Bird Talk....and Furry Invaders

I'm sitting here at my keyboard.  The full length glass doors are open, allowing me a *ahem* bird's eye view (see what I did there? LOL) of the birds and a front row seat at the Concert of Bird Song.  Birds, in varying shapes and sizes, colours and personalities dance in front of my eyes.  Happily diving into the feeders, providing me with endless entertainment and filling me with gratitude. If you follow me on Twitter, you'll probably have noted that I'm often yammering on about the birds at the feeders.  Can you tell it's something that brings me peace and joy?  I am completely, head-over-heels in love with birds.  It truly is like my own little bird sanctuary here. To hear nothing but birdsong is a pleasure for the ears, heart and soul.  It renews my faith, lifts my spirits and watching them flittering around, doing their bird thing, makes me smile.  Such a simple thing really.  As my gramma would say, "it warms the cockles of my heart"  ;) 

One of the pleasures I take is providing lots of bird feeders in different places with different types of feed, so that I can have all types of birds come and visit.  I have 4 different types of food that I use all the time, and a few extras every so often.  People often ask how I get so many birds to come 'round my place, and I think just having lots of food options and some water is a good way to get them to swing by (and will encourage them to tell their birdy friends)  I guess the biggest thing is to have patience, and they do eventually show up.  Stick a feeder in your yard, and see how many birds you can attract.  I love to be able to tick off another bird in the Peterson's Field guide that has visited.  It's a fun game, and a rewarding one too.  Just make sure you keep a camera handy, so you can get a snapshot of your latest visitor.  :)

My biggest nemesis are the squirrels or as I like to refer to them as Furry Invaders (as the squirrels shall be known henceforth).  We have a lot.  And boy, do they like to take over.  As often as I try to distract them, they always seem to go after my feeders.  I have a couple of squirrel proof feeders, which in itself is great fun to watch the squirrel try every trick in the book to get at the food, to be foiled at every turn.  I do have a number of other feeders that need some more baffling and perhaps relocation to discourage the four legged invaders.  I'm often heard bemoaning, "why can't you all get along and share???" in my frustrated-as-hell voice, when the Furry Invaders arrive on the scene and birds are scattering.  As annoying as they can be at times, they sure do provide me with much amusement.  I try to dump some extra seed on the ground away from the feeders in hopes that Furry Invaders will not bother the feeders.  It works for a short while, but there are just so many of them, that sooner than later, they're climbing all over the feeders trying to get at the treasure inside.  Ah well, what can I say, I actually don't mind the furry little buggers.  They make me laugh.  When they're not scaring my birds.  ;)