Monday, February 7, 2011

Doughheads

Monday, February 7, 2011
5 comments
Blue jay.

The birds at our feeders LOVE the homemade suet dough we provide. We feed it to them in moderation, so there's no concern about them getting obese, lazy, or addicted, but they ARE often waiting just after dawn in the willow tree off the back deck. They perch there, shifting from foot to foot nervously, wiping a wing across their beaks as they sniffle, eyes glazed. Their mood is very anxious, jumpy. They stare into the house through the sliding glass doors. They are waiting for "the man." Some mornings it is "the woman." To bring them their "medicine."

These are the "doughheads."

The second we open the back door to start the morning feeding frenzy, the doughheads make a big show of flying away. But they only go far enough to be in a good position to swoop in first to the fresh handfuls of dough on the deck rail and in the hanging dough feeder.

Here are a few of the most avid doughheads.

Female red-bellied woodpecker.


Male dark-eyed junco.


Male northern cardinal.


Female northern cardinal.


Shy male eastern bluebird.


Male house sparrow.


5 comments:

On February 7, 2011 at 8:34 PM Unknown said...

I love these bird photos. Great shots!

On February 8, 2011 at 7:21 AM nina said...

House sparrows? On Indigo Hill?
Well, now I don't feel so bad.
The very first I have ever seen on our property appeared last week and since then, I've begun to feel as if my home in the country, away from it all, is less so.

On February 9, 2011 at 2:30 PM Heather said...

Bill, I'll trade you a Pileated and a Flicker for the Bluebird and the Junco!

On February 11, 2011 at 1:02 PM Nellie from Beyond My Garden said...

Of course, these are great photos. I've enjoyed viewing your "glick" photos. I feed a similar suet/berry/oatmeal substance that I smash in the the bark crevices of the black walnut right outside my kitchen window. It is fun to watch the bluejays and juncos become tree clinging birds, competing with the nuthatch and woodpecker. I don't know why I never thought of it until yesterday.

On February 13, 2011 at 10:47 AM lalapapawawa said...

Gah. I was talking myself out of making more dough this morning. I was even succeeding! But I don't get to see my pileated unless I have some out there. I guess I need to get off this couch.


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