Since I set this blog up years ago, I've had my share of good and bad post ideas. Some that I thought would be helpful fell flat on their face. Others, like the posts about what to feed wild rabbits, have been hugely successful and constantly searched for. One of the things that can help me get more of the good stuff out to you is if you tell me about it. That's where reader … [Read more...] about I’m Grateful for Real Reader Comments
Being Grateful for My Backyard Friends
Gratitude Is Good No matter who you are or what troubles you find yourself with, it's always good to count your blessings. Here's a quick run-down the things my backyard friends make me grateful for. Their connectedness Every time I watch siblings of any kind play and fight with each other I can't help thinking about how much we miss that as humans. Sure, we fuss and fight … [Read more...] about Being Grateful for My Backyard Friends
Just In Time Chickadee Housing
I have a quick story to share with you which further emphasizes the need to pay attention to your backyard I spoke of in my last post. It's a story about seeing a need and filling it and the feeling you can get doing that. This story involves one of my favorite feeder birds, the Carolina chickadee. A few years ago, before I ever had any Eastern Bluebirds in my backyard, I … [Read more...] about Just In Time Chickadee Housing
Top 5 Benefits of Paying Attention
Paying Attention Is Good For All Concerned I can't tell you how many times I've heard birders talking about something that's happened to them that's caught them by surprise. I've had people tell me how they turned around and their feeders were getting mobbed by birds they didn't intend to feed. Or people like myself who found they had inadvertently made some birds sick. What … [Read more...] about Top 5 Benefits of Paying Attention
My Apology To My Goldfinches
Recently, I've had a bit of a heartbreak in my backyard. I need to tell you about it so you wont' make the same mistake. House Finch Eye Disease I've blogged before about the importance of paying attention to your feeders and yanking them down the minute you see any of your house finches with the eye disease they can get. I'd been pretty lucky this year that I had not seen … [Read more...] about My Apology To My Goldfinches
The Saddest Part Of Bird Feeding
It's As Natural As Birth Every birder dreads it. You're enjoying just sitting and watching your backyard friends feeding, playing and singing. And then, you spot it. Sitting on one of the arms of your feeder station: a little guy that seems quite unsure of what it's doing there. You continue to watch but they don't move. You walk out to the feeder and they make a feeble … [Read more...] about The Saddest Part Of Bird Feeding
5 Things You Should Be Feeding Wild Rabbits
As I mentioned back in an earlier post about feeding wild rabbits in 2011, I have wild rabbits in my backyard. They show their wonderful faces mostly during the spring and summer. This year has been a little different because I have seen at least one of them every now and then when I take my dog Maggie out before bed. Only about once or twice a week but still more than I've … [Read more...] about 5 Things You Should Be Feeding Wild Rabbits
Brome Birding Squirrel Buster Update
I thought I'd give you a quick update on my experience with the Brome Bird Care Squirrel Buster Peanut Plus feeder. Since I did my review a few months back, I've had some time to observe how well the feeder works in my backyard. I had originally tried to put the feeder on a pole system but was unsuccessful because the hardware it hung from actually made it hang too low. … [Read more...] about Brome Birding Squirrel Buster Update