What do I have to do?

I have a confession to make.  During the late summer and early fall, I was a baaaaaaaad bird feeder.  I let my feeders go emtpy for a few months.  My feeders were barren and my birds abandoned me.  I won’t make excuses but once my life was a bit less hectic, my feeders were thoroughly cleaned and refilled.  My hummingbird feeders are filled with delicious hummer juice.  Most of my feeders were filled with black sunflower seeds.  I filled a big thistle seed feeder as well.  All was ready.  I hoped to be forgiven forthwith.

Many might think that hummingbirds are somewhat arrogant and stand-offish.  Mine certainly seem to have attitude.  However, they are most forgiving birds.  Given that they stay here year round in my neighborhood, I’m sure they are glad to have a ready source of food.

I would have thought my Chestnut-backed Chickadees were a most forgiving bird. But, they are not. Perhaps this season of harvest is too good to the Chickadees. There are too many seeds and berries for them to be tempted by my feeders. Still, they have been my most consistent visitors in all the years that I have been feeding birds. They are often joined by Pygmy Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos, California Towhees, and the like.

But, I am currently shunned by my birds.  Only my Anna’s Hummingbirds come to visit.  I am bereft and left wondering what do I have to do.

Will it take Suet Dough?  Sunflower chips?  A fancy new bird bath? Peanuts?  I’ll do whatever it takes. I just can’t take these empty feeders.

Enjoy I and the Bird #89, hosted by the Bird Ecology Study Group!

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