This has happened once before, several years ago. If the same bird is involved, he or she has not learned much from previous experience. And while the picture is not very good, my intent was to capture the moment.
The day was hot and the bird was showing signs of fatigue, so the feeder was taken apart and the creature was set free.
It has just rained so everything was wet, including the seeds. I have all sorts of nonbirds claiming the food and among the most aggressive are deer, possoms, racoons and the little pests that collect nuts (and bird food). There even is a large pot bellied pig, that no one claims, who likes to bump against the feeder stands and knock down seeds. She seems to make the rounds of the acerages near by.
How large do you make your uploads when you include pictures? My previous attempts seem to exceed the allowed limit-resulting in small photos.
Thanks for your comments. I guess I should not complain about the cost of feed. The pleasure and beauty the visitors provide is well worth the cost of bird food. I wonder if my guests would settle for hen scratch now and then.
You might not believe what goes on outside whenever I don't have my camera handy!
There are seven crows that visit daily and take over the bird bath for a short while. I have several species of intruders that help themselves to whatever they find.
Good rescue story Maury. It sounds like you have a zoo or a refuge next door.
But on a lighter note we had the same issue here but with a mouse. So one day my wife decided to fill the feeder for me and when she opened the lid the mouse jumped on her hand then proceeded to jump to her head. Needless to say the poor mouse got the ride of its life while my could heard screaming in the next province.
Darren.
That was a funny story, although not to your wife or the mouse! I find that age does affect one's dreams, so if possible, try and pursue your desires while you are young and able to carry all of your equipment with little concern. In time your Rebel will seem to weigh as much as a brick, and that light carbon tripod might seem to be made out of lead. So, either travel light or obtain a well equiped four wheel drive golf cart to carry you, your fans and your photographic equipment.
Our acerage provides a variety of laughs and adventures. We had a yorkie named Bonnie who once proudly brought my wife a possom-which we thought she had killed. The dead creathre lay on the floor for a short while and then suddenly stood up, hissed at Bonnie and then crawled through an open door to the outside.
Welcome to Fred's site; both he and it are a treasue filled with an unlimited number of talented, selfless and dedicated photographers.
Thanks for the comment. It often pays to inturde into the lives of our subjects, but the results might not be what one would expect. I once had a large flock of Guniea hens for which I built a pen for them to roost at night in safety. Some of them escaped and preferred to roost in the branches of tall trees at night. Barn owls would wait until the birds were asleep and then knock them off of the branches. Some of them are featured in my Gallery.
A racoon or possum later dug under the fortification and did in what was left of the flock. So I do what I can to help out now and then.
Great suggestion which has been followed after the rescue.
Oddly enough, that is the one feeder that can be cleaned, as the bulb is made of heavy glass. Plastic feeders are not long lived and are also hard to clean.
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