The New Pumpkin Bird Feeder

The Chickadees were flitting around this morning...back and forth to the woods from the feeder. They were so entertaining...little bundles of energy. I watched them for a while and then thought that I would make a feeder out of my pumpkin that was rotting on the porch. I had hollowed the pumpkin out for our "Bouquet of the Month." I stapled some jute twine on the bottom and poked a few holes in the bottom with an ice pick. Then I filled it with seed....sunflower seeds. The birds completely ignored it. In fact they seemed to be afraid of it. Wondering what I could do to make it more "bird friendly" I remembered Tweety's millet sprays. So, I put a spray on the side of the feeder.

I sat there, it seemed, forever. The chickadees and nuthatches by passed the pumpkin on their way to and from the woods. I decided that the flat feeder was filled with too many seeds, so I emptied it. Then sat back down to watch. They kept coming and looking around in a puzzled way. Where was the seed? Now what are we supposed to do? They stayed until they had finished the sunflower seeds that were in the flat feeder. Just a few and then...would they just leave? Would they try something new?

One little guy flew up to the top of the hook to check out this new thing. He was very wary of this orange thing. It reminded me of years ago, when I was new to birding and decided to put red bows on all the feeders for Christmas morning. We didn't have a bird all day. I had put special seed in the feeders for Christmas breakfast for the birds and nary a one came to call.

Finally, one brave little fellow swooped down and grabbed a seed out of the pumpkin. Flew to the woods and came right back and grabbed another. Pretty soon his buddies were joining him. The nuthatches and a red bellied woodpecker came to grab some seeds.

We had to leave for Rockford and just as we were getting ready a squirrel came to visit. I had filled the other feeder and he was sitting in it when we left. I was afraid that the pumpkin feeder would be destroyed, but when I got home and checked...he hadn't bothered it. It's fun to try different things with our bird friends. My little camera doesn't take good closeup pictures and my old arm is not so steady. These are the best I could do. Tell me, how do you camera buffs have the patience to wait for just the right shot?

Balisha