Life at the bird feeder is heating up. Word is out, and creatures big and small are showing up. Let’s talk about the big. Dove and squirrel. The former tries to feed, but the cage around the cylinder of food slides down with their weight and blocks access. Imagine having chairs that sank with your weight and the heavier you were, the further beneath the table you went. The latter, a gray squirrel climbs up, looks longingly at the feeder, then climbs down and eats the leavings on the ground. I believe he’s discovered what happens when he gets out on the feeder.

As for the birds, we have all sorts. Blackcrested Titmouse, Carolina Chicadee (picture), Cardinal, Summer Tanager, sparrows of all sorts, and goldfinch. I saw some painted buntings close by as I took a walk yesterday, and I believe they’ll eventually find the feeder. The house sparrows are there too, but I read that it is possible a well fed house sparrow male might be less promiscuous and stay with a single mate, thus cutting down on the numbers of house sparrows. Anyway, there’s little I can do about them. So, I’m going with the semi-scientific rationalization.

It's nice having a nature show outside my living room window. No plot to speak of, but the characters seem pretty interesting. It’s fun to watch the Cardinals come to feeder. They look askance at company and the little birds give them room. The Titmouses show up in the morning in a group, first thing. Eat then leave. The sparrows are in and out all day, rapacious little birds. So that’s life at the bird feeder, which seems like life pretty much anywhere. I’m glad this little world is right outside my living room window.