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Hobby Forum Index » Birds » On Deck -- the rogues, rowdies, and ruffians...
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| Laurence Sheldon... |
 Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:26 pm |
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Guest
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Some talk every now and again about "I don't like
$[bird_or_other_critter] because...". I've written before that I try
not to hate anybody, but in the interest of full disclosure I have no
trouble filling the bottom ten slots or so of an ordered list of "My
favorite..."
But I've been watch for the last week of so to see just who hassles who
at the feeders here.
In no particular order, here are some things I've noticed.
Turkeys and squirrels tend to clear the area upon arrival, apparently
because of their size, more than because of any aggressive act. The
LBBs tend to re-enter the platform timidly, keeping an eye on The Big
One. The Goldfinches return almost immediately to the hanging feeders.
The Hummingbirds, if they notice at all, try to "hex" the intruder
into leaving or at least moving a little bit.
The Blue Jays tend to come bounding in like spit on a griddle and
everybody in the trajectory envelope scatters, but most return
immediately, some only step aside a bit. Once in a great while a Jay
will overtly chase other birds off the platform but most of the time the
prime target seems to be another Jay.
The Hummingbirds are an intolerant lot, but they mostly harass their own
kind (to what end is not always clear). One hides in the tree nearby
and comes out to attack another arriving, then pretty soon there are 4
or more jousting, then they all sit at one of the three feeders to have
a cuppa.
There has been a funny little vignette being played out this morning
(and as I write that, a Turkey arrived, and only the Goldfinches are
visible--a second Turkey arrived and the tree behind the platform
exploded--airborne Turkey arrivals are attention-getting)...I was saying...
There has been a funny little vignette being played out this morning.
There is a small insect (a tiny bee I think, I see them around the
flowers often, but I don't know what they are--they don't really look
much like honey or bumble bees, but they act like them) hanging around
one of the syrup feeders. This offends one of the Hummingbirds who
comes of the out of the tree to chase it away, which brings out several
more Hummers to chase _it_ away.
Except for the occasional randy rooster in the Spring, the LBB's seem to
be a live-and-let-live lot. Also pretty mellow are the Cardinals, both
kinds of Chickadees and the Nuthatches (the Summer populations for all
three groups seem to have left for the year, but the Winter populations
have not yet arrived). Add to the "mellow" group the Mourning Doves
(platform and deck) and Chipping Sparrows (mostly on the deck
itself--sometimes on the hanging feeders).
Most of the Woodpeckers seem to be loners. Downies (Downys?) and
Hairies (Hairys?) are seen occasionally on a hanging seed feeder. For
several years we have had a male Redbelly frequent the platform (and try
to chase everyone else off of it that got "too close") but I have not
seen him since Spring.
The Flickers are usually down on the lawn with the Robins, Thrashers,
Grackles and Crows. Except for the Grackles, we rarely see any of them
on the deck. When they are here, the Grackles are a lot like the Blue
Jays in terms of disruptive behavior.
Starlings, when here, just overwhelm everything. When I said "I have no
trouble filling the bottom ten slots or so of an ordered list..." I was
thing "Starlings for half of that space. %^|
My vote for the "Worst Ruffians" are the Goldfinches. They arrive like a
kid on the first bike ride without the training wheels--way too fast and
(apparently deliberately) flying into as many as possible. No matter
which spots are open on the hanging feeders are open, they want an
occupied one and try to keep the displaced from claiming any nearby spots.
I've probably forgotten somebody, but it is probably because they don't
do anything to attract attention.
The last Turkey just flew away, first back was a couple of Jays, and now
the LBBs are dribbling in.
--
Requiescas in pace o email Two identifying characteristics
of System Administrators:
Ex turpi causa non oritur actio Infallibility, and the ability to
learn from their mistakes.
Eppure si rinfresca
ICBM Targeting Information: http://tinyurl.com/4sqczs |
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