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Field Mouse Enjoys A Feast Of Crushed Peanuts And Porridge Oats.
The field mouse becomes less wild when treated with respect and offered a good supply of tasty food.
The field mouse has learned to trust its benefactor, the provider of daily meals, but not yet happy enough to eat from the hand of its friend! There is something very satisfying to have the trust of any wild creature, and seeing the field mouse venturing out of its safe hole, was worth the price of a few peanuts. The field mice are not the only wild creatures that enjoy peanuts. It was through the use of peanuts flicked up in the air for Blue Tits and Great Tits to catch, that they became friendly enough to take peanuts off my stretched out hand. The first Blue Tit to be brave enough to take a peanut, kept its feet firmly anchored to a branch of a Bramley Apple tree, while it reached out with its beak for a peanut on my hand that I moved closer and closer towards it. The gate had been opened ! From that time the birds seemed to get braver and tamer as the days went by. If they saw me in the garden, they would perch on nearby branches or land on the nearest path or patch of cleared ground, hoping to receive a nut or two or perhaps a sultana.
Whenever I was working in the garden, I tried always to have two small plastic bags in my pocket, one with some peanuts, and the other with sultanas. The blackbirds and thrushes prefered the sultanas but the Blue Tits and Great Tits prefered the peanuts. One Robin was also tame enough to settle on my hand. Perhaps the most surprising action of the Tits was for them to sometimes settle on the roof or bonnet of the car, as soon as I drove up to the top of the driveway. They had become to recognise that ''man in garden'' equals ''chance of food''. On one occasion I was seated on a low garden wall, dropping a raisin or two for three young thrushes to enjoy. Suddenly the young thrushes darted to cover.... under my knees!..... as they had been scared by the sight of a large crow flying overhead. When the danger had passed, they came out of cover to pick up some more sultanas! These special events of feeding peanuts and sultanas to Blue Tits, Thrushes, Blackbirds, and Field Mice, will always remain in my mind. It was a simple thing to do, but it brought great rewards.
Whenever I was working in the garden, I tried always to have two small plastic bags in my pocket, one with some peanuts, and the other with sultanas. The blackbirds and thrushes prefered the sultanas but the Blue Tits and Great Tits prefered the peanuts. One Robin was also tame enough to settle on my hand. Perhaps the most surprising action of the Tits was for them to sometimes settle on the roof or bonnet of the car, as soon as I drove up to the top of the driveway. They had become to recognise that ''man in garden'' equals ''chance of food''. On one occasion I was seated on a low garden wall, dropping a raisin or two for three young thrushes to enjoy. Suddenly the young thrushes darted to cover.... under my knees!..... as they had been scared by the sight of a large crow flying overhead. When the danger had passed, they came out of cover to pick up some more sultanas! These special events of feeding peanuts and sultanas to Blue Tits, Thrushes, Blackbirds, and Field Mice, will always remain in my mind. It was a simple thing to do, but it brought great rewards.
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