Standing just outside our living room window next to the patio we have a small “Bird Walmart”. It consists of a six- foot post wrapped in shiny tin to discourage the proverbial squirrel’s attempts to climb the slippery surface and stuff their furry little faces with sunflower seeds.

Attached to the post is a metal pole for hanging flower baskets. There are no flower baskets attached however. Instead hanging on one of the hooks is my latest up to date bird feeder, made of metal and able to hold up to five pounds of sunflower seeds! It is my pride and joy!

I must apologize for its presence, however as I excitedly filled it with sunflower seeds for the first time I discovered a little sticker that said made in China! Yikes! If Fox News finds out that feeder is hanging in front of my house it may suddenly disappear some dark night!

Worse yet if the FBI or the CIA get wind to my erroneous purchase we’ll be awakened in the early morning hours with a flash grenade and a loud crash as they smash our front door in. It will be a new experience as I have never been in handcuffs before. 🙁

Enough politics, let’s get back to describing the “Walmart bird feeder”.

A second hook contains a hummingbird feeder with one part sugar and four parts water carefully measured and fact checked with Google.

A metal cage containing suet also dangles from the metal flower pot holder.

To ensure as many birds as possible can feed at one time I’ve also attached an eight inch tube filled with more sunflower seeds.

The “Bird Walmart” has provided much enjoyment and actually increased my knowledge of the great outdoors, especially Minnesota bird life. 🙂

I’ve discovered various bird species have specific habits that I would not have been aware of had it not been for the “Bird Walmart”.

The tiny little Juncos are a great example. I think they may have a fear of heights as they very seldom sit high on the feeder eating sunflower seeds or suet. Instead they are content to hop on the ground cleaning up discarded sunflower seeds or suet droplets.

As happens on school playgrounds or driving down our nations highways bullies are encountered. The biggest bully at the “Bird Walmart” has to be the beautiful blue, black and white Bluejay.

Before you even see them you hear their piercing cry that announces they are about to arrive. There is always at least three of them at a time and they pig out on the sunflower seeds and riddle the suet with gaping holes. Meanwhile all the remaining birds scatter into the neighboring trees.

Many birds like suet but the winners for devouring suet has to go to the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. The two birds are very similar in appearance with the Downy being smaller then the Hairy. Also the Hairy Woodpecker has a larger beak then the Downy Woodpecker.

Both birds keep me busy replenishing the metal suet cage with a fresh cake of suet.

And of course we can’t forget the familiar bird call that fills the frigid winter air, “chicka-de-de-de-de”. One of the only birds that actually announces its name….the Black- Capped Chickadee.

The Chickadee is a very gentle bird that flies to the feeder, alights, grabs a sunflower seed and off it goes to the safety of a small tree branch to enjoy its snack.

They are so tame that it is not unusual to have them land on your outstretched hand and grab a sunflower seed.

Last year I was given a Hummingbird feeder as a gift. I decided to make up a mixture of sugar and water and give it a try. I was a doubting Thomas however as I have seen very few Hummingbirds in my entire life.

I prepared the sugar mixture and hung the feeder next to the sunflower feeder. I assumed I would have to wait several days for the Hummingbird to discover the feeder. Actually I doubted we even had any Hummingbirds so my expectations were very low.

Thirty minutes later the sound of whirring wings filled the air and to my great surprise the first Hummingbird arrived. And not just one but several zooming too and fro.

What amazing little creatures they are. Now my next challenge is to discover a Hummingbird nest. 🙂

One morning I was shocked and startled as I saw a dark shadow come over the “Bird Walmart”. An instant later a giant Woody Woodpecker landed on the suet cage and began devouring large chunks of suet.

What a beautiful bird! It was a Pileated Woodpecker. There is no better sculpturer of trees then a Pileated Woodpecker. If you come across a tree with huge holes in the tree trunk and deformed beyond belief it is more then likely the result of a Pileated Woodpecker searching for insects and grubs. When they fly they remind me of a prehistoric creature.:)

Probably the most exciting happenings while bird feeder watching is when the unexpected visitor arrives. Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, Indigo Buntings and cardinals would certainly have me scrambling for my iPad because it would be picture time. 🙂

Last summer the first Rose-Breasted Grosbeak made a visit to our feeder. I see by my bird book that it should have been in this area long ago but for some reason I missed seeing one.

Bird watching can be fun. Binoculars in hand with ears finely tuned one wanders through the trees locating the birds by their calls. Once a bird call is located then comes the task of searching with the binoculars and finding the bird. Craning one’s neck and searching the branches gets to be a pain in the neck if you know what I mean. My attempts at that challenge has proven unsuccessful most of the time.

Instead I sit in my easy chair, iPad on my lap and eyes on the bird feeder just outside the living room window.

Ahh, now that’s my idea of bird watching! 🙂

Until next time.