On a recent exploration I noticed that someone had attached a six inch by six inch feeder to a random tree at a random location. The coming and going of dozens of Nuthatches and Chickadees is what drew my attention to this tiny bird feeder. The birds came in one’s and two’s to the feeder as more waited on nearby trees and branches for their turn.
Some birds worked the surrounding ground searching for any bird seed that might have been spilled.
A squirrel charged on to the feeder scattering the birds but they didn’t go very far. The squirrel ate like it was his last meal and a nuthatch or chickadee would land on one side of the feeder and take a seed. The squirrel did not want to share and would fake a lunge at the offending bird pilfering its seed.
The squirrel gorged, the birds seized at opportunity and the squirrel did its fake lunge and on it went.
With all this activity I didn’t think I would be noticed trying to take their photo but I was regarded like paparazzi in Hollywood as I tried to capture a photo the squirrel would move behind the tree to block the shot and giving me photos of just its tail.
The nuthatches and chickadees came and went so fast that I got photos of disappearing tail feathers or a blurry wing tip.
With minimal movement and waiting the nuthatches, chickadees and squirrel began to regard me as just another part of their environment and as long as I didn’t try to take any of their food they cared less about me and my camera.
