Three little birds on our doorstep
by HML
Thing Two has become an enthusiastic bird watcher lately, thanks to Bestemor’s collection of toy Audubon birds. We’ve always seen birds passing through our yard, but we thought it would be fun to put out some bird feeders and really observe them: just how many different kinds of birds would we see? The Gimlet was happy to take on this quick project and set up a 4×4 cedar post for two types of bird feeders: suet and a large tube for seeds. Most of the birds in our area will eat one or both types of food.
The feeders have been up for about a month, and the response has been great. Black-capped chickadees discovered the seed feeder within hours of its installation, and have been our boldest, most frequent customers. The rarer chestnut-backed chickadees seem to prefer the suet, and confine their visits to the afternoon. House sparrows are our second most-seen birds, but they are much more skittish, flying away if we approach the window. So far we’ve identified over a dozen different species of birds, much to Thing Two’s delight. When the feeder is busy, he can be found by the window, bird book in hand.
About a week ago a hummingbird buzzed the window, as if to ask when it would be his turn to be fed. The weather was nice enough today for a few outdoor projects, so the Gimlet installed a smaller post outside the kitchen window for a hummingbird feeder and a thistle seed feeder. We’re hoping the thistle seed will tempt goldfinches into making an appearance.
So far we haven’t had any problems with squirrels, crows, or other animals. A squirrel has been eating the seeds which have fallen on the ground, and we’re happy to let him clean up the area; we’ve also seen it once or twice on the post trying (and failing!) to grab seeds directly from the feeder. So far the baffle and squirrel-proof design of the feeders have been successful, but we think the crows and raccoons may have hitchhiked to the big box home improvement stores to buy wire cutters and a blow torch.
Exploring Further:
- Seattle Audubon Society (or search the National Audubon Society to find your local chapter)
- BirdNote radio programs on KPLU 88.5 FM
- Chickadee Nest Webcam, courtesy of the Seattle Audubon Nature Center. A volunteer at the Nature Center told us that there are 7 or 8 eggs in the nest!
Suggested Reading:
- Birds of the Puget Sound Region. This pocket-sized guide features a handy list of commonly seen birds at the front of the book, a checklist and space for notes. Highly recommended by Thing Two.
- Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.
- Welcoming Wildlife to the Garden: Creating Backyard and Balcony Habitats for Wildlife.
- For general North American information, see Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife published by the National Wildlife Federation. The magazine Birds and Blooms is also a useful resource, with a variety of region-specific and general articles.
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Tags: birdwatching
May 2nd, 2008 10:37
I love the pictures of TT with his bird book. For an almost 3 year old (or anyone else for that matter) TT knows an astonishing number of birds and bird calls. Who knew that something so fun as stuffed bird toys could be so educational?
Hå