I don’t think I had any real idea of what I was getting into with this “I’m going to feed the birds!” malarkey. First the squirrels found the feeders, then they told their friends. The second day the chickadees found the feeders and they told their friends. And now everybody in the neighborhood is emptying the feeders at a prodigious rate and making a colossal mess. I might have to quit my day job just to keep up.
Not only that but learning the birds is becoming a major distraction (almost as consuming as my current addiction to facebook). My Peterson’s Field Guide has been used and abused, dog eared and marked up more in the last couple of days than all the years it lived in my car just-in-case. And it in itself is a distraction. Every time I flip past the pages of “Confusing Fall Warblers” or “Accidentals from Eurasia” I have to stop for a look or a meditation on Accidental. And there are birds called “Goatsuckers”. It’s distracting.
Meanwhile I’ve been able to determine that my feeders have been visited by no less than 7 different species of birds. Black-capped Chickadees make the 2 note whistle that I’ve been hearing lately that always sounds like spring to me. The Tufted Titmouse is seriously cute and I’ve probably always confused them with Cedar Wax-wings. I think I’ve maybe seen White-breasted Nuthatches and I’m pretty sure about the Dark-eyed (“Slate-colored”) Junco. I’m also near certain I saw some Goldfinches and dead certain about Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal. I couldn’t miss the Bluejays’ visit and I’m not sure the House Sparrows have ever gone home.
At the rate they’re going through the seed I’ll be able to reach my 500 lb. Birdseed Club goal in no time. If I don’t go broke first.
Who’s at your feeder?
kristin green | trench manicure 
Hi Kris,
The usual suspects…nuthatch, chicadee, bluejay, squirrel, cardinals, woodpeckers, tufted timouse, wren, finches: house, purple and gold and my favorite today~~ Rufous Sided Towhee are all dining at Chez Cedar!
gail
Gail, I’m impressed! I had to look up the Towhee – it says its song sounds like “drink your tea”. True? -kris
when I am at the school and looking… nothing at all. it may be those “silly students” after all. Hey… I just blogged about another brownie from out school kitchen! Juncos are hip.
Strange… and I totally agree about juncos. I thought they were too cool for my yard. -kris
Geez! They are so happy they found you! We have the same mess and empty-out rate, but oddly no squirrels yet that I’ve seen. Maybe they moved out when we emptied the hot tub of their pine cone stash. NO idea what they are, but I did bring the binocs out to have around. No field guide though. Now I’m gonna hafta go to the Slaterville library and check one out. There are about 8 blog ideas right there, but I’m going to have to post the one soon about my folks birdfeeding and why they had to stop. It gets ugly! Your cathouse pics are seriously cute.
Lynn, I can’t believe you don’t have squirrels! I have at least 2 at all times that seem to be permanently attached to the feeders upsidedown gymnast style. The birds work around them. I’ll look forward to the 8 posts and I’m already cringing about “ugly”. -kris
Another positive addiction! I have the same cast of characters and now have to look up cedar waxwing. Don’t know what that one looks like!
Layanee, they’re ever so cute. I’m keeping my eyes out for them. — while trying to maintain a youthful detachment from my new favorite pastime… -kris