The Intelligence of Small Birds

Close followers of The Diary may remember the development of Peanut Feeder Mark 562A, designed to allow our smaller, less aggressive birds like siskins and bluetits some opportunity to enjoy some of the bag-loads of peanuts dispensed every week, most of which are consumed by chaffinches and house sparrows. The Diary was extremely excited following the success of this machine, so excited it spent many hours in its workshop developing a new, improved model.

This is Peanut Feeder Mark 562A3A, the result of many hours of labour over the summer. It was an immediate success....

....until the other day when we were enjoying lunch on the terrace and looked up to see a young sparrow cheerfully hanging upside down from the new contraption. As readers will understand, The Diary was furious, spending the rest of the day throwing things around and finally retiring to the workshop and the drawing board.

Worse was to follow. The assembled brothers and sisters of the sparrow who had worked out how to land on the feeder were quick to catch on. In no time, they were all squabbling over who was to have next turn hanging under the "sparrow-proof" bird feeders.

While The Diary has a sneaking admiration for these tiny, fluffy beasts which are intelligent enough to work out how to get round the obstacles it dreams up, it is determined not to be beaten. Determined.

To be continued....