Eating at table a matter of survival

THE activity on and around my bird table is beginning to die down.

The weather is getting a little bit milder, the days are longer and the birds are devoting more of their energy to mating and nest building.

Despite this the list of species that have paid it a visit has just increased — it now stands at 15. The increase was caused by the brief appearance of a pair of long-tailed tits. These charming birds hopped around on the branch set up as a perch and examined the feeders. They seemed bemused by the activities of the coal tits, great tits and blue tits that are regular visitors and I didn’t see them eat anything. Fifteen minutes later they were gone.