Bird Feeders

We don’t feed the birds during the summer. If we try, the bears quickly and regularly find the feeders. Bears are not animals that you want to have around the house. Now that they are going into hibernation, the bird feeders have gone up.

It usually takes a few days before the birds find our feeders. This year the chipmunks and squirrels found them first. The chipmunks are really hungry since they will soon be hibernating. The squirrels are always hungry. They are also great fun to watch. This morning I stood for several minutes watching two of them chase each other around the yard.

We are also getting a couple of migrating birds at the feeder. Juncoes are stopping by in good numbers. Who knows how they find us out of all the places they pass during migration? Also the grackles are passing through. Neither bird will not be here much longer.

The regulars have found us. Chickadees and nuthatches are in every morning. Blue jays and Canada jays stop by. Pine siskins, evening grosbeaks, and purple finches have not found us yet.

I keep forgetting to buy suet when in town. Once that is up, we will start to get hairy woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers and an occasional raven. My problem with suet is keeping it from the animals. We have martins and fox wandering around. They will eat the entire suet in one night. Tucker also tries to get at it.

By far our biggest raiders of the feeders are deer. They are plenty of them around and will be more after hunting season when the lodge starts putting out corn. Deer have learned to suck all the seeds out of a feeder. In one night all four feeders are empty. Even if I put out corn, the deer still empty the feeders.

So bird feeders (like all of life) present choices. We choose to feed whatever animals come along. With the flowers gone for the winter, every animal gives us entertainment outside the kitchen window.