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| Sassy little Catbird |
I'm always asked why I feed the birds year round. I do it for their benefit when times are difficult like winter of course, but I continue feeding in the spring and summer because one, they are accustomed to always finding a meal at my house, and two, so I can view migrating birds and the generational passing of the seed.
My main reason for feeding the birds is rather selfish, I will admit to that. It’s the psychological benefit that comes from seeing their flamboyant colors on a dreary day. It’s listening to their music in the antelucan hour while everyone’s asleep and then waking up to their excited conversation. It’s knowing the families of birds find sanctuary in my yard for the summer, plus it really beats watching brain consuming TV anytime.
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| Catbird flashing me! |
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| Junco taking shelter from the rain |
It seems like bird activity is higher now than
it was in wintertime. If they’re not filling every conceivable cavity with
nesting material they’re feasting at the bird feeders. After shopping around,
the Bluebirds finally moved into a house hanging from my eave. The Wren house at the front of the house still is vacant but I'm sure not for much longer. Tree Swallows chaotically investigate
each nest box but as of yet have not made their mind up on one. My Chickadee has
already added her first layer of moss to her fairy nest. The Purple Martins
appreciate the new gourds I put up this year, a new one for me. Hopefully, with more nesting holes,
my colony will expand. The vibrant procession of spring is marching through the
fields and woods and it’s exciting to observe.
I consider our kitchen window
to be my personal television of the world I want to know. It doesn’t come with a
remote or have a thousand channels playing the staid documentary of humanity’s
shame and decline. It’s rather old fashioned in that it only gets one station and only
shows nature programs day and night. It has a regular cast of characters like
Chickadees, Titmice, Cardinals, Catbirds, Nuthatches and Blue Jays with occasional guest appearances by a
Pileated Woodpecker, Brown Thrasher or a Towhee. Lately a new series has started
playing; it’s called The Courtship of the Birds. It’s being billed as a
heartwarming avian soap opera of spring love with a spectacular cast.
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| Cardinal selecting the best seeds. |
Watch as the male
Cardinals courts his paramour by passing a sunflower seed to her, beak to beak.
See the dandy little Goldfinches go round and round the finch feeders sporting the
latest in daffodilly frocks. So many Woodpeckers spar over the suet dough that
I actually have six suet feeders up. I’m keeping my seed feeders full in case
the Indigo Buntings and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks stop by on their journey north
too. It might only be a temporary visit but it sure is special.
Toward months’
end, one of my all time favorite feathered friends, the Catbirds will arrive, plus the Orioles and Hummingbirds will appear, so this is the time to get your fruit and
nectar feeders out. The Bluebirds will devour all the blocks with mealworms I
leave for them. While it's not a favorite thing for me to buy, their enjoyment makes
it all worthwhile. Some male birds are known to feed the female while she’s
incubating the eggs. Once the young fledge are up and about, they’ll follow the
adults around to find food, be it natural or what you provide at your feeders.
It’s quite enjoyable observing the tattered fledglings’ first visit to a bird
feeder.
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