If You Feed Them, They Will Come

Having lived in a rented dwelling for the past ten years without a backyard and all the other joys that owning a house has to offer, you can well imagine that I’m a little overwhelmed now that we finally have our own home. And excited. And perhaps acquiring a few obsessions along the way, like these:

Bird feeders galore!

So far, I’ve put up three all-purpose feeders that will accommodate a variety of seeds, two hummingbird feeders, an oriole feeder, a finch feeder and a suet feeder. I’ve also added a large bird bath near our kitchen window and hung a very small one near the finch feeder. And I’m afraid that it’s only the beginning; I may add more bird stuff. Well, I’m not afraid, actually, my husband is. I’m having a grand old time.

But you know, despite my family’s fear that I may be developing yet another obsession, similar to my betta and houseplant craze (couldn’t settle for just one betta fish and a few houseplants), they’re enjoying the end result of this super bird-friendly backyard. One thing’s for sure: ‘If you feed them, the birds will come’. To date we’ve managed to see Cardinals, Orioles, Goldfinches, Robins, Sparrows, Blue Jays, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Hummingbirds, Mourning Doves and an assortment of other birds that I’ve yet to identify. Our backyard is brimming with beautiful colours and a flurry of activity, not to mention all the soothing bird sounds.

Sure I may be going a little overboard, but it seems to me that everyone is enjoying the benefits of my madness.