Bird Antics

Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
Originally uploaded by lizalee.

We have some goings-on happening here at my feeders. I’ve been trying to capture the moments on camera but my efforts have failed to date. So, I decided I’d better share them anyway and not wait.

It all started because of the squirrels. The naughty squirrels were just taking over my feeders, eating everything, knocking them off their hooks, generally being little juvenile deliquents with tails.

So, I moved some feeders around and tried some new things. I don’t have the money to invest in tons of squirrel deterrent systems right now so my main measure has been to get rid of the feeders they can use as their own personal tilt-a-whirl snackbars. The chickadees are none too amused however.

At the same time, I got a new hummingbird feeder that hangs on my bedroom window. I’ve been thrilled because a male Allen’s Hummingbird has found it and uses it daily. Beautiful creature.

At my kitchen window, I used to have about 3 feeders with sunflower seed (see the picture) and now only have a hummer feeder.

So, the antics. At the front window, there is one very confused chickadee who has decided that if put something out, it must be good. He is working hard at trying to get good food out of the hummingbird feeder. He sits on the feeder and pecks at the flowers. “Am I a chickadee? Am I a hummer? Am I a woodpecker? Who knows, get out here and put out some new seed!”

At the backwindow, the chickadees can’t BELIEVE there is no sunflower seed out there (hey, the squirrels’ seed habit was getting expensive) and they have often cluster on the hummingbird feeder staring in at me. Today, my little female Anna’s Hummingbird (who has been with me all winter) came to feed and there were 4 ‘dees on her feeder. She was MOST annoyed. She didn’t seem to mind sharing but did mind the fact that there was no room for her. She chased them off and settled in for a nice feed.

We are sure enjoying the birds around here! Silly things!