Just come back from another visit to London. Whenever I'm there I always try to make time to go to St James' Park to feed the birds and squirrels. I just love it there. The birds are unbelievably tame and come to eat from my hands!
Here is a lovely great tit doing just that (my friend Sue took the pics):
It's so amazing to see this beautiful bird so close up like this. The poor little thing seems to have a couple of toes missing on one of it's feet. It doesn't have any trouble perching on branches though, thankfully, and seems very healthy.
Then there was this adorable little baby starling, who seemed to be hanging out with a load of pigeons!
and most amazing of all, this jay! It kept swooping down and taking food from my hand. Other times it would just come and perch on the fence next to the seat we were sitting on. Unfortunately Sue hasn't managed to photograph the jay taking the food from my hand yet, she's never managed to have the camera ready in time, but hopefully we'll be lucky soon and catch it! Lol. Such a beautiful bird!
These two pics of the jay are actually screencaps made from the films Sue took with her digital camera.
Then there are the squirrels, who literally climb all over us and sit on our knees, munching away at the hazelnuts and peanuts we bring for them!
As for the garden at home, lots more goldfinches seem to be appearing at the feeders, which is so great.
They're so beautiful. I just wish the chaffinches would return, where have they gone?!! :(
Fantastic pictures! What an experience having the birds eating food out of your hands. Love the picture of the cheeky chappie squirrel!
I have been having goldfinches land on all the bushes and trees around my garden for about 3 months. I've got niger seed, sunflower and sunflower hearts and I've not sen them at the feeders once yet! Hopefully, they will soon! Lovely to have them in your garden.
Great pictures Ella
wish i could get my great tits that tame..cheeky starling's great too
Regards Alan
My photos are here and here
I really am amazed at how tame the birds are in that park. I know they must be used to seeing hundreds of people walking through there every day but even so, for a normally shy bird like a jay, it's quite something to have them come and fly down onto your hand like that!! :)
Super photographs Ella. What a thrill to have a jay come to your hand.