Yesterday I filled all the winter bird feeders. Among the offerings: peanuts, apple slices, black sunflower seed, dried meal worms, grape jelly, suet and thistle seed. I threw out a box of old barley, too. Cardinal food arrives this week. I researched how to get Cardinals into the yard and am working hard to lure them in this winter.

The squirrel arrived first but I chased him off PDQ. This morning I have watched a small flock of 1st year migrating Bay-Breasted Warblers picking up loose seed on the deck (new bird for me). I have an easy chair set up inside, near the deck doors and am even now seeing them nibble. The tree bird feeders have Black-Capped Chickadees and Nuthatches, both winter residents and my first for the season. No woodpeckers yet on the suet.  A dove roosts in my neighbors tree and never comes by to feed. When he flies closer and lands on the telephone wires, the warblers flee. Now a flock of Sparrows lands and feeds.

Black-Capped Chickadee

Here is what amazes me: the birds at the feeders fight. The most aggressive one chases the others and feeds first. The more timid come in and the aggressor chases them again. I want to yell out to these bird brains, only well-mannered birds are welcome here. Silly, I know, but I don’t like to see them fighting. I want to say, plenty of food for everyone. The birds cannot help themselves, they are so deeply programmed to compete for resources. I wonder, are we that much different? No, just more polite.

Click here for a great article about bird power struggles.