Goings-on in the garden

The weather this week in my corner of the world hasn’t been pleasant for enjoying the new beauty in my garden. Luckily, though, being kept inside is probably better for the “adjustment period” of the lovely new bird feeder my three darlings gave me for mother’s day.

I was too impatient to wait to get a shot when there was actually a bird at the feeder…

Throughout the daylight hours one of us is generally in a position to look out and observe the action around the feeder. We’re all ready to run at a moment’s notice when someone calls out, “Oh, come and see!” I had forgotten how endlessly amusing it is to watch animal behavior when a never-ending food source is available. Here’s what we’ve seen since last night:

A cheeky squirrel dancing about on the patio table, gobbling up the stray bird seeds that dropped there when we filled the feeder.
An apparently quite dirty rabbit who sat on the edge of the porch and cleaned itself adorably for at least ten minutes.
An aggressive grackle who stood atop a patio chair ruffling up its feathers to warn off all others who might be interested in the new seed.
A pair of cardinals who loiter on surfaces near the feeder, trying to pretend they’re not actually interested in the feast so close to them.
Intrepid sparrows who have the guts to hop around under the feeder even when the ugly grackles are there.
An artful starling who landed on the top of the feeder, then carefully slid down the wires along the side until it could reach the seed. They’re repulsive birds, but I had to admire its dexterity.

Pretty cheap entertainment! Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to amuse me. 🙂