It isn't easy being nice to birds. Matters not the little boogers have flown for thousands of miles to reach these shores, and that they only plan to stay a day or two before heading on to their summer nesting places. There are spoilers waiting to ruin their welcome.
STRAY CAT - This skinny, abandoned, black and white is a weird cat. He actually allows the sprinkler to wet him while he hides in a back bush awaiting his prey. Cats are deadly on little birds, however I never see them catch sparrows or seagulls. Plenty of those!
SPARROWS - We are talking about those imported ones from England. House Sparrows, they are often called. I had a beautiful male painted bunting fly down and splash into the bird bath. A second followed. An indigo bunting joined the splash-time. It was beautiful. Some of our fifty or so resident sparrows saw the event. They came, leaping into the bowl, and sending my lovely visitors winging away. Sparrows!!! Bang!
SQUIRRELS - I have a bird feeder on a six foot pole. It is simply a big open tray. I put sunflower seeds on it. The squirrels have measured a jump from one tree limb to the middle of the tray below. It is a piece of cake for these guys and gals. They fly down, hitting their target, and sending seed in every direction. One will then sit and eat the remaining seeds, wondering why I am such a tightwad. Of course no bird will come near them on the feeder unless, perhaps...... A SPARROW!
In the olden days I could have easily corrected all three problems. Not any more. The Past President of Aransas Bird And Nature Club must not be caught doing any of those awful things.
Such is life in the fast lane in Rockport Texas, USA>
