanut or so. Or even more than the odd one. Or helping themselves to a bit of suet from the feeder. What I DO have a problem with is the little gits dissassembling various feeders before running off with the contents. Or even worse, running off with both feeder AND contents. So drastic measures have had to be taken.
Squirrel proof feeders are out because I do have a soft spot for the little grey bandits. But I also would like the birds to get fed too. So it was a case of some heavyweight feeders that are chained to the tree branches, or in the case of the suet block feeders, cabletied to the fence. That's sorted the marauding little twats. They can come and eat but it also means the birds get to eat too. HA! Don't mess with me, I always win....
So, the birdtable itself. Of relatively simple construction. Except it wasn't. The wooden dowelling that holds the upright post together was too wide. Much hammering worked until the two sections were about a centimetre apart. They weren't budging. In fact, so much so were they not budging that I started to splinter the top part of the upright that went into the roof. So I have covered the gap with a "fetching" cable tie used for trees (one of the aforementioned ties that is holding suet block feeders to fences and that the twatting squirrels haven't yet managed to chew through). Then because I'd battered the top bit, the roof wouldn't go on. Cue lucky with her new electric plane. That woman has every power tool known to man or woman and is an expert with most. An uberdyke, so to speak. Anyway she had it planed and fitting within two shakes of a lambs proverbial, and hence my botched up birthday bird table was complete.
And this is where the mealworms come in. According to the packet, birds prefer them hydrated. So I opened the pack, poured a few into a jug and soaked them in hot water till they were all soft. I did feel rather squicky at that point as they look like maggots and I really don't like maggots. I know maggots are harmless; I've picked them up before. I just find them very unappealing. Mealworms, hydrated or dried, are not much better.
The birds, ungrateful feathery gits that they are, stubbornly resisted my birdtable until today. I'm still feeling grotty so am off for the day, and was quite glad really. So far I've seen blackbirds, thrushes, bluetits, coal tits, great tits and long tailed tits all availing themselves of our feeders and birdtables. There's been robins, collared doves, magpies too. Oh and the squirrels. Five of them so far today, swinging off peanut feeders, eating suet and stealing seed. I'm going to have a tribe of the fattest and best fed squirrels in the north at this rate. And if they keep this up, they will be unable to outrun the whippet when she lets herself out of the catflap. That'll teach them....!
And on that happy note, I am off to rehydrate more meal worms. Lucky says that eating a meal worm would be a hard limit. I have a mind to work them into some sort of headfuck bdsm scene. In fact it's going to be imperative. Going to refuse my nice plump hydrated mealworms are you my love? If it's good enough for a robin then who are you to refuse?
