Birds and Bugs

[rain_gryphon]

A quartet of sparrows at the cake feeder earlier today. The two hens are about to go at it over who perches on top. For whatever reason, it is extremely important to be the bird that perches on the top. When the dirty looks turned into open squabbling, the two cocks fled, leaving the hens to fight it out. During the autumn, winter, and early spring, the hens are the more dominant sex. As soon as the issue was decided, everyone calmed down and got along again. Just then I either moved too fast, or made a noise, and they all fled into the bushes, as sparrows do. All except for the one who'd just won the fight. She sat defiantly in place, eating. Either she didn't want to abandon her prize, or else she was a big enough badass that she just wasn't scared of some human.


*****



Three pretty bronze and green beetles going "Om nom nom...".

Comments

[shirebound]

Great observations. The sparrows in our yard have a favorite bush, too.

[redsixwing]

Great photos and description! I wonder if your hen on top here is a dominant bird overall, or if she just got lucky today.

I have a platform feeder, so there's no real 'top' position for them to squabble over. It's fascinating how birds respond to different equipment.

[nanila]

Squabbly sparrows!

Are those Japanese scarab beetles?