Star[ling] Wars

I went to Menard's with a friend yesterday, actually to look at a refrigerator, but while we were there, we looked at bird stuff. They didn't have an upside down suet feeder, but they did have safflower seed, which starlings aren't supposed to like, so I got some.

The squirrel climbed up, nibbled a bit, then sat up with this "what the hell?" look on his face--it was pretty funny. Nibbled a little bit more, same reaction. Tried again, gave it up, jumped down and went away. Yay!

The starlings are being hrder to discourage. They don't seem to like it, but they also don't seem to believe that the stuff in the feeder isn't sunflower chips (the sunflower chips and safflower seed are the same color). I was watching them through my great-grandfather's binoculars this morning. They land on the feeder, pull seed out, and throw it around (which is annoying, but since it lands on the ground, the cardinals can find it), then try the thistle feeder (don't like thistle, can't deal with the feeder itself), jump into the tray where I was putting breadcrubs and s uet (currently empty), jump into the other tray (where I was putting fruit, also currently empty), then go and throw safflower seed around some more, then fly off. I figure that eventually they'll either get discouraged and go away, or they'll develop a taste for safflower. I hope it's the former rather than the latter.

The first time the cardinal tried it he got this definite "hmm--interesting" look to him. I was watching him through the binoculars this morning, too, and he's eating the stuff. It's interesting to watch him get a seed, then crack it open with his beak and eat the innards. I imagine once his lady finds it in the grass she'll enjoy it, too. There's a purple finch that seems to really like it too. The English sparrows (which are really weaver finches and are now called either house sparrows or house finches, but I can never remember which, so I just keep calling them English sparrows) seem to throw it around like the starlings do; I don't think they're eating it, but they are pigging out on the thistle seed.

The poor little downy woodpecker--every time he comes to the feeder, the starlings attack him and drive him off. I hope that once they get discouraged by the safflower seed they'll go away and leave him alone.

So I'm still going to get an upside-down suet feeder, or maybe a caged one--the upside down one might be safer for the downy, but more small birds might be able to used the caged one. I may also get a weight-sensitive feeder; I'd like to offer a mix that has sunflower chips and peanuts bits, but I don't want those greedy starlings eating it all. Which they would.

I'm mad that I can't put out fruit and suet. When I had them out, I noticed I had a bunch of robins hanging around--more than just the parents on the porch. Now that it's not there, no robins. Boo, starlings! I was hoping I could loosen up a little over the winter, but apparently starlings don't migrate.

It's a pretty, sunny, cool day today. I need to go out and do some stuff. One of the businesses behind me strewed plastic all over the place and I need to pick it up (and maybe take some pictures, so I can complain to the city). I've also got to plant some daffodils a friend gave me and dig up some tulips to give her, and I'm thinking of moving some hostas from the back to the front. I'm not sure how my knees will hold up to all that digging, esp. since I'm also doing laundry and the basement steps are hard on my knees, but I can take a crack at it.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!