FEEDING FRENZY

I love the fall, and one of my favorite things to do since I've moved into my new house has been to sit on my deck and watch all the activity in my little backyard woods. I was watching the leaves slowly twirl to the ground, loving all the different colors, when I realized I hadn't been seeing many birds lately.

Over the spring and summer my backyard had been filled with birds. My birdhouse had been twice filled with families. I loved listening to the babies cry for Mom and Dad to hurry up with the next snack. I also felt sorry for the parents as they rushed back and forth on their never ending search for food. In a way I sympathized with them because I too had children, (although they were older,) whose never ending chant was, “There's nothing to eat in this house!”

But now my woods seemed sadly quiet. That's when my husband Steven came out to sit with me. “Beautiful day out isn't it?” he asked as he sat down next to me.

“It is.” I agreed. “But have you noticed there are a lot less birds back here, now that fall has started?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “They're probably looking for food for the winter.” he said. “If your not going to feed them, someone else will.”

That was all I needed to hear as I got up, grabbed my purse and headed for the front door. “Be back in an hour.” I called.

Within the hour I was back on my deck sitting next to Steven as we both looked at the new feeder I'd set up at the edge of the woods. “How long do you think it going to take for the word to get out that we've got food?” I asked.

Steven never got the chance to answer as the first chickadee landed on the feeder and just as quickly flew away with its seeds.

As the hours went by I got busy doing chores around the house but each time I went by the back windows I checked on the feeder. “There must be a dozen chickadee's out there now!” I called to Steven, who I'm sure wanted these updates.

“That's great.” he called back. He didn't sound as enthusiastic as I was but I knew in time he'd be enjoying the feeder as much as I was.

As dusk began to fall I was back on the deck with Steven, both of us watching the feeding frenzy that was happening at the feeder.

“You know I liked when the chickadee's were enjoying it but now that the blue jays and squirrels have found it I'm not loving it as much.” I complained as I watched a squirrel hanging upside down emptying out the last few seeds from the bottom of the feeder. “Am I the only one in this neighborhood with a feeder!”

Steven looked over at me as I grabbed the bag of seeds ready to go out and fill the feeder again. “Wasn't it just this morning you were complaining that our backyard was too quiet?” he asked.

“Yes, but I wanted to feed house finches and chickadee's. Not these guys.” I said with disgust as I pointed to the four blue jays yelling at one another from the nearby trees.

Just then a little chipmunk scurried under the feeder, quickly trying to grab some seeds. “Oh my gosh, isn't he the cutest thing!” I cried as looked back at Steven to see if he could see him from where he was sitting.

That's when the blue jays started swooping down at the chipmunk, chasing him through the underbrush.

“Hey!” I called out. “Leave him alone!” I was waving my arms trying to scare the jays as I headed toward the feeder.

I could hear Steven laughing as he called out, “Has anyone mentioned that you can be a roller coaster of emotions at times?”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” I said as I tried not to laugh as I refilled the feeder.