life, thoughts

Created a Monster

Lori

Remember when I shared all the photos from my bird feeder? Remember how excited I was to have some new animal friends?Here’s what I believe to be a female cardinal. Could be a juvenile male, but I don’t think so. Females are brownish-red.

This is what a juvenile male looks like (left). Gray feathers are being replaced by red.

I’ve seen hummingbirds in person for the first time in my life this summer. I was shocked to see how much they look like little fairies. I don’t have a feeder for them, but they must’ve seen all the critters coming to our yard thinking there might be something here for them. They are difficult to capture in a photograph. In the vein of Where’s Waldo, can you find the hummingbird mixed in these plants below?

Every morning last week I thought I woke up at the zoo! I created a monster. Flocks of birds (is “flock” the right word?) have been making my back yard their new home. From what I can tell, they are mostly finches and cardinals. They carpeted my patio waiting for their turn on the feeder. I’ve had at least two squirrels and two chipmunks hanging out with them, too.Since we’re nearing fall, I wondered if the food out there is starting to run scarce. I used to wonder why the birds weren’t attracted to my feeder. Now I have to chase them away, along with the other critters, in order to sit on the chaise lounge on the patio.

I took the feeder down, but my husband felt bad for the birds when they were there looking for the food. He put it back. I wonder how many will stick around through the winter.

Have you ever done something with good intention and it turned out to be a problem for you?

 

Published by Lori

Observer, thinker, learner, analyzer, and author. Love dogs. Enjoy cooking, laughing and spiritual centering.

23 thoughts on “Created a Monster”

  2. Jealous of the hummingbirds! My mom loved them. I have a wide variety of birds in my yard but the hummingbirds have been elusive. It’s also tough keeping the hummingbird feeder clean here in Georgia, because the solution goes bad so quickly in the heat/humidity. But the other birds I keep well-fed. In fact, I just got my monthly delivery of 2 bags of birdseed today!

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    1. Hi Joy. I don’t see hummingbirds often, especially since I don’t feed them. It was a treat to get an obscure photo of one.

      I didn’t realize the hummingbird feed-solution could go bad. I’ll bet they come around for you as the whether gets cooler. I know it doesn’t get as cold there, but probably cold enough for them to come calling. Enjoy the bird watching with your two new bags of birdseed. 😊

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    1. I read about that little stinker breaking in on you, Kathy. I’ve feared that happening here, too. They come right up to the sliding door. I often leave the door open while I snap those photos on my blog, and I may just have a break-in myself.

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    1. Hi Jill. The birds were all over my patio and patio furniture, and well, they weren’t leaving me thank you notes.😝 I may need to move the bird feeder to another spot so they don’t takeover the patio. I wanted to move it to the front yard, but my husband likes it in the back. There is not a lot of room apart from the patio back there. 🤷‍♀️

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  5. I’m not sure what the problem is. More birds is not a bad thing. As others said, now is a good time to fatten them up but they could use food all winter. Water too. More birds die during the winter from lack of water than lack of food. I have 4 feeders and a birdbath (heated in the winter). That’s besides the pond where they often for for a drink. Enjoy your menagerie!

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    1. Wow, a heated birdbath. Nice. I’ll bet they love that. Blogger friend, Anneli said that they feed in more of a frenzy this time of year. My patio is reaping the benefits of their “thank you notes,” if you get my drift. I may just have to move the feeder someplace farther from the patio so I can enjoy the rest of what’s left of summer and fall.

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  6. I used to leave my feeders up all winter and in December and January I put out suet as well. It’s very high calorie – helped them to stay warm. You will get different types of birds through the winter, too. I loved having them come to my yard through the winter, and yes, there were sometimes many, many of them.
    We didn’t have an issue with chipmunks or squirrels but magpies were annoying, so I put dry dog food out for them (I still had my Rudy then) and that stopped them from trying invent novel ways of raiding the finch feeders, etc. I’m looking forward to having a yard again for feeders. I love your photos! 🙂

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    1. Hi Lynette. Anneli pointed out that they start to feed in a frenzy this time of year. I didn’t realize this, and my patio is reaping the consequences. Like I told her, the birds aren’t leaving me thank you notes, if you get my drift. I spend a lot of time out there when it’s nice out, so I may have to move the feeder someplace farther until winter arrives.

      I’m looking forward to seeing new birds. There is a new one lately. He moves away too fast for me to get a pic, but my good camera is ready and waiting. Thanks for sharing and for the nice comment. 😊

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      1. I understand. They can make quite a mess. I moved my feeders under a tree and put down pavers underneath so clean-up was easier (and the seed didn’t sprout in my lawn).

        I had everyone separated – oats and corn were in a dish near the patio for the chipmunks (we were on the prairies and didn’t have any squirrels) bird feeders in the middle and dog food in an old pail for the magpies as far away as possible from everyone else. The magpies would otherwise break the feeders and terrorise the chipmunks (magpies will attack them). I figured that the best way to deal with them was to give them dinner. 😉 The chipmunks got used to all the patio traffic, including Rudy the dog; he ignored them.

        I really enjoyed all my garden visitors and could watch them for hours. Very calming and soothing, even the magpies, in their own way.

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        1. Sounds like you had a nice little setup at your place when you had Rudy. We don’t have a single tree (neighbors do). We have a nice size yard, but the houses here are sort of close to one another. I only have one place I can put the feeder where I can watch the birds and keep the squirrels off at the same time. Any other place will either keep the feeder from our viewing sight, or attract squirrels. 🤷‍♀️

          I have no idea what a magpie is. Sounds like an animal native to your area.

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          1. This is a magpie. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-billed_Magpie/id They are members of the corvid family, so a type of crow. Very intelligent and resourceful (and aggressive). You could try setting out food for the squirrels to keep them off the feeders.
            Yes, it was a great yard. When we decided to move I gradually stopped feeding everyone in June so that they could switch more easily to other sources while food was still plentiful. My neighbour at the time put out a lot more food!

            We are getting ready to buy a new house (new to us) and I’m looking forward to having all my feathered friends again (and we will begin looking for a dog, too).

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  7. You’re doing the right thing to put some food out early before the winter. Right now, even though it’s not winter, I think it’s the right time to fatten the birds up. Many people wait too long to put out the food and by the time the harsh weather comes the birds are already stressed. Have you noticed how much more frantically the birds feed at this time of year? That extra weight they might put on for resilience can’t happen overnight and an emaciated bird can never catch up if it has to wait until winter to get fit. So leave your feeders out, and if there’s a food line, well, that’s okay. You’re being a good Samaritan, keeping the food line replenished. That’s my humble opinion anyway.

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    1. Hi Anneli. You’re right, the birds are feeding frantically. They sometimes fight over the feeder. “Chase” the chipmunk brought a friend along for feeding from the feeder as well. I’m naming that one “Blinkin,” because he runs so fast by my patio door that I blink and I missed him.

      The problem with them on the patio is that they aren’t leaving me thank you notes, if you get my drift. I may need to move the feeder so I can enjoy the patio through the rest of summer and fall.

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      1. You do what you have to do. When I first started feeding Lincoln it was bitter cold out there and the Captain said not to do it. It’s not good to interfere in wildlife. I agreed, but I can’t stand to see animals suffering when I could make their lives easier. His concern was that we would make him tame and then he’d be more at risk. He’s right. I didn’t exactly tame him, but he does know me now and comes as far as the social distancing space. He’s aware of the virus, I guess. 😉 And he still goes on with his regular life, harvesting fir cones and filberts so I don’t mind supplementing his food supply a bit. It has worked out well so far.

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        1. I enjoy having them around the feeder, but not on my patio leaving “little surprises.” Over the winter it’ll be fine, because we won’t be using the patio. I wanted to put the feeder in the front yard temporarily, but hubs wants it in the back. 🤷‍♀️

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  8. Lori. That is a female Cardinal. And do leave your feeder up all winter. That is when birds are most needy and they will come. Trust me. They will come.

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