December in the garden is a time to sit, watching the birds and appreciate the silence
It is largely empty at the allotments. The usual few hardy gardeners linger. Covers are coming on in different corners of the site. Wrappings of various types. I am still a little resistant, more open to accidents: unexpected shoots breaking through, flowers falling over. My preference is to see, say, robins rushing around and searching out seed, watch them and hope I might unearth a worm, turn over leaf mould or manure. Though I am more mindful now since seeing a kestrel swoop and carry off a young bird distracted by keeping me company.
We have netted two small areas of the plot, being careful to leave sections of the sides open for birds to get in and out. And, yes, I know their freedom of movement is not the idea, but I have had too many traumas freeing frightened blackbirds caught in others’ fruit cages. Our thinking is to limit the damage of hungrier pigeons as they decimate the kale leaving only brassica bones, a bird battlefield.
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