Wildlife: March "Firsts"! Birdsters please post your Sightings!, 1 by salvia_lover

salvia_lover wrote:
Well, I didn't get very close, but I was afraid of scaring these guys away. I discovered this morning "who" has been eating all the black oil sunflower seeds. These Parus major are becoming real regulars in the garden and this particular one in the pic (with a seed in his beak) stayed at the feeder and cracked and ate several seeds while 2 others kept hopping over and getting seeds only to hurry back to the safety of the nearby Lemon tree to enjoy them. And to think, I haven't even gotten round to taping on big yellow sunflower shapes on this feeder.

I wanted something that would stay dry but be far enough away from our patio that the birds wouldn't be afraid to come and eat. So I got a green plant container left over from the garden center and want to tape on yellow sunflowers to the sides. I filled the container most of the way with river rocks to weigh it down. Then I put in a plastic bowl 3 inches deep with drainage holes cut out of the bottom to keep the seeds dry enough even if it rains. Then more rocks around the bowl to hold it in place. The birds stand on teh rocks or in the bowl to get their seeds. I've checked the seeds a few times 24 hours after a rain and they are always dry with no sign of rotting. The bowl has emptied twice in the past 5 days :-) The few strawberries we've gotten from our plants I also put out next to the feeder and those always disappear too. So "someone" has been coming for lunch when I'm not around :-). I was really happy to finally witness it today and to have my camera handy....even if it was from across the entire garden! LOL

-Julie