Feathers and Fuzz

one woman's cure for the empty-nester blues

Grackles at my Feeders

Birds Singing the Folsom Prison Blues

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Building cages around all food sources at the bird feeder did slow down the Grackles.  I imagine the juvenile, Red-bellied Woodpecker singing the Prison Blues.  You can see him stretching out his neck (and his long tongue) to reach the suet deep within the prison walls.  The tiny Downy Woodpecker, on the other hand, quickly learned to scurry underneath the bars to happily eat her fill.

It's far from the ideal bird restaurant.  But, but as you will see in the feature video, the birds adapted quite well.  No one is going to sleep hungry!

Red-bellied Tongue

Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker - Tongue Outstretched

Black Bears – Black Birds – Oy Vey!

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I can still picture a childhood friend’s mother with her head in her hands as she muttered: Oy Vey!  It’s a Yiddish expression indicating dismay or grief.  If only I could be satisfied with putting my head in my hands and muttering.  Oh no … no simple approach for me.  I have to go to war.

So, when the Black Birds landed on the nerves frayed by the Black Bear, out came the walkie talkies.  I broadcast my frustration over the airwaves.  This went on for a couple days until I had a headache and Drake was hoarse.  Drake came to associate the click of the walkie talkie mic with me being in peril (why else would I be freaking out!).  He was determined to bark-away the threat.  Pretty soon I quit yelling at the birds, and just held the walkie talkie up to Drake’s mouth.  He performed beautifully … until he lost his voice.

Next I got out the plastic-pellet gun, but it was only going to be a matter of time before I hit a Hummingbird.  FINALLY, I put my head in my hands and muttered:  Oy Vey!  All the implements of destruction were put away and construction began.  I was determined the “nice birds” were going to eat … and the black birds were not.  I started having fun … quite a lot of fun, actually.  The black birds?  They’re singing Oy Vey!

 

In the upcoming post, I will show you how the “nice birds” responded to the new look of the feeders.  Their song may be more like:  Folsom Prison Blues.