Going to the Birds

One of the things I really like about this house is the picture bay window in the eat-in kitchen.  On one of the first weekends we were here I happened by chance to walk by a wildlife bird store when bringing returns to the UPS store.  Looking for a pick-me-up I ventured in.  When I saw this bird feeder I decided it was just what we needed for the picture window.  It's made of PVC decking, has nice drainage and suction cups to the window.

When we first installed it, the birds took a week or so to be willing to eat there much but now we have frequent visitors throughout the day.  I find it incredibly peaceful to sit at the table and watch the birds fly in and out.  We have not properly photographed all our visitors but we have named quite a few.

Carolina Chickadee (Zippy) and Tufted Titmouse (Suncraker)

Male Cardinal

Blue Jay and Female Cardinal

My favorite visitor is the Red Bellied Woodpecker below (I know his belly isn't red by I didn't give him his name), I named him "Cooper".  I named him Copper after the Copper Hawks in Florida that were nicknamed "young and dumb" by the Audubon folk because they would frequently fly into windows fighting their reflection.  Cooper sometimes flies, sometimes slides into the window and I know he's there because he frequently pecks at the window when my back it to him on the computer.

You see the squirrel stalking the feeder.  I thought it would be squirrel proof as well but it just took them a little longer to figure it out.

The squirrels have names too.  Pictured here is Jumpy Jr.  He is much smaller but fearless.  He was the first to make it in by climbing from underneath.

 
Big Fat Jumpy (pictured in the video, double click on pic to play), is not as fearless when it comes to people but clearly willing to take a leap of faith.  Now that the squirrels have found a way in we've been putting some food on the railing to try to keep the squirrels out of the feeder but I'll probably need to buy them their own feeder.  Those fat squirrels can go through a lot of food quick.  LOL