I've been complaining long enough about not seeing any birds in my yard. I
won't complain any more. I've seen more Rufous Hummers, but I haven't seen
them for about a week. The Goldfinches are in the nearby woods around Lake
Padden, along with Hermit Thrush. I've seen the Evening and Black-headed
Grosbeaks, as well as a nice flock of Cedar Waxwings. Bald Eagles
occasionally fly over and other raptors that I couldn't identify.

My constant backyard companions have been a large family of Starlings who
have been eating my suet as fast as I could put it out there. An occasional
intimidated Downy Woodpecker occasionally dropped by for a taste, but the
young & rowdy Starlings were too much for him to stick around long.

Also ever-present, are a pair of Stellar Jays, whom I adore. They trade
places at the feeders with a little squirrel ... I can't remember his
name... could it be "Chickadee Squirrel? can't be... It is very small,
dark brown/gray on the top, rufous belly, and a black wavy line demarcating
the two colors. I looked it up in a bookstore, but I forgot the name.
The watering stations are not as attractive as they are for me in Texas and
in Belize. But that is easily explained, becauseTexas is usually dry, and
Belize is dry part of the year. During the dry periods, a continuous single
drop of water can call a bird from miles (maybe not miles... ;) away. Not
to mention that in Bellingham, creeks, lakes and springs are everywhere so a
bird doesn't have to look far to find a source of water. However, knowing
that on a hot day, a bird will be happy for a quick drink which is "right
there" by his food, I put my birdbaths out.

I have been experimenting with feeding and watering stations. Putting up
several different kinds in different parts of the yard helps to attract more
diversity as some of our shyer feathered friends can move to a quieter
station when another is occupied.
I have finally devised a simple system which was cheap and effective. The
most expensive part was a bird feeder dripping system with hose and
attachments. I placed the dripper on the fence hanging over an old disk on
legs. (This was a disc from a plow upon which someone welded four legs to
make a sort of campfire wok at one time.) This iron disc is pretty heavy
and sturdy, so I placed a large rock on top of it upon which the first drop
lands. The drop then rolls down the rock and fills up a small pool which
forms in the disc, which is slanted by placing rocks under two legs, toward
a 8" clay planter basin, which is stationed on more rocks and slanted so
that it pours into a second clay planter basin which is on the ground. I
then placed several flat rocks around the basins and under the disk so that
they also provide a place for the more modest bathers.

I turn it on a very slow drip only while I am watching. The small amount of
run-off goes down hill into the little creeks that drain our hillside. I
want to re-do the whole thing with a solar pump to recycle the water back up
to the dripper or to a fountain.

I finally got tired of the "darling starlings" (Not!) so I quit putting out
the suet, and sure enough, they're gone! I have plenty of sunflower seeds
out for the Jays and the Chickadees & thistle for the Goldfinches (who
haven't taken advantage). I saw one bird at my thistle feeder but couldn't
identify it. Do female Housefinches feed upside down?

I suppose I've gone on too long already, so will save other stuff for
another day.
See ya,
Marguerite