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Some golden moments

Writer's picture: CroneCrone

My experiences with trees, as I approach Cronedom, suggest that rather than seeing life as a laser-like trajectory aiming to a single telos, that I pursue the passion of the moment and fully value each and every experience.


That is easy with Tane. He treated me to subsong! Which you will witness in two weeks time when there will be a video-rich post. He is often willing to tolerate me close to him. That might be because of the 'human shield' effect - protecting him from other robins as well as other creatures.


The photos show his very recognisable asymmetrical breast colouration.



One day, I scraped up the earth under the back lilac and he spent a long time foraging around there. So much so that I developed cramp - I was squatting and didn't want to scare him by standing up. Two days later, he flew to a perch above this place and looked at it. I knew what he meant and scraped soil a foot away from me. He flew down and stayed there right next to me. Again, I was squatting and again my legs went numb before he was finished!


Twice now, I have seen him singing by the tattoo parlour two doors down and called and he has, in time, come over. the second time i saw two other robins watching him. One was silent but occasionally visible; the other hidden and loudly alarming, or threatening. That one flew down and a chase ensued. But Tane came back to sit by me.


Like Bobbit, he sometimes flies right by my face and today I saw him nestling himself comfortably in the little robin house I put up for Bobbit in the side hedge. Bobbit never used it to my knowledge, but I thought other robins had and that either Ash or Chestnut used it.


Now, Tane may not be 'the robin of the garden', for that may be this person, the visible and silent one..



I thought this was Scarface who may have been Tiny, but now I wonder if this is rather a slightly battered Ash or Chestnut. This one can be shy, but that may be a general condition in seeking to avoid other robins. He, I think this is a he due to the singing I hear, will fly very close to me and land. He just doesn't like the lens pointing at him, something that doesn't seem to bother Tane most of the time (light at certain angles may change their response?)


Today, though, a worm was in the water dish and the scruffy robin was looking at it. I thought he would try to catch it. He did march into the water as though that were his intention, but then, feeling the water around his feet, he started to bathe, which was just lovely, I was right above him! Suddenly he flew up into the lilac and I thought I had scared him, but when I turned around, I saw the cat making a quick getaway!


The blackbird needs a bath. He's moulting - this is late August.



I was worried that there was blood on his bill, but bird expert Neil suggests it's blackberry juice!


Squirrels always look well-presented. This one is tolerating me close - she's a lactating female and today climbed over my head and then descended to eat the peanuts just a few feet away. Tane was foraging and the blackbird was feeding behind me!



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maplekey4
Sep 14, 2024

I'm glad you mentioned about Tane's breast markings. I like the description of the events at the water dish. Love the squirrel pics. :-)

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maplekey4
Sep 14, 2024

Wonderful post!

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