CATS TO THE RESCUE!!

Moyra is correct but Oscar only looked after the birds in his garden. Anything in other peoples' garden were fair game. In his garden he would never stand for any agression of any sort.

If the birds were arguing (usually collared doves fighting with magpies) he walked slowly towards them. Even when he was sleeping he seemed to sense when a hawk was hovering above (the birds probably alerted him) and he immediately went on guard. I once saw him gallop across the lawn towards where a hawk was diving.

Once, a baby blue tit fell to the ground when it was learning to fly. Oscar immediately chased the magpies away and kept guard until the parent encouraged it to fly. He also seemed to enjoy sitting on the table on the patio and watching the baby pheasants play below him. The adult pheasants would even drink from the water bowls on the patio when Oscar was sitting on the patio only two feet away.

He was also fascinated when Mrs Shiney would pick up birds and play with them. She has always had this thing about birds and they never seem to mind - she has even picked up a swan and cuddled it.