Pear Blossom

Nighttime Wildlife cameras
Midnight on a Mission - poor Fox!
The Fox knows Midnight is going to strike, but keeps trying...
Fox tries friendly eye blink after first strike - it didn't work...
Then that tail! What is Midnight dreaming of?

https://youtu.be/iArRGVhsgPw

Creative is my imaginative painting in Procreate of pear blossom. My pear tree is absolutely full of pear blossoms this year, but doesn't usually produce many actual pears...

Yesterday, nearly disaster in my back garden.
I was sitting on my bed, working, by the open door into my back garden.
The baby sparrow, Miss Fluffy, and her brother were playing noisily on the willow branches, when suddenly consternation. Every bird alarm call was going.
I looked up just in time to see a pair of magpies, swooping in on the two baby sparrows. I had no time to act, so I just roared my best savage beast impression.
The two magpies veered away, and it gave me just time to get out in the garden before they came swooping back in again.
The parents both have got two baby sparrows back into the nest, but that wasn't safety, not with these two determined magpies. One magpie was into the honeysuckle, where the nest is. I used one of my crutches to deter/clout the magpie.
For about half an hour these two magpies swooped into my garden to get to that sparrow nest, by any strategy possible, from high, from low, sweeping around and attacking from different directions. I am uttering my best beast battle cries, and using my crutches. These two magpies are NOT getting my baby sparrows for a snack.
Finally they left.
I had no idea if the two baby sparrows were okay. Mum and Dad sparrow were okay. About a couple of hours later I heard the baby sparrow, Miss Fluffy loudly cheeping, but not her brother. It was another hour later before I heard him. Then all the usual small birds were all out round the feeders, playing on the branches of the willow. They were all present and correct.

So, I had made the assumption it was my usual Mr Magpie and his mate that caused all this consternation and I am thinking bad thoughts about him all night.

BUT

This morning, the two baby sparrows are happily cheeping and playing, and all the other small birds are joyful in the morning sunshine, and in swoops my Mr Magpie. All the small birds are still happily singing, feeding, and playing, no alarm calls. Mr Magpie is on the ground picking up the spilled cat biscuits from the swing. And he flies off, then comes back for more cat biscuits. And all the small birds are still happily cheeping and playing and feeding. There is no alarm from the small birds. So, I think I have to make the assumption that it was not my Mr Magpie yesterday afternoon.

I was all ready to go out and defend my small birds again and utter my beast war cries at 7am on a Sunday morning (although my throat is still sore from yesterday). But there was no need.

As a defence measure in case the savage murdering intentioned magpies come back, I have a dozen 3metre/10foot tall very thick bamboo canes I cut for a project some days ago. They still have the drying out leaves on them which make a heck of a rustle when shaken. I have placed these round the garden and the sparrow nest, to use against the magpies.

I am on the alert for every big bird shadow now...

The last time I walloped a magpie was 2017/18. How do I remember? I had just bought my spanking new 2017 iPad Pro. I was on my swing on a nice spring day. Suddenly a magpie swooped into the bushes where a blackbird's nest of babies was. I charged into the bushes. The magpie wouldn't leave the nest. He had already tasted blood. I massively walloped him with my new iPad Pro (I didn't give it a moment's thought about my iPad being nearly a £1,000). He left, still flying. Only one baby blackbird, a female, survived that day. And the parents took the greatest of care of that baby bird. I still remember. No magpies ever came back in my garden for years. And my expensive iPad still worked. I thought 'oh s***' when I realised what I had done with it.

My Skype call has been cancelled. Daughter is playing in a Roller Derby match.

I now have an extra hour for my day....
Stuff to do.
One more cuppa from my flask before I move...

Have your best day!

I don't think these two magpies intent on murder will be back. I gave them something to remember yesterday. There will be easier pickings somewhere else...