Winter is a trying time for birds, the usual assortment of seeds and bugs are scarce. Often the birds depend on restaurants hung out by generous people. When we first moved into our new house......goodness!.....35 years ago! Anyway, one of the first 'projects' outside was a bird feeder. The inside projects produced many scrap pieces of wood, so the material for a feeder was on hand. A few saw cuts and some hammering the feeder was finished. With a bright red roof the open feeder, suspended from a long wire between two trees, was ready for the birds. Soon it attracted many of the local birds and along with chickadees, nuthatches and titmice came a bright red cardinal. I looked forward to the cardinal at the feeder as it sat and ate the sunflower seeds. The winter progressed and soon the snows covered the last remains of the browned summer flowers. The yard became a nondescript blanket of white except for the red feeder. Daily, the birds had their fill while the jealous squirrels watched and waited for dropped seeds. One day a nor'easter deposited 18 inches of snow. The wire, strained by the snow ladened feeder, broke and the feeder plunged into the snow below. The snow continued covering all but the roof. The day was ending the snow was abating, the cardinal arrived to find the feeder buried. It began a vain attempt to dig the feeder from the snow with it's beak. I watched from the window. I put on my coat and went out into the storm, took the feeder and placed it on the snow, there were still seeds inside and the cardinal was in a nearby bush. I went back inside. moments later the patient cardinal was at the feeder. The last customer before the night swallowed the remaining light. The next day I repaired the wire. The birds were happy again, the restaurant was open for business. Jerry
I think the cardinals are the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night. They don't feed from the feeder because it isn't the open kind. But, the little sparrows get them swinging and soon the seeds are almost all on the ground and the cardinals are soon having a feast with the blue jays and doves. The little birds swoop in between the larger ones. I love to watch them swoop and alternate eating with sitting in nearby trees and on the crossbar of the feeders to watch for the cats. I watch for the cats, too, and let fly with something not generally aimed but close enough to chase the cats away. Of course, the birds fly into the trees but soon they are back. I don't think the cardinals stay all summer here though. Mostly fall and winter. I liked your post Jerry. dooley
I'm sure the cardinal appreciated you braving the storm for it Jerry. I know my birds would sorely miss the food I put out for them every day. It's snowing again here and this morning the trees were decorated with various feathered friends waiting for me to feed them. There I was in a long, lilac dressing gown and black hooded jacket getting soaked as I put out their mealworms, fat cake, nyjer and sunflower seeds. As soon as the crushed peanuts were on the ground and the whole ones in a feeder I had bluetits and robins willing me back indoors. Ian thinks the birds are better fed than we are.
What a tale, Jerry. I know those birds were delighted when the restaurant was again open for business. Well done, you.
Great story Jerry! We are bird watchers and feeders too. It is especially important for us to be sure our birds can get food and water during the bad weather in winter. We will bundle up and get out to brush away snow and be sure there is plenty of seed for all. They seem to have schedule in the mornings and we love watching as they all arrive for their breakfast and later for dinner in our backyard. I would definitely go out to retreive a fallen feeder!
Yup Jerry you are a softy aren't you. I to would do the same for our birds. But we have had really big birds showing up at our feeders lately because of all the snow. Turkeys! We bought some corn and put that out in back yard away from our feeders in front. They were eating all the seed I put on the ground for the little birds leaving them nothing to eat. We must get 20 or more turkeys everyday since we have had so much snow. More snow is on the way this week again!
My Cardinals are the last customers of the day and one of the first birds I see in the morning. You can always tell when bad weather is coming...the bird activity increases and the feeders are emptied quickly. Enjoyed your story :-D
