Three years ago last fall, I hung out four birdfeeders around the lilac bush in the front yard. I maintain the birdfeeders year round. For the first two years, I killed both gray and red squirrels to prevent them from getting into the feeders. A number of incident's lead me to humanize the squirrels, particularly red squirrels. I began throwing out ground seed for the squirrels and ground-feeding songbirds last summer and made friends with a pair of chipmunks. One had the cute habit of running out from the lilac bush and stepping on my shoe when I would scatter birdseed on the ground. The daring chipmunk would even let me pat him. (I never tried to pick him or her up.)
Two years ago, I began mixing my own birdseed, which I do every three to four weeks. Red cardinals, purple and golden finches, titmice, black capped chickadees, blue jays, song sparrows and woodpeckers, which believe it or not, will sit in the platform birdfeeder and peck away at the sunflower hearts without a care in the world, are regular residents.
I live on top of a long slopping hill. The lilac bush is 50 yards from the road. The neighbor across the road has a new cat that is a killing multiple song birds every week. He is a merciless killing machine. The chipmunks that made an appearance earlier this month have disappeared. The male owner of the black cat lives alone.
I don't want to play my hand by talking to the neighbor for the simple reason that if he chooses to ignore my concerns, I will be suspect #1 when his cat doesn't return home after his hunting safari.
Two years ago, I began mixing my own birdseed, which I do every three to four weeks. Red cardinals, purple and golden finches, titmice, black capped chickadees, blue jays, song sparrows and woodpeckers, which believe it or not, will sit in the platform birdfeeder and peck away at the sunflower hearts without a care in the world, are regular residents.
I live on top of a long slopping hill. The lilac bush is 50 yards from the road. The neighbor across the road has a new cat that is a killing multiple song birds every week. He is a merciless killing machine. The chipmunks that made an appearance earlier this month have disappeared. The male owner of the black cat lives alone.
I don't want to play my hand by talking to the neighbor for the simple reason that if he chooses to ignore my concerns, I will be suspect #1 when his cat doesn't return home after his hunting safari.