The large red huckleberry over my Compost bin has hosted several attendants
in the last few days. This morning there was a ruckus as a chipmunk decided
to defend its red berry treasure trove against a couple of Cedar waxwings.
The birds would land, the chipmunk would, with substantial effort, run and
jump through the bush in order to drive them off. The waxwings would wait
patiently nearby until the mammal was on one side, them land on the other.
This went on for 20 minutes of chipmunk circus routine as it swung and leapt
through the bush. Then finally the chipmunk left the bush to climb a bit
higher on a nearby bush. It watched as the dratted birds flew in but this
time the mammal just dropped down and starting eating also. They fed
together for half an hour, at one point only a few inches away. I was
surprised that after being hassled, the birds would let the mammal be that
close. Maybe huckleberries, with all their vitamins and nutrients contain
some kind of peace making substance.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher
Snohomish County