29. THE CHEEPERS Part 2: Jumping the Queue

Double-barred Finches have owlish, clown-like faces.

Fast little jumpers, they bounce along as if they have springs on both claws. 

Often in small groups, they love getting together to have a drink or two.

They’re good at splashing.

They prefer some privacy with their own finch kind. 

Diamond Firetails are okay, but they hate bigger birds muscling in on them.  

They never mind muscling in on other bathing birds though.

Size is not everything it seems.

At just over 10 cm each, they’re as cute as buttons.

Nomadic birds, they come to my house in late summer and leave early in every winter.

Their chirps usually make a buzzing tzeet-tzeet sound. 

But, if they are not happy, they say MEEP.

Once, I saw Double-bars lined up on the bath rim taking turns to hop in. Everything was fun until one finch jumped the queue. The other finches attacked and nearly drowned it.

That bird was brow beaten and pecked. It was extensively squeaked at, scowled at and sworn at. 

Sorry in advance, but that bird was beaten up so badly, it may have been barred from the venue.

The whole ordeal reminded me of going to the swimming baths as a kid. There was always one bully who spoiled things by pushing in.

I was just surprised to see it happen in the avian world.