Feeders are for the Birds
May 7th, 2009 by Shari
It’s spring! It’s spring! The bird is on the wing!
My word! Absurd! The wing is on the bird!
I can’t take credit – or blame – for that one. It’s just something that I heard a long time ago that has a habit of coming back to mind every once in awhile. Like in the springtime – go figure. But I think about birds every day, as I am not only an avid bird-watcher, but a bird feeder as well. Or, I should say that I feed birds – my birdfeeders are out on my patio, along with my patio chairs, picnic table, porch glider, and some other outdoor furniture.
If you’re not a feeder of birds, I highly recommend it! It is absolutely one of the most rewarding things you can do, for yourself and the birds. I’m telling you, those little “tweethearts” (okay, I will take responsibility for that one, for better or worse) are a never-ending source of amusement. Even now, I’m watching the hilarious antics of a couple of mourning doves. They come here every day, and, without fail, as soon as they land, the bigger one puffs himself up (it HAS to be the male!), throws out his chest, squares his shoulders (if, indeed, birds have shoulders), until he actually looks like Foghorn Leghorn, and starts chasing the smaller one around, mercilessly and relentlessly.
The thing that makes it so funny is that they run around on foot for long periods of time instead of flying. I figure she’s saving her strength, because he follows her everywhere, so it doesn’t do her any good to fly away. At times, he even appears to be trying to prevent her from eating, but eventually they calm down (after he tires himself out) and then they spend quite awhile out there eating. I guess it’s just a dove thing.
The great thing is that every bird has its own brand of comedy. I oughta know. As a writer, I sit here at my computer all day, in front of a picture window that looks out on the wooded hills, and sometimes I just suddenly realize that I’m sitting here with a huge grin on my face. Of course, in many cases, it’s because I’ve just written something that’s side-splittingly funny, but a lot of the time, it’s because the birds are so comical. And I never know, from day to day, what kind of bird will come a-swoopin’ to visit my feeders.
Indeed, feeding the birds is the surest way to spot species that you’ve never seen in person (or bird-son, I guess). To get started in “birding,” just visit CedarStore.com, choose from the great selection of hopper, platform, hanging, tube, and post-mounted birdfeeders, and soon you’ll be watching Rufous-Sided Towhees, Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Brown-Headed Cowbirds, Phoebes, Flycatchers, and Finches (and so many more birds) larking about in your own backyard.
Uh, oh. My cuckoo clock just reminded me that I’m going to be late in getting this blog posted. Now, that’s one bird that’s NOT funny!
Yours Outdoors,
Kathy
