Subject: Ignore bad behavior, reward good
Date: Jul 11 20:57:17 1998
From: "D. Daily" - ddaily at u.washington.edu



After the kids are done fighting, a few of us will remain to continue
a real exchange.

BC chickadees kids probably escaped the box, sometime friday morning.
This morning, Saturday, I started working on my greenhouse addition,
which is very close to the box.

Within a few minutes, lots of chatter. Everybody is out of the nest,
two verified survivors plus mom and dad, neighborhood cats have been
overly attentive.

One of the kids did a approx. 20 yard flight, from one evergreen
semicircular to another, not 'Top Gun' but soon, soon.

The parents have noticeably switched from suet to black sunflower
and been piggy about eating it themselves. If Junior gets real
noisy they go to the suet feeder!

Last year I saw 5 come out, this year didn't see them so don't know
how many kids were popped out. I have this terrible feeling that
some of the cats may have gotten a couple. But 2 is better then
nothing, and the parents are not quite as busy, so may
the survivors will do just fine.

The adults have been very bold during the day, landing within afew
feet of me, even when the kids have been back in the shrubs.


Douglas F. Daily
ddaily at u.washington.edu
Physical Plant Business Office
Box 352215
Seattle WA 98195