An Unexpected Guest

I’ve become accustomed to my usual avian visitors to my feeders.  The bluebirds pick at the dried meal worms, the chickadees  flock to the tube feeders, the titmouse like the window boxes and the crows pick off the dog food I dump on top of a stump.

However this morning there was a new bird on that stump. I’m fairly certain that it is a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk.

The hawk took all the time it wanted eating every scrap of dog food. The crows gathered in the trees watching in dismay. All the other birds and squirrels made themselves scarce.

Meanwhile on the front porch

This is the first year I’ve fed peanuts to the birds. I had no idea how much they are prized by Blue jays. I get unsalted peanuts from a local feed store and toss down a bowlful on the deck. Sometimes the Blue jays peck at the storm door for their favorite treat. Within 10 minutes the peanuts are completely gone.

Dried Mealworms

According to the winter bird counts, robins and bluebirds are increasingly wintering over in New Hampshire. I haven’t seen any robins but get  regular visits from the bluebirds and sometime from a flock of starlings. I’ve also seen a Carolina Wren stop in for bite. The bluebirds love the worms as much as the blue jays love the peanuts.

In spite of their unappetizing appearance these dried mealworms smell like a snack food, however the bag informs me that they are not for human consumption.

An Unwelcome Guest

My son got me a window bird feeder which stick to the window with suction cups. It is clear plastic and affords a close up view of the birds, It is a great favorite of the Tufted titmouse.  I thought I placed it out of reach of the squirrels, but I underestimated their acrobatic skills. Banging on the window did no good either.