At home, we hang a birdfeeder just outside our kitchen window and fill it daily with songbird mix. It’s a joy to witness the different species sing, share, dine and socialize at the feeder.
Bluejays establish a pecking order and are the first ones to complain about their hunger when the feeder empties. Their loud chirps and bold swooping flight patterns contribute to their powerful image. Along with these noisy jays, the songbird seed attracts a variety of brightly hued Cardinal families, Red Bellied Woodpeckers and Downy Woodpeckers, Song Sparrows and House Sparrows, American Goldfinches, portly Pigeons and chubby Mourning Doves. Occasionally, a murder of rowdy crows flies in noisily trying to claim ownership of the feeder, until I shoo them away. If we add meal worms to the feeder mix, the birds show their appreciation in droves. The proximity to power lines, tree branches and roof top allows for constant socialization and some polite waiting for turns. The squirrels hang out below the bird feeders and fill their bellies with the seeds that fall to the ground.
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