I saw someone on FB talking about it being almost the time to stop feeding birds for this season because the bugs are out. I'd like to advocate against doing that. Most birds that eat at seed feeders don't eat bugs. Finches, for instance, are strictly seed-eaters, as far as I know. (Sparrows are the only ones I can think of that do both, but it's early and I don't feel like researching that.) We feed year-round - not because they necessarily need seed all year, but because we like to watch birds. When they have plenty of wild seed to eat, they slack off on coming to the feeder. We also leave out suet feeder up year-round. Loads of people only do suet in the winter, but it's fun to watch the woodpeckers bring their fledglings to eat and teach them how to use the suet feeder. Baby pileated woodpeckers are awesome to watch and the best place to see them is a suet feeder. I can't wait until it's warm enough to put out the hummingbird feeders.
Yes, I am a bird nerd.
Deer will also slack off on coming to us for food once the weather starts providing them with other food options. When the weather is really bad, we've had like 33 deer in the yard at once. When the weather is good and food is easy to get to, we might see one or two a day. When we're able, we put out extra protein food during the fawning season to give the mamas an extra boost. And there's a kind of food you can buy that helps get rid of intestinal parasites, so if we see them looking thin when food is readily available, we'll add that in.
We had scads of robins in the yard yesterday. As they migrate north, they stop by here for water and our yard is a nice open patch in the woods for them to search for bugs and worms. If you're feeding critters, don't forget to have some water for them, too. Yeah, we live near a lake, but when you're dining out, you don't want to have to walk across the restaurant for a drink, do you?
While feeding critters, I like to sing "You can get anything you want at Sanderson's Restaurant." :gigglesnort: If you didn't sing along there and have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sorry.
One Thanksgiving long ago, I was in my bedroom listening to my tiny, red, transistor radio and I stumbled across one station doing a broadcast of the full version of Alice's Restaurant. (Warning: don't click the link and start reading the lyrics - which aren't really lyrics so much as a story - if you don't have a lot of time on your hands.) I'd never heard it before and I was enthralled. I don't remember if I heard it all or if I was called away to dinner, but it was a hoot. I kinda got sucked into reading it just now and almost didn't finish this post.
Arlo Gurthrie also did City of New Orleans, which I love even though it has a tendency to make me cry.
I listen to many different kinds of music. Hell, even the occasional rap or heavy metal song. When I'm reading, though, I like to have the "Malt Shop Oldies" channel on in the background. It's mostly '50s stuff - Johnny Mathis, The Platters, The Crew Cuts, etc. These days, when I'm writing, I like to have a kind of folksy alternative in the background - Mumford and Sons... stuff like that.
And I see now that I've rambled on for a while, so I'd better let you get back to your lives and get this sucker posted. ;o)
What's on your mind this morning?
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