We have three birdfeeders in our yard and we keep them filled year-round. It's expensive but it gives us a lot of pleasure. We have many varieties of visitors at the feeders: cardinals, bluejays, mockingbirds, catbirds, chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and mourning doves. The most numerous feeders are sparrows and finches. The seed that falls to the ground attracts the scroungers: pigeons, squirrels, skunks and, sometimes, seagulls. We also have a purple butterfly bush and a nectar feeder which lure in hummingbirds and, in the spring, orioles. Just arriving this week are the Monarch Butterflies, bulking up for their migration to (of all places) our beloved Mexico!
Yesterday, when the sparrows and finches emptied the biggest feeder in less than eight hours, it occurred to me that we may be raising generations of welfare birds. I hope they are also learning how to find wild food in addition to our handouts.
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We hadn't had feeders in the past because of all the cats ( had 7 at one time) Now we're down to one geriatric one ( 17 yrs old) so I guess I could have a few--maybe in the fall!
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