Backyard Birds
So last fall, when I worked at Bi-Mart and our store had it's Grand Opening, the district managers held a raffle for all the employees. I actually won something! A bird feeder. It was cool because that summer I'd been thinking that I wanted to get one for our backyard. But if you know me at all, you won't be surprised to hear that said bird feeder did no bird feeding all winter, because it was hanging from a swag hook INSIDE the house (without birdseed, of course).
So spring came along, and I decided it was time... I put a hook out of the roof of our shed, bought the birdseed, and hung up the feeder. And waited. I'd read that it was supposed to take several weeks at least for the birds to start noticing the feeder, and then for "word" to spread, but it seemed to take a lot longer. So long that I began to despair that we'd NEVER get any takers. But then finally, just within the last 2 or 3 weeks, we started getting at least one bird every day, often several times a day. The first one, as I've researched, is a Spotted Towhee.
We have at least two of them living near our house. They are getting pretty brave too. Ginger LOVES to sit at the screen door and watch them, and they have come pretty close to the house. Probably they have discerned that Ginger cannot get out. :)
There are a number of other birds out and about around our house, including robins and sparrows and little black birds. I haven't seen any of them go for the feeder yet, though.
But just in the last few days, another bird has been coming to the feeder. I am pretty sure it is a Scrub Jay.
So far it is MUCH more nervous than the Spotted Towhees, hence the best photo I've been able to get is this "private investigator through the blinds" shot, while seated at my desk. If I stand up, or start slowly moving closer to the door, it flies away.
Hehe..nature!
So spring came along, and I decided it was time... I put a hook out of the roof of our shed, bought the birdseed, and hung up the feeder. And waited. I'd read that it was supposed to take several weeks at least for the birds to start noticing the feeder, and then for "word" to spread, but it seemed to take a lot longer. So long that I began to despair that we'd NEVER get any takers. But then finally, just within the last 2 or 3 weeks, we started getting at least one bird every day, often several times a day. The first one, as I've researched, is a Spotted Towhee.
We have at least two of them living near our house. They are getting pretty brave too. Ginger LOVES to sit at the screen door and watch them, and they have come pretty close to the house. Probably they have discerned that Ginger cannot get out. :)
There are a number of other birds out and about around our house, including robins and sparrows and little black birds. I haven't seen any of them go for the feeder yet, though.
But just in the last few days, another bird has been coming to the feeder. I am pretty sure it is a Scrub Jay.
So far it is MUCH more nervous than the Spotted Towhees, hence the best photo I've been able to get is this "private investigator through the blinds" shot, while seated at my desk. If I stand up, or start slowly moving closer to the door, it flies away.
Hehe..nature!