Back to feeding the neighborhood

Following Martha Stewart’s advice, I have once again begun feeding my local birds for the winter. Now that my beautyberry bush (callicarpa) has been all but denuded by the rowdy gang of house finches that live in my rose trellis, the natural food supply has dwindled and it’s time I squeeze some birdseed back into my food budget.

Which means that the squirrel-proof feeders that hang outside of my kitchen window are once again a hive of activity!

(I love this picture for how these two birds have created an optical illusion of one really loooooooong bird. )

These house finches were the only birds willing to come so near to where I was crouched by the window with my camera — I had hoped that I’d be able to snag pics of the little chickadees and titmice that also love the safflower seeds I put out. But… alas… no luck.

I love their birdsong — the chickadees sound exactly like a dog’s squeaky toy being vigorously chewed, which used to drive our old dog nuts! They’re rather playful and bossy to each other and I could spend hours watching them. I get a great deal of joy observing them interact with each other (and will admit to rooting for some over others.)

But… being the celebrities of our Fall garden, they do have to deal with some more unsavory types:

Oh, no! There’s another one, down there in the right-hand corner. A paparazzo!

Shoo! SHOO! Go away… let them dine in peace!!

Oy! What a pain.

Anyway, thanks for all the great comments — keep ‘em coming. And for those of you who didn’t want the bento but wanted to play the “what’s your stripper name” game, just go ahead and comment anyway.

I’m off for a day of prepping for Thanksgiving and our upcoming weekend of Christmas decorating. And, if The Hubster gets to any of the plumbing projects today, I’ll have to run up to my dad’s house to make some pate brisee for his beloved pumpkin pies. (I don’t want to risk glutenizing our kitchen again, with flour flying everywhere… so my step-mom has kindly offered up her kitchen for the process.)

I just hope the paparazzi leave me alone! :\