Most of the posts lately have been about birds visiting feeders. Those
seemingly rare birders that don't feed are probably feeling guilty. Rest
assured that not all of us think feeding is a good idea. Feeding gives a
warm and fuzzy feeling that is extremely hard to resist. (I confess, I've
broken my No Feeding rule for 3 days in a row by giving one of my resident
Song Sparrows a few grains of rice and a little dog food. He/she now
follows me around the yard.)

I think feeders, plus other sources of year-round food like pet food left
outside or bread fed to waterfowl, are having unintended consequences and
certainly helping to homogenize the species composition in developed areas.
If you don't feed, try to resist starting. If you do, try to cut back to
just enough to satisfy that human social instinct to be needed. Put up a
bird house and be a sloppier gardener instead.

My yard bird count is exceptionally low, but hey, this is the wind-blown
steppe in winter.

Kelly Cassidy
Pullman