Feeding Birds and Feeding Birds

Update (2008-01-25): the link immediately below is broken. Fake James was just a candle in the wind, I guess.

Is Steve Citron-Pousty right? Is there nothing I like? I'm sure he never could guess how much I like feeding the birds in my neighborhood. There's a gang of 5 Black-capped Chickadees (which sing an extra third song here in the Fort, bet you didn't know that either), a pair of Mountain Chickadees, 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches (back, plus one, after shunning us last year), a White-breasted Nuthatch (my favorite), pairs of Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, every variation of Junco, Goldfinches, Blue Jays, House Finches, Sparrows, Mourning Doves, and Flickers. The Flicker is a pigeon-sized woodpecker that thrives in this town. We have about 9 regulars ... minus one.

Returning home for lunch today, we found a Cooper's Hawk standing on, and tearing at, an unlucky Flicker directly underneath our feeder. My daughter was fascinated, no squeamishness at all. We were able to observe it feed for about 5 minutes before it hauled its prey off to a more private spot. Sadly, I'd removed my camera from our backpack just this morning or I would have been able to get a awesome wildlife action photo on my doorstep.

Comments

Re: Feeding Birds and Feeding Birds

Author: steven Citron-Pousty

Hey Sean: Sorry but I am not Fake James Fee and perhaps you are accusing me to throw people off your trail. Or perhaps it is even James or the person who wrote all those nasty things about ESRI a while ago and then had that picture of the bridge going into the ocean. I am an avid birder as well. Went hiking this weekend and saw a kestrel, some nuthatches, chickadees, white crowned sparrows, Ravens, white-tailed kites, titmice, mergansers, solitary thrush, and some little brown jobbies. Never seen a accipter take a bird but I would love to get the chance some day. We have a peregrine hanging out on the building across from ours which makes for entertaining meetings...

Re: Feeding Birds and Feeding Birds

Author: Sean

Whatever you say, Fake James.

Re: Feeding Birds and Feeding Birds

Author: Paul Ramsey

Most people feed the birds bird-seed, Sean, not other birds! Did you do the James Earl Jones circle of life speech for your daughter? "Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life."

Re: Feeding Birds and Feeding Birds

Author: Fantom Planet

I think James Fee is the Fake James Fee. Wouldn't make sense otherwise. BTW. Flicker's are huge. I hadn't realized it until I saw them up close on my parent's feeder this Christmas.

Re: Feeding Birds and Feeding Birds

Author: Fantom Planet

BTW: I think the Fake James Fee is a Fake-Fake James Fee. If it was the Real-Fake James Fee he'd be crappin' himself with MapObjects and "how they can do no wrong."