I got a bird feeder because my husband said, “The cats are bored.” You would think that two cats would find time to play together. Not my two. Although they are sisters, they don’t like each other. Thinking of someway that I could amuse them, I finally decided to get a bird feeder.
This spring we have enjoyed seeing all types of birds. This is the first time a blue jay has actually come up and sat on our railing. I've learned that the blue jay has an interesting squawk. We have cardinals, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, mourning doves, goldfinches, tufted titmouses (or is that titmice when it is plural), chickadees, and more.
The Chippies
What I didn’t expect was the chipmunks. It started with one (I think). To be honest, it is kind of hard for me to know because they all look so similar. The first time I noticed a chippy, I laughed because it was trying to climb the bird feeder. Chippy fell off several times that first day, and never got a bite of bird food.
That changed for chippy the second day. When he actually snagged himself onto the bird feeder, I had to go out and chase him away. He came back several times that day and brought some friends with him. Eventually the chippies learned that the could eat the seeds from the ground, but the food in the bird feeder was off limits.
The Squirrel
Then, a squirrel joined the squad of chippies. He had no problem climbing up the bird feeder. I chased him away again . . . and again . . . and again. I finally realized that he comes early in the morning. I now put the bird feeder out after the squirrel leaves.
The Bear
Then, two nights ago, I had a big surprise! I was sitting on the swing when I noticed something wasn’t quite right. I stood up and realized a bear had come up and knocked down the bird feeder. She happily ate her snack as I scurried inside the house. While the bear was on the other side of the bannister, it is still a wild creature.
The bear finished with her snack and looked for something else to eat. She tried getting the hummingbird feeder down, but she couldn’t quite make it. Eventually, the bear moved on.
Now What Should I Do?
So now I am in a pickle. I love watching the birds, but the bear freaks me out a little. I have ordered a new pole from Amazon. While I wait for it to arrive, I have put the bird food in a small pie plate. I didn’t know if they’d eat from the pie plate, but it seems to be working quite well. Until the bear decides to come by the house again.
Have you had anything like this happen to you?
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