The Long-Tail Squadron

These past few weeks have been very cold in Somerset, with the thermometer diving below freezing most nights and each sunrise showing cars covered in a rime of thick frost. Our bird population has been feeling the pinch and we (I mean Kim really, as he has the working legs) have been putting out food for our feathered friends.

First, I washed out the tall seed feeder and we re-filled it with sunflower hearts. The small wire rack was filled with fat balls, encrusted with seeds and other goodies for the birds. The peanut feeder has been topped up and hung off the main pole and the square wire rack, designed for the little birds, has been dangled from the bush beside the scullery.

Each morning Kim goes out and tops up the feeders, puts out water after removing the solid block of ice that is in the drinking bowl and scatters suet and insect and seed encrusted fat pellets for the birds.

They are wonderful. Our local birds form disorderly queues, with the jackdaws taking prime positions on the chimney pots, the starlings on the roof ridges and the smaller birds in the holm oak, which has grown back nicely since it's recent scalping. We have a pair of pied wagtails who march around the garage roof, the centre of our bird delicatessen, but best of all, we have a squadron of long tailed tits who visit each day. Their delicate plumage and soft browns make them look so delicate and their song lifts the heart. Each day, a small gang of about five or six long tailed tits lands in the tall fuchsia beside the garage roof and they take turns landing on the fat ball feeder for an afternoon repast.

While winter grips this soft and beautiful county, and hard frosts make the mornings a bit of a trial, the middle of the day is such an oasis of delight watching our long tailed squadron that I think we'd probably sacrifice quite a lot to keep ourselves well stocked with bird food.

Lately, I have been working from the kitchen table on my laptop, flicking the kettle when needed and saving the heating through the rest of the house. I don't have my big iMac screen, but I do have a grandstand view of the birds, and that's such a treat. It's funny how the winter months make you realise what's really important, isn't it?

P.S. WhiteWicca now has a twitter feed - just go to twitter.com and search for "WhiteWicca".