Tuppence a Bag

We've been talking about getting a bird feeder since last winter, but then never got around to it and what with summer, the birds don't seem as needy. Besides, we had the hummingbirds to feed and appreciate. :) We had a couple of considerations: what kind of feeder to get and what seed to put into it; and where to hang said feeder. Drew suggested that we might hang the feeder in the same place as the hummingbird feeder, but I vehemently objected to all the bird crap and associated waste that would accumulate on my deck. (Hummingbirds "poop" clear liquid, in case you're wondering.) The backyard trees are entirely too far from any window to see prospective visitors; and Drew vetoed the one decent tree limb on the closest front yard tree as still being susceptible to squirrels (and punk kids who might steal our feeder). So we finally settled on one of those arms that attaches to the deck and can be swung out over the grass (recommended at least 16" distant to deter squirrels and raccoons). In addition, our feeder will clamp shut the seed holes if a squirrel tries to make the leap. And after researching seed, we decided to get only black oil sunflower as being appealing to the largest variety of birds (e.g. see here). On the recommendation of an Amazon review, we headed down to our local Tractor Supply Co and bought a 40lb bag of black oil sunflower seed for $15, arguably the best deal anywhere.

Our first customers – a black-and-white warbler, some sparrows, and others I have yet to identify –, only a couple days after our (first) bird feeder opened for business, which is a relief since some websites said it could take up to several weeks for birds to find your feeder. Only this morning, Drew decided to spread some seed out on the railing, and within minutes of the first landing (of a small all black bird?), there was suddenly a rather large party gathering in the trees behind our house, scoping the place out, trying to decide if it was safe. (It didn't take long for the squirrels to discover the railing cache, at left, but we've got their number.) ...Oh, a darling little downy woodpecker, a beautiful Cassin's finch.