Birds in New Jersey 2014
22 September 2014 - The new platform feeder and the mourning doves, continued
By putting out a platform feeder, I've inadvertently trained the mourning doves to now look for food in a feeder under a halo.
Now, a determined mourning dove tries to eat from a mesh feeder that has replaced the platform feeder under a halo.
Finally, success. Barely fitting on the perch, the mourning dove tries out a mesh feeder.
Whoops... that perch is mighty narrow.
The mourning dove returns to sitting atop the feeder, contemplating its next move.
Then, it sits on the top of the post and ponders. "Eat on the ground? But food is so easily found in a feeder under a halo."
A pondering mourning dove.
23 September 2014
Once again, a mourning dove lands on the halo. "Feeders. Good. Eating off the ground. Not as good."
Now, no feeder is safe. Even the main house sparrow feeder gets a visit.
How to untrain the mourning doves? No feeder. Being mourning doves, they land on the halo with no feeder below it and
contemplate the latest development.
The plastic feeder, universally disliked by all backyard birds, is visited by the mourning dove, one foot precariously grabbing the perch.
Time to think this over.
In the end, the mourning doves lost their "halo equals easy eating" idea, returned to eating on the
ground, and did not return
to any of the feeders.
I've not put out the platform feeder since -- I'm still pondering how to make it attract rare big birds without being engulfed
by all the regular customers.
A house finch discovers a simple joy. More photos >>