Persistence Rewarded
I have been watching this blackbird in the garden for several weeks - possibly even months - as it developed techniques to extract buggy nibbles from a feeder. Normally, blackbirds don't go near feeders but this one decided it had had enough of waiting for the starlings to deliver morsels. Initially, it started flying into the feeder in the hope some nibbles would fall. They did, but were mostly stolen by other birds on the ground. The technique developed into hovering by the feeder whilst plucking out the odd nibble. Finally, it learned to overcome feeder movement and perch on the base as it is here. This allows it to nibble nibbles to its heart's content.
Persistence Rewarded
I have been watching this blackbird in the garden for several weeks - possibly even months - as it developed techniques to extract buggy nibbles from a feeder. Normally, blackbirds don't go near feeders but this one decided it had had enough of waiting for the starlings to deliver morsels. Initially, it started flying into the feeder in the hope some nibbles would fall. They did, but were mostly stolen by other birds on the ground. The technique developed into hovering by the feeder whilst plucking out the odd nibble. Finally, it learned to overcome feeder movement and perch on the base as it is here. This allows it to nibble nibbles to its heart's content.