This entry was posted on 8/11/2007 11:36 AM and is filed under Articles by J. Baker.
To
pull my thoughts from an administration that erodes the Constitution and a
congress that sits and watches, I have bird feeders. I must be pretty disturbed
because I have doubled my inventory in the last four months. And what a
distraction, band-tailed pigeons to hummers to woodpeckers, while warming my
hands around a cup of coffee or enjoying a cold one on the deck at the end of
the day there has been plenty to watch this summer.
The
woodpeckers have been burning through the suet this summer. Not to sound like a
shill but they really like the Party Mix. I tried two other types of suet and
by far, Party Mix is their favorite. Downy, hairy, northern flickers, and
pileated woodpeckers have been regulars at the feeder. Of these, it is the
pileated that have been the most fun to watch. They swoop in from all angles
and seem to stop only because the feeder is in the way. Just as when they peck
at a rotted tree trunk so too the suet, chunks flying about, some finding their
way into the mouth. But the real fun was when the two fledglings arrived with
mom. They looked like London
punk rockers from the 70’s in their black and white and spiked pink feathers on
top. Mom didn’t mind the clownish behavior and looks of her offspring and
dutifully stuffed their mouths with suet. I think she knows it’s just a phase
and they will grow out of it.
A
pair of band-tailed pigeons also enjoy what the feeders offer. They are easily
startled and quick to the wing. I can never approach very close and have to be
satisfied with watching through the window. They are beautiful birds. The white
stripe on the nape of their neck contrasts with the iridescent green patch just
below and the startling yellow feet are fabulous. However, the real joy of
band-tailed pigeons is their voice. I like walking the yard in the morning and
listening to their cooing (or is it hooing?) from invisible perches atop the
firs.
The
hummers are a hoot. In Russell Link’s, Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific
Northwest, Link points out that hummers are quite territorial and one method to
reduce agonistic behavior is to create two humming bird feeding zones in your
yard. So I bought another hummer feeder and placed it opposite the first. No luck.
The rufous and Anna’s hummingbirds are constantly competing. I think the
problem is that they both really like the tiny snowberry flowers which are
concentrated in one part of the yard. In fact, my sugar and water mixture gets
only irregular attention. The cock of the hummingbird walk is the male Anna’s.
He aggressively chases the others away – when he is present. Once he has moved
on, the others soon return. There seems to be plenty of snowberries for all. But
that doesn’t keep him from trying, the other day a hummer zipped by my head.
Right behind was the male Anna’s. The two rose in tandem toward the top of a
fir reminiscent of a Spitfire on the tail of a Me109 during the Battle of
Britain. It reminded me of a time when we fought fascism.
Well someone has just informed me that the
Constitution took another hit. I’m gonna need more feeders.
