The two male blackbirds have been on a chase for weeks. One will arrive. Followed by the second. The second will be between 18 inches and two feet from the first. When he seems to close the gap, the first flies away. This seems constant. About one in every three times, Mrs B arrives just after they have left. Sometimes one will fly with loud alarm calls - but then I only see one. The whole process appears exhausting and stressful.
Once again, I caught a starling in free fall. I was watching how they use the TV aerial and two of the neighbours trees to watch me and consider making dives to the bird feeder. It's interesting to watch them as they swap places, move as though choreographed from one view point to another. When they dive, it is often this dramatic free fall, rescued at the last by busy wings. From above, they make their starling sounds and I am sure it is all expressive, information-transferring. When one alone watches me,. I am sure their whistles and chirrups communicate my on-going and annoying presence. When they are all together, they are complaining, ordering, apologising, warning. I wish they'd trust me a bit more.
I am sure that I have snapped this particular blue tit repeatedly. I am sure this is the bravest one. I can't tell them apart... but there is a group of three that seems to include one very small tit and I have a feeling that one of the trio wants this to be a pair while another is happy in a three and the third is trying to win over the tolerant one.
There are a pair of great tits who do not like me at all and fly away complaining if they see me watching them. The coal tit is occasionally accompanied by their mate, but usually I see just one. This seems to be the only visitor apart from the starlings to eat from the window feeder. I haven't seen the long tailed tits for a while. But there has been a pair of shy goldfinches. They sing confidently but do not like to be looked at.
It surprises me how tolerant the dunnocks are. Especially Dominic, of whom I have become rather fond. I have been trying hard to get shots of them courting as what happens is that the male flaps up his wings to a vertical position, alternately but rapidly, like semaphore, while running along a fence or a branch and making sounds. It is enchanting and hilarious.
I then managed to get some marginally better footage... still not great...
You are observing so much as you follow all these birds. The blackbirds are lovely to look at. Glad to hear more about the starlings. They are fascinating, partly I suppose, because so much happens as a flock, and how in tune with each other they are. I wish we had dunnocks here. Lots of singing. Reminds me of Bobbit singing. Busy spring times for birds!