FreeLists / va-richmond-general / [va-richmond-general] The adorability factor

["IE Ries" <featherchaser@xxxxxxxxxx>]

  While stuck inside doing previously put-off housework this morning, I saw a 
wonderful thing.  
  Over the winter, I'd moved my bird-feeding operation, from the overhang by 
the kitchen window up to my back bedroom window on the second floor, in an 
effort to become squirrel-free (and because I decided I was investing in the 
suction-cup window feeders and that would be it for a while!).  There is now a 
Hummie feeder, Al Warfield's "peanutbutter teaser stick" feeder, and three 
little suction-cup, clear, plexi-glass feeders with sunflower seeds, mixed 
fruit and nut meats, and small grass seeds (the thistle seed is in the front of 
the house).

  A downy male flew down and right into the feeder with the nut & fruit mix, 
and proceeded to stuff himself happily.  After picking out what he liked and 
downing it, he sat on the rim, resting.  I heard some furtative twittering and 
looked at the bottom of the windowpane to see another Downy, clinging on 
patiently, apparently waiting for a space at the feeder.

  Or so I thought.

  The clinger made a few meek attempts to fly up to the lip of the dish and 
land, but wasn't successful, and the male in the dish didn't seem as though he 
liked the intrusion.

  The Dish Male went back to eating...or rather, stuffing some choice morsels 
into the his beak.  And then he did an amazing thing:  he flew up over the rim 
of the dish and landed beside Little Clinger, siddled up, and began feeding 
him!  

  The sight now drew me like a magnet, and I got 3" away from them on the other 
side of the window and behind a sheer white curtain.  I watched.  Little 
Clinger had a slight but noticeable red cockade...so that meant...Papa feeding 
his baby!

  Papa did this several more times, and while waiting, Little Clinger decided 
to peck at bits of debris on the glass and actually lightly drummed a bit.  The 
feeding, chirping, drumming and attempts to fly up onto the dish continued, 
with fearlessly Papa fending off would-be incursions by House Finches.

  The Family Lunch drew to an abrupt close, however, when Mr. Towhee flew up 
and plopped himself into the nut&berry feeder, displacing all the other birds 
like an overweight swimmer at a pool party carefully aiming a cherry-bomb 
plunge.

  Ah well.


  ;)

  Irene in Southside

 

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