Bird Feeder Time Again

This evening, after filling the bird feeder for the third time, I decided to look out the window from my "blind" (between the halves of the curtains) and got the shock of my life.

Okay, maybe not the biggest shock of my life, but quite a surprise.

There was a robin at my feeder eating seeds.

SEEDS!

I thought they mostly ate worms!?

Now, I know that they eat berries in the wintertime, so I was aware that they didn't ONLY eat worms. I mean, worms don't come out to play in the winter, right? But to see a robin at the bird feeder was unusual--especially during their nesting time.

So how do worms keep from freezing in winter? Or do they just die? Nevermind. It's one of those questions that you just kind of ponder on when you have nothing else to ponder on--like "Why is there a robin in my bird feeder instead of on the ground eating worms?"

Now, there's a well-known visitor--a redwing blackbird. It's a really pretty male, and he sings his little heart out. I don't think he has a mate yet. There are several in the vicinity protecting their "property". A couple of purple finches and a blue jay and a pair of cardinals, with a pair of mourning doves rounding out the bunch. In all, they seem to eat the feed pretty quickly, and so far, I haven't seen any raccoons, but I have seen a couple of cats.

Speaking of cats, mine are curled up in the blankets at the moment, but this morning, were staring at a spot near my dryer. Then my border collie, Mandy got in on the act. I had to put her into her pen and lay a trap for the mouse that is OBVIOUSLY hiding in there. I expect it to be full of mouse by morning.

I watched a pair of bunnies jump around the other night in the yard, just before nightfall. Later that evening, I could hear the coyotes yipping about something. Mandy didn't want to go outdoors. I wonder how she might have some fear of coyotes--since I don't believe she's had any sort of contact with them. She's never been off the leash, because she'd run off, but she has no reason to fear coyotes--could it be my concern over them that she's picking up? Unknowable.

But spring has hit the area, and birds are all nesting--including the one in my grill that I had to force to vacate--not a popular decision in the bird's opinion, I'm sure. The grill is mine, and I will be using it. The starling can find another place to hatch eggs. Baby birds in the grill tend to die anyway--mostly from heat stroke. Note: The grill is black. In the heat of summer, baby birds die in the grill ANYWAY. Lest PETA come knocking on my door.

Socks are finished, if I haven't told you. I'm gearing up to start a new project--probably an English Sheepdog. I just haven't gotten up the ambition to start it. Or anything else, for that matter, but it's time to start thinking seriously about the whole thing.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy a drink and maybe plant some tulips before the bulbs die.