An Assertive Avian and Another Mystery Maiden.

I’ve mentioned many times that it’s fun at this time of year to watch a pair of blue tits raising a brood in the nest box behind my kitchen. A few days ago I saw one of the birds fly in – from probably quite a long way away – carrying a caterpillar to add to the dinner table. He perched on a nearby branch, evidently aware that there was already activity in the box (and nest boxes aren’t very big, you know?)

And then the other bird flew out, joined the one on the branch, and flapped her wings rapidly. (That’s how I’m fairly sure that the second bird was the female, because females get more practice at rapid wing fluttering. It’s their way of saying ‘gimme, gimme, gimme.’) The male bird gave her the caterpillar which she then took into the box.

She tried it again today, but Mr B was having none of it this time.

‘No, I won’t give you the caterpillar.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I fetched it from quite a long way away, and I don’t see why I should give it to you so you can fly a mere three feet to the box while I fly a long way away again to fetch another one.’

‘You’re mean.’

‘No I’m not, I’ve just grown wise to that rapid wing flapping stuff. Go and fetch your own caterpillar.’

And then he flew the mere three feet to the box and disappeared inside. The female flew off rapidly in the opposite direction, presumably in a huff. Fascinating.

*  *  *

I passed another unidentified maiden in Mill Lane today, but this one did at least half turn her eyes in my direction and grunt something which I presume was meant to be taken as a reluctant greeting.

But where are these unidentified maidens coming from? If somebody’s opened a maiden factory somewhere in the vicinity of Mill Lane, why has nobody told me?