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Wednesday 13 March 2013

Garden Post courtesy of Postman Pat &...

his black and white cat.

As our neighbours on both sides feed the birds, we don't.
And the reason we don't, is because a couple of snowy winters ago,
standing watching our bird table, I spied a rat sat on the table 
filling its boots.
Showing Ted, he said 
'It's a squirrel!'
I know, he should have gone to spec-savers.
'Funny looking squirrel?'
'Oh yes!'

Lettice had been showing a lot of interest in the hedge, an arms length away 
from the cottage.
Collies are very inquisitive and will remember for all time, if once they spied a 
 wood louse passing by at five past three one winter's afternoon.
Me in my Beatrice Potter innocence thought 
'There's dormice in Bedgebury Forest a mile or two away,
perhaps we've got a family living in our magnificent hedge.'
Close relation I'll give you... dormouse...NO!

Inspector Clouseau like I waited and watched.
And my efforts paid off, I stood in the comfort of our oak room charting the stately progress of a rat commute to our table. It hopped off the table into the hedge and climbed up to about six feet then trolled past our windows at more than head height.

From that day on, we only put out water for the birds.
And diligent I am about it too, cleaning the bowls and constantly topping up
 with rain water.  In the winter it is just as important if not more so.
It never fails to amaze me when in the perishing cold the birds
hugely enjoy a bath.

By now you'll be wondering when Postman Pat and his trusty cohort
get to feature?

From a previous post, you will know I'm not a great fan of cats.
I like them, don't get me wrong; what I don't like, is the massacre
of the garden birds and the local cats using my veg. plot as a five star
pubic convenience!

I fell back in shock horror yesterday on spying a black and white cat sat
under our bird table.  A veritable bus shelter, out of the snowy wind with added
Kentucky Fried Blackbird thrown in.
With flat hands I thundered on the glass, giving it the shock of its life,
opening the door I hullabalooed with overtones of fog-horn.
Off it shot through the hedge and away.
Stalking anger-fuelled up the garden, I collected the holly trimmings
and carefully arranged them under the bird table.  Taking care to fill the gap in
the hedge with a prickly welcome should it think to return.

Taken this morning from the door 

I wouldn't mind but the cats will go home after a little light hunting,
to have their tickled tummies tempted, with a little lightly poached
chicken or 'Wild Salmon flavoured with Tarragon' Whiskas.

The garden this morning with snow nearly gone. 


Lettice... wonders with the wisdom of her fifteen years...
Now why have I been put out?
Strange how doolally in dogs, is so much more appealing than in people!


    

12 comments:

  1. Oh the dreaded rats! We too have had those visitors. Our bird table is pretty high up with no near perches for access but the ring neck doves scatter seed all over the path which of course is manna to the little beggars. So like you we have stopped feeding the birds for now! That is except for some hanging fat balls on a huge solanum outside my kitchen window which fortunately attracts blue tits, robins and a wren so my bird watching pleasure has not been completely stopped.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rats... it's amazing how many folk have had problems.

      We watched a wren having a bath the other day in our Water World on top of the table. And in this perishing weather!

      LLX

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  2. We had one that used to visit in full daylight. Our cats would just sit and watch it!!!! The only animal that took issue with it was a little chipmunk that also visited. I actually saw it attack the rat one day.

    The rat apparently had built a warren under our bird bath that was discovered after an exceedingly heavy rainstorm. The weight of the bird bath caused a collapse and the cement paving stone that it had been sitting on broke in two.I won't tell you what measures the hubby resorted to after that but the rat no longer visits. The chipmunk does though:)

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  3. We had a rat that used to go up a tree trunk, along the branches and then hang upside down to feed itself at the nut feeders. We also had one that got into our shed and helped itself to particular strains of potatoes that my mister had grown and then stored there. "Pink Fur Apple" was its favourite variety, it had taken them from the box on the work bench, dropped them onto the floor and then rolled them to store them at the back of the freezer all around its motor! Like Mary Ann I am not saying too much about what happened to the little blighter!

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  4. I am so scared of rats, it is an irrational fear something to do with the length of their tails! My husband has just found two rats (the size of a small jack russell - maybe slightly exaggerated) in his greenhouses at work! and to think I just meandered through them!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Horrible... you never feel the same once you know.

      LLX

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  5. "Pink Fir Apple"........ tsk, tsk.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tsk, tsk... is that your rat washing its whiskers impersonation?

      LLX

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  6. I'm relieved to find out I'm not alone in feeling a bit miffed about those chandelier bird-feeders & the warrens that Ratty burrows on MY side of the fence!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What with cats and rats to contend with, life's a bitch for birds.

      LLX

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