Close encounters of the 'Bird' kind !

[celt]

I have read of garden'ers, who have fed worms to robins 'off the back of a spade'.
I used to have a regular Robin, in my Mums garden, who would sit on a branch two foot away from me, while I 'played'. Tho never took the worm from the spade. He always flew off !
Today, in my 'secret garden' as I call it, A robin sat and watched about four foot away. I spoke and whistled at him/her and its little head bobbed from side to side as does a dog as you speak to it.
It was time for me to move, so I did so slowly, and walked towards it, still whistling and stuff.
The Robin was in a bush about two foot off the ground and watched me as I slowly walked past it.
I turned and walked backwards from it still making 'silly noises' to get my weed bag ! "$^% !
Anyway, the Robin turned to watch me, and as I made my way back, it actually flew straight at my face, and dipped to the side at the last second.
I had to bob my head to the side, as I thought it would hit me.
It was as though the Robin was 'having a laugh' with me ?

Am interested in other, close encounters of the bird kind.

[tigger]

Wow. Sounds like you have a very territorial robin there! sounds like he thought you were in "his" secret garden... not the other way round LOL

[Ruth Daniel]

Nice one Celt!
We have a Robin locally who sits inside the birdhide while it is fed with seed!

[celt]

Originally Posted by tigger

Wow. Sounds like you have a very territorial robin there! sounds like he thought you were in "his" secret garden... not the other way round LOL

Yeah right, they are cool birds !

[celt]

Originally Posted by Ruth Daniel

Nice one Celt!
We have a Robin locally who sits inside the birdhide while it is fed with seed!

Yeah, get some picks up !

[Rob_D]

Originally Posted by celt

I
Anyway, the Robin turned to watch me, and as I made my way back, it actually flew straight at my face, and dipped to the side at the last second.
I had to bob my head to the side, as I thought it would hit me.
It was as though the Robin was 'having a laugh' with me ?

Am interested in other, close encounters of the bird kind.

Many years ago I had a very similar experience with a garden robin. I was cleaning out the rabbit hutch with a spade. The robin was watching me from the 6' high fence about 15' away. He swooped straight towards my face - and put out his "talons" in front like a BOP going to grab something. I held up the spade to protect my eyes. Honestly, it seemed like he would've hit my head otherwise. He swerved and landed next to my feet.

Probably he was just going to land on my head (why?) and I overreacted to something flying towards my eyes, but I've always wondered what he was up to. I also suspect he realised his mistake just before he got to me and in putting his brakes on to swerve he had to put his feet out. I've been abit suspicious of robins ever since.

[Geoff F]

Some blackbirds can also get very close when digging in the garden.

Until I recently took early retirement, I was a professional fisherman and regularly handfed Herring Gulls who would sit alongside me and 'ask' for food. And, more unusual, a Great Black-backed Gull would sit for most of the day on the foredeck just a couple of feet from where I was working and take bits of scrap fish from my hand.

Also, for many years, there was a Heron who came to the Fish Quay to receive small fish. He would come upto about 20ft from people and stand there looking expectantly. When someone threw him a small fish (upto 6ins long) he would grab it in his beak and fly off, trying to avoid being robbed by the gulls.

This bird would also fly alongside my boat and when thrown a bit of fish it would land on the surface in deep water, grab the fish then flap it's wings and take off. Just like gulls do.

[sleipnerofasgard]

I was sat in a hide looking through the scope when i had this feeling i was being watched, a robin was sat less than 6 inches from my hand. Must be used to being fed by everyone, sadly i had nothing to offer

Frank

[celt]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

Many years ago I had a very similar experience with a garden robin. I was cleaning out the rabbit hutch with a spade. The robin was watching me from the 6' high fence about 15' away. He swooped straight towards my face - and put out his "talons" in front like a BOP going to grab something. I held up the spade to protect my eyes. Honestly, it seemed like he would've hit my head otherwise. He swerved and landed next to my feet.

Probably he was just going to land on my head (why?) and I overreacted to something flying towards my eyes, but I've always wondered what he was up to. I also suspect he realised his mistake just before he got to me and in putting his brakes on to swerve he had to put his feet out. I've been abit suspicious of robins ever since.

Yeah, attack, play, or land ? Who knows ?

[celt]

Originally Posted by Geoff F

Some blackbirds can also get very close when digging in the garden.

Until I recently took early retirement, I was a professional fisherman and regularly handfed Herring Gulls who would sit alongside me and 'ask' for food. And, more unusual, a Great Black-backed Gull would sit for most of the day on the foredeck just a couple of feet from where I was working and take bits of scrap fish from my hand.

Also, for many years, there was a Heron who came to the Fish Quay to receive small fish. He would come upto about 20ft from people and stand there looking expectantly. When someone threw him a small fish (upto 6ins long) he would grab it in his beak and fly off, trying to avoid being robbed by the gulls.

This bird would also fly alongside my boat and when thrown a bit of fish it would land on the surface in deep water, grab the fish then flap it's wings and take off. Just like gulls do.

I think sea going birds are much braver. Any port in a storm or whatever.
As kids, we would 'bunk' on the Isle of Mann boat, have a cup of tea at the port cafe, and come back, all for free. We would chuck bits of bread to entice the Gulls in, and if you held out a whole piece of 'flapping in the wind' bread, the Gulls would grab it.

The Gulls in cornwall actually attack you for the cornish pasties 'I think they are xexexexe.'
I always remember two hippie couples on the beach, and one of the lads was holding out some pastie for the Gulls.
As one came in, he actually grabbed it by the Talons and held on, with the Gull flapping its wings like mad to get away, while his mate took pictures of him holding the Gull.
To add to the fun, an old lady came rushing forward with an umbrella, and started to wack the hippie over the head, shouting, " let it go, you hooligan "

The hippie, hung on to the Gull with one hand, and dropped the pastie saying, " Yes I will, they're xexexexe arn't they "

He did'nt really, I made that bit up, arf arf ! Other bit totally true tho !