Those who know me, know that whenever I move into a new place, the first thing I do is set up my birdbath and erect my feeders. I have had birds show up within a couple of hours in some places. I am puzzled now, as to why I have had so few visitors in my new place. There are plenty of trees around – not in my yard, but across the street and nearby. After nearly a week, the house sparrows began to show up in the early morning and the evening only. Eventually, the European starlings appeared and bathed in the birdbath. I have also seen a robin drinking there. A lone flicker has visited the suet from time to time and looks to be a juvenile. But, the constant activity that I have become accustomed to, is lacking here.
I have seen as many as three cottontails sunning themselves in the yard. One hung out beneath the birdbath for several hours one day. I occasionally see squirrels running by, too. I have begun feeding them as well, along with the bluejays, for whom I set out a handful of peanuts each morning. I know that I am not the only one in the neighborhood feeding the birds. My feeder pole is out in the sun, in the open, where it is safe from lurking predators. It has a raccoon baffle to deter both raccoons and squirrels. I offer a variety of seed and I toss a cracked corn mixture on the ground around the feeder, for the European collared doves and other ground feeding birds. Still, the feeders are disappointingly empty for most of the day.
I know that I will never have the large number of bird species here that I so loved in the northeast. While I have no large trees in my yard, I have numerous deciduous shrubs that offer cover for the birds. Perhaps when the weather gets truly wintry, they will appreciate my offerings. When spring arrives, months from now, I can plant trees, flowers, and herbs to help bring in more birds. I do not know where all the birds have gone, but I will be patient and I will create habitat for them that I know will attract them. In the meantime, I will continue to wait and watch for them. I will keep track in my wildlife journal, what birds and animals show up and when. Hopefully, sometime in the future, I can add a happy sequel to today’s blog.
