Daily Report 5

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I was pottering around in the kitchen this morning prior to going for a bit of shopping when I heard an ominous thump on the kitchen window. Rushing outside my worst fears were realised when I saw a male Siskin lying stunned on the slabs. When it was obvious there was going to be no instant recovery I picked up the poor creature carefully and took him into the warm kitchen and left him to lie quietly for a while. After half an hour the bird had come to but was reluctant to fly off despite my giving every encouragement. A while later he managed to fly from the back door to a nearby Amelanchier bush but after he had perched there for around 5 minutes without moving I became concerned about his body temperature in the cold weather and lifted him back into the house by the side of a warm radiator. Once again he seemed to come to his senses and I opened the conservatory window to release him again. This time he flew off more strongly and I did not need to do any more for him. Let's hope he is ok and is able to feed alright. There did not appear to be any damage to his wings and there was no blood coming from his beak either so I am confident he will survive. I have always found Siskins quite oblivious to people, often during the summer when I am close to the feeders and after all the other birds have flown off there is still a Siskin or two munching away quite happily.

I also have seen the male blackcap very briefly this morning and also observed a Blue Tit who must have thought he was a Great Tit or a Robin as he disappeared inside their nesting box rather than his own! Although there has never been a nest in that box yet, a Great Tit was roosting in it last summer and he returned to the box every night over the course of a few weeks!