“Dad I hope your not cheating”

“No son of course not”

“Dad I saw you. You went outside with some bread and seed. You tried to get the birds in next doors garden to move into ours. You also went over to the tree on the road and you tried to tempt the birds onto our lawn”

Yes I did. I was desperate as it was the RSPB Garden Bird survey this weekend. You can only count birds that land in your garden. This weekend even our normal visitors were refusing to land. Yes I know no shame. I did go and try to tempt birds from next doors garden. Yes I did go underneath the trees to try and tempt birds into our garden. Those beaks and eyes looking down at me in the same disdainful way Hitchcock’s Birds looked upon their soon to be victims.

Eventually a few reluctant souls landed but none of the birds I had tried to tempt.

Came across a great poem from Tina (Pippi’s Poetry) that fitted perfectly with the bird count theme. Thanks Tina for letting me share it.

I’m trying to bee more English
As I take my afternoon tea
It’s the simple things that make life sweet
They are perfect gifts that make life complete.

I’m dreaming of an English landscape
Where daffodils seem to grow wild
And a yard is called a garden
As it was in the beginning–before the world went wild!

I’m imagining a pretty country home
Where sheep graze in distant fields
And bird counting is an annual event
For life is short, and joy it can steal.

So I’m trying to bee more English
As my mind buzzes with daffodil daydreams
And of a land I’ve never been nor seen
But for the views I’ve glimpsed through my t.v. screen.

Tina S.W.
January 26, 2020

The birds that did kindly consent to being in my garden count are regular visitors. They don’t bother flying off when we come out now. I know them better than most of the humans in the village. So far in 2020 I’ve spoken to one person from the village. Whisper it quietly I speak to these feathered characters everyday.

Tina in her wonderful poem spoke of the English landscape and daffodils. Today that landscape was cold, grey and bleak. But bleak is good some days.

It matched my mood. Walking through the village which once seemed so full of familiar faces and friends. Now it seems cold and full of strangers. A world I don’t fit anymore. Yet a few strides and I’m back in our garden. Amongst friends again. My world has shrunk but it’s still a world of beauty.

A welcoming party waiting for today’s food offerings.

“Dad are you cheating again. I’m not falling for that one.”

Yes I was. Every year we watch the famous Kitzbuhel Skiing Downhill race on telly. Every year we play the who can spot The Terminator first game. The race crowd is full of famous people but the crowning glory is always Arnold Schwarzenegger. This time we recorded the race. My cheating plan was while Son was having a bath I would fast forward through the recording to try and spot him first. I was busted before I could find him. On the actual viewing I lost the game – yet again. Arnie always where’s a warm hat here. No wonder I couldn’t spot him on my fast forward cheat.

Just goes to show cheating doesn’t work.

80 thoughts on “Dad are you cheating”

  5. Cheating never works, any more than cheeping. ‘Now it seems cold and full of strangers.’ – These words were sad. Your picture under your bleak landscape bit..amazing, bleak or not, it is amazing. And the biz of the birds not coming by to be counted when needed… something else. A great post. covering so much, Just fiddle the count figures whatever. Who is going to know|? no-one who has read this post HONEST. (I’ll give you some of mine in the count. Like the squirrels they wait outside every day for muggins to come out and feed them )

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      1. LOL, why don’t yah put that down and see what happens? Live a little. There were herons used to come and land in a neighbour’s garden when we lived in Newport On Tay. It was surreal cos they had all these statues of them and then the real things would land and walk amongst them. Bloody huge things they were too. So why not? yeah i need to name the squirrels , espesh the baby ones.

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  9. Lol…so funny. Lots of cheating going on there, but your Son sure called you on it! Lol. Yeah, those English landscapes can look very dreary. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m a glutton for punishment I guess, but I still see beauty in them. I looked into the anual bird count here in Canada. There’s one coming up in February. I’m going to have to look into it a bit more. ☺

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    1. From Canada, you say? I lived most of my life on the prairies, and I could only recognise the pigeon. I mean, there’s crows and ravens and such, but nothing like what comes to our “garden.” Just an ocean away, and vive la difference! Maybe if I can win the lottery I can travel the world to see way more varieties of birds, and other beings.

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  11. I would lose the bird count for sure! No birds land in my front, side or back yard☹ the cats and the Big Dumb Dog might have something to do with that🤔 I see ravens, seagulls and an occasional hawk. I hear mourning doves, but they’re usually way up on the wires so I cant see them🤷🏼‍♀️

    It’s only cheating if you get caught… and you got caught😝🤣

    We’re having our “Primavera Falsa” weather. Sunny and temps in the 70s. It will last about a week and then start raining again🤷🏼‍♀️
    💌

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      1. Ahhh, in the village …. Phew, I was worried that you’ve not been talking to anyone, full stop. I start to go a bit potty if I don’t talk to anyone for a day. I find I go a bit stir crazy if you know what I mean.

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  17. I had to look up what the RSPB Garden Bird survey was. How interesting! I think it’s great that people participate and help researchers learn more about what is happening with species of birds. And you are right, cheaters never win. Don’t cheat the survey – could skew the data :/

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  18. Thanks for sharing “Godspeed” I’ve never heard of “Alter Bridge. They sound great. It’s a mixed feelings sort of song, like you said. There’s the loss, but there’s the celebration of one’s life–the mark that she left.

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  19. Ye heavens, what is that fearful creature in the first photo?!?!? That beak is nightmare fuel!

    Our birds are pretty tame fare, at least what I catch: grackles, crows, mourning doves…um…cardinals! Geese! Sparrows and chickadees….once the weather warms we’ll have the robins, finches, blue jays…oh, and our occasional bald eagle! The hawks and falcons are out and about, too. They like leaving their breakfast remains in our yard…

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      1. I was so tempted. A couple of years later we did it at my parents and as we walked into the house they gestured us through – three Jays in the back garden. I nearly left them out on the grounds nobody would blieve it!

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