Stolen Dinner

[Kyle]

Someone keeps stealing the food!




This little guy decided to hang around asking for more food. The feeder ran out and he would sit at the bottom of the tree in the morning and just yell and yell and yell...

[flashback]

That. Is. Adorable.

[Stagecoach]

Cute one Kyle, perhaps you need to start filling it up earlier each day

[Paniaa]

I recall Steve Irwin saying "a fed bird is a dead bird." Does that apply to other wild creatures? And then what of hard winters? I think he is wonderful & wish you could incorporate sound.

[bnnrcn]

Lovely

[IzzieK]

He is one fat squirrel in a beautifully exposed and equally beautiful bird feeder, Kyle....

[Kyle]

Thanks for the comments everyone. This feeder was actually left behind from the previous house owner. I recently washed it up and put some seed in it. My neighbour has two feeders out front and he draws tons of beautiful birds. I'm hoping to get some of the bird to go to my backyard where I can place the feeder to control the background of any shots I take.

Pania, I have heard that before as well and feeding wild animals is not something that I encourage or do. I have read that bird feeders do not negatively effect birds migrating. Unfortunately, I can't stop this little guy or the Squirrels from stealing the food meant for birds.

[IzzieK]

Sorry Kyle...I kicked myself when after I logged off and saw I wrote squirrel in my response. That is not a squirrel. It is a chipmunk! And no one told me off... Not even Jack, nor Geoff nor Grahame? Come on guys, you are slacking on me....

[flashback]

Kyle,

There's really no issue with having bird feeders out, for birds, squirrels or chipmunks (Izzie, I just assumed you were self-correcting). If you do put out food though, it should be things that are good for birds. Rice and bread are almost useless and only give the animals a full (but nutritionally absent) diet. Most research agree that putting out seed is not detrimental to birds and may be helpful after a severe storm or an unusually hard winter. (A few studies have shown that bird feeders will constitute only about 25% of a birds diet.) Conversely, it's not necessary to feed during summer as young birds need to learn what to eat and how to find it.

Two thoughts: In my neck of the woods (CT) bird feeders are amazingly attractive to black bear. I've watched them go through back yards, bending them down, cleaning them out and then move on to the next yard and feeder. Secondly, a well visited bird feeder may end up being an all you can eat buffet for house cats and birds of prey. If a hawk beings to visit you should take the feeder down for a week or two. The hawk will lose interest and move on (most times). Not much you can do about cats though.

[Shadowman]

Nice.

[wlou]

Great picture Kyle. The feeder should be moved away from the tree or climbing pole. Awaiting the picture of birds you will take soon I am sure.

[Kyle]

Izzie - I actually didn't notice your typo either. I guess I was more focused on the second half of your comment with the nice things you were saying!

Jack - Thanks for the info. I'll keep my eye out for young birds and remove the feeder if any are around to let them figure things out on their own.
My neighborhood doesn't have much chance of bears or hawks but I will watch for them as well. There are lots of stray cats but as you say, I can't do much about them.

Thanks for the comment John.

Louise - Glad you like the photo. I put food in the feeder to see if I could get birds and what kind of birds I would get. When I fill it back up I'll look at moving it away from the tree but I don't have any good spots that will work as a background right now. Expect bird photos for sure.