Birds in New Jersey 2014
21 September 2014 - The new platform feeder and the mourning doves, continued
The mourning dove contemplates the new platform feeder. "Should I hunt for seeds in the grass, or go for a giant trough of seeds?"
Ahhhhh
Meanwhile, a particularly chubby-looking house sparrow, probably a juvenile, on the left side of the feeder.
Word gets out: that platform feeder is fantastic. Just point your beak down and chow down.
Since the cardinals, as usual, won't touch the feeder, and no blue jays or flamingoes or any other exotic birds fail to appear,
in spite of a delicious buffet of seeds, dried mealworms and grapes, I decide to stop the mourning doves from devouring all
of the food on the new feeder.
I move the new platform feeder to another post, where it is surrounded by three layers of hanging things: fishing line, piano
wire, and straightened coathangers. Surely this will deter a big bird like the mourning dove.
The mourning dove looks on while a gang of house finches eats and eats and eats.
Mourning doves spend a lot of time just sitting. While this one considers the possibilities, it fluffs and preens.
Has the mourning dove been stopped from using the platform feeder? More photos >>