Nature Diary.. Little Fairy feeds Hungry Blackbird

It has rained, and rained some more. The birdseed is soaked in minutes and by the next day the wet seed has often turned sour and has to be disposed of. So I’ve learned only to put a little amount in the bird feeders and to replace seeds regularly in order to save wastage and for the health of the birds. Overnight, when gale-force winds are forecast, I’ve learned to bring the plastic feeders indoors as so many have been flipped off their feeding hooks and found in the morning lying smashed on the ground. The birds seem to have got used to waiting for the feeders now and sit patiently nearby waiting for clean, dry feeders to be newly hung in the morning. I’ve tried so many varieties of bird feeders, with some being little more than a complete con while others are a little bit more functional, but of the many I’ve tried none seem to have solved the problem of the bird seed getting wet when it rains. Maybe one day someone will invent one with a kind of clear plastic cloche over it so the birds, especially the little ones, can nip under and feed in a sheltered spot and enjoy dry bird seed. Willing though they may well be little fairies haven’t yet managed to solve the problem either.