A cardinal, a number of goldfinches, and a junco at our chook feeder.
CONTRIBUTED/CAROLE GARIEPY
We feed the birds. In reality, we feed the birds each morning earlier than we feed ourselves, after which whereas we’re consuming our cereal we watch them eating on their seeds. We are at all times awed at their magnificence and entertained by their interactions with one another as they feed.
This yr we’ve had a lot of juncos, their darkish colours contrasting so effectively with the snow. Chickadees are at all times a delight, a lot power as they flit so shortly about. Finches have to be very social as they at all times appear to return with kinfolk, and it’s fascinating to see their boring plumage change to vibrant yellow as spring comes.
The sure-footed nuthatch is superb to look at walk down the tree earlier than it flies to the feeder. The titmouse is sort of a boring grey, however I feel it appears to be like fairly stately with its cute tufted crown. Everyone admires the magnificent male cardinal with its sensible purple apparel, however I at all times really feel sorry for its partner who solely has brown feathers to show; I’m wondering if her mate feels sorry for her too as I generally see him caringly feed her seeds from his invoice.
We at all times hope to have the looks of a brand new selection, and this yr we have been thrilled to have a bluebird go to for the primary time. Yes, a thrill. Birds might be thrilling to look at. Wouldn’t they be shocked to know what delight they provide us people, and like people, they’ve completely different personalities. Some are timid, some aggressive, some are comfy with others feeding at their sides; some fly in and seize a seed and shortly fly off; others keep and feed in a soothing method.
Many individuals drive away squirrels once they come to the feeder, and a few work exhausting to plan a approach that the squirrels can’t attain the feeder. There are feeders designed to be squirrel-proof. True, they gobble up loads of meals, however I love their antics and the way sensible and intelligent they’re. We had one good friend who was very aggravated by the squirrels and would rush out the door to drive them away from the feeder. One day she slipped on ice and broke an ankle. That episode made me determine that guarding the chook feeder from intruders wasn’t well worth the stress or bodily hazard that would accompany it. They are all God’s creatures, let all of them eat.
Now I’ve to get to the looks at our feeder that impressed me to write down this story. A black squirrel! Yes, a black squirrel got here to our feeder 4 occasions. We have been so excited. He was stunning, nonetheless fairly daring. (I’m calling it a “he” as a result of it was aggressive, however in fact I don’t know for certain if it was a man and or lady.)
He aggressively drove away the grey squirrels and feasted on sunflower seeds uninterrupted. No chook or squirrel challenged him. We watched in awe, and after he left we did some analysis. It’s spectacular what researchers can be taught. A black squirrel is a mutation of the grey squirrel. They discovered that the black fur is induced when a grey squirrel has a defective pigment gene. Two black squirrels can produce a black child, however a black and grey squirrel would produce grey offspring.
An benefit the black squirrel has is that it retains hotter as a result of its darker coat captures extra physique warmth. Only one in 10,000 grey squirrels are black, so we have been fairly fortunate to have one go to us.
The birds profit from our feeding them, however I feel we’re benefiting extra from the pleasure they provide, and this yr we had the bonus of a black squirrel. However, now now we have stopped feeding until subsequent winter. We don’t deter squirrels, however bears have come out of hibernation and they don’t seem to be welcome.
Carole Gariepy lives in Phillipston.
