be patient and wait for the birds to come back

Yesterday Paco was sitting on the porch swing with me. “You know,” he said “I feel like an old person; sitting here on the porch watching the birds eat their &#(&$ food.” I laughed out loud then smiled realizing there really were several birds at the feeder! They got used to the squirrel proofing much faster than I’d hoped! In the course of about 10 minutes I saw at the feeder 3 chickadees (or one chickadee 3 times) a couple of finches, two sparrows and some western juncos feeding off the ground.

I really love our bird-feeder. There are three squirrels who come and eat also. This morning there were two on the ground and one scampering up the squirrel-proof pole that holds up the bird-feeder. The squirrel proceeded to pry off one of the copper plate/perch things that are super-affixed to the feeder cylinder. Once it popped off all the birdseed poured out onto the ground. Previously I had a “cage” that goes on the outside that lets birds in and keeps squirrels out. After I put it on I didn’t see a single bird for almost a week. Then I saw just one chickadee. Seeing no birds made me sad so I took the cage-deal off. The birds came back but so, unfortunately, did the squirrels. Went back to the Wild Birds Unlimited store to trade the cage for something else. The woman told me that what I observed is typical. The birds are wary for about a week. Then one adventurous one goes in. When that one comes out unharmed another one or two will follow. After 3 or 4 weeks birds visiting should be back to pre-cage numbers. So I put the darn cage up again this morning and am steeling myself to persevere through the next week or two.