Sparrows aside, we have an interesting situation developing at home. Over
the course of the past year the crows have become regular visitors to our
duck feeders (and cleaning up stray duck eggs) and so have nested in the
tall trees nearby.

Meanwhile, the migrant Red-wings have rolled in and done the same thing. I
rather feel for the crows. When they come to feed, they are instantly
bombed by a crazed male red-wing determined to drive them away from the
nesting area.

The poor crows just scrunch down to the ground in total bewilderment at this
behavior. They've never been attacked at feeding stations before!

The Steller's Jay and Scrub Jays have now nested on opposite ends of the
property so they've stopped harrassing one another. Amazingly, they take
turns snitching cat food off the balcony.

Evening Grosbeaks continue to eat us out of house and home. I've gone
through more sunflower seed in the past three days than I went through all
winter!

Best news of all, the Purple finches had their first babies down in the
trees by the feeder this morning. It's a wonderful cacaphony of noise and
movement at our place right now.

Peggi



Peggi Rodgers
Oregon Research Institute
Eugene, OR
peggir at ori.org
prodgers at efn.org
"A bird does not sing because it has an
answer, It sings because it has a song"