Jaci Dawn

It has been a day! I took the bird feeder down yesterday and bleached all the parts. I left the thistle feeder and the suet up because the Pine Siskins don’t get into those two feeders and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the American Goldfinches or the many birds that have figured out how to access the suet feeders.

I put out suet that has black sunflower seeds and insects (meal worms) embedded in it. I purchase it at Backyard Bird Shop and it is made in Portland. The birds *love* it. So does Harvey, but that is another story.

OK, twist my arm. Harvey tends to be on the overweight side. I try to keep from feeding him too many treats and certainly do not offer him much food between meals. But he is still an overweight English Setter. Actually, I think he is a Llewellen Setter but since I have no proof of lineage, it is all speculation. You can google the breeds and I can promise that Llewellans look just like Harvey. Anyway, Harvey found the suet once and pulled it off of the counter and bit into three cakes, eating insects, suet and all. BAD Harvey.

No wonder he is fat.

Anyway, I digress. I am participating in Project Feeder Watch and I watched my feeders again this weekend, despite the fact that the sunflower feeder was missing. Most of our “regular” birds came by, proving that the sunflower feeder is not the only draw. Even the Eastern Fox Squirrels adjusted to the suet and thistle feeders, but they did look a little confused when they climbed the tree and discovered there was no black oil sunflower.

The Pine Siskins did not come. I am sad, but relieved. We will put the feeder back up on New Years’ Day. I will have probably lost the Siskins, but the threat of salmonella will be gone. I can’t have salmonella infect the Band-tailed pigeons or any of my other regulars.

All that to bring you to this. The Western Scrub Jay.