Birding

Finally a Feeder Watcher

February 20, 2009 by Mike 9 Comments

How was your GBBC? Mine wasn’t very productive, though I did manage to keep track of dietary intake of four rather dull goldfinches for the duration of the count period. The most notable point about my 2009 Great Backyard Bird Count is that I finally have a backyard in which to count birds!

In the past, I’ve counted backyard birds outside a Bronx apartment window. Now, I’ve got grass, bushes, and tall trees all around my domicile. And, thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law, I have a bird feeder and a big bag of black oil sunflower seed with which to fill it! During a highly unseasonal break in the snowfall, Mason and I installed the feeder. We chose our front yard since that’s the vista from the kitchen and dining room windows. Sara documented the action, much to the bewilderment of our neighbors. Apparently I’m the only bird blogger on the block… go figure!


Presenting my first bird feeder


Hanging wire


Those birds look desperate. Start filling, Mase!


Seed dispenser secured

Allow me to note with pride that my configuration is almost entirely squirrel-proof. Despite the ravenous hordes of Eastern Grays (and whites) around, only once have I spotted a squirrel on the feeder. Believe me, that squirrel looked unhappy! Birds, on the other hand, find the globe feeder and nyger sock quite worth their while.

Written by Mike
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.