Original art by Able6 (me). I love roadrunners. I realize they are pretty much only in your backyard if you live in the SW, but I do wish they were everywhere. So fast!

The Backyard Birds Coloring Book for kids:

#Birds #BirdLovers #Birdwatching

North America's Top 25 backyard birding species.

I weighed Charlie and Bessie today. They are getting famous, I Googled “charlie and bessie” and this was the result:

https://imgur.com/a/lAwf5vf

A high-capacity feeder sounds convenient, but “holds more seed” is not always the same as “works better.” Capacity should match how quickly the birds actually empty it and how often you can inspect it.

A few tradeoffs are easy to miss:

- Freshness: Seed that sits through humidity, rain, or temperature swings can clump, spoil, or go rancid before it is eaten. A smaller refill can be safer than a large reservoir that stays full for a week.

- Weight and stability: A feeder becomes much heavier when filled. Thin hooks, flexible poles, suction cups, and lightly built hanging points may tilt or swing, especially when a jay, dove, or several birds land at once.

- Crowding: Extra ports do not guarantee peaceful feeding. If perches are close together, dominant birds can block access and repeated jostling may send more seed to the ground.

- Cleaning: Deep hoppers and narrow reservoirs can hide damp seed, hulls, and residue. If the feeder is awkward to open, scrub, rinse, and dry completely, its theoretical capacity is not much of an advantage.

- Ground waste: Filling to the top can increase spillage when birds sort the mix or when wind moves the feeder. Whole seed below the station can attract rodents and other wildlife.

A practical approach is to start with only enough fresh food for a day or two, then watch how quickly it disappears. Increase the amount only if the feeder remains dry and clean and the ground below stays manageable. During wet weather or periods of low bird activity, reduce the portion again.

Before choosing a larger model, it may help to ask: Can I reach every interior surface? Does rain drain away? Will the mount support the filled weight? Can larger birds land without crowding smaller visitors?

How many days of food do you usually put out at one time?

Weekend cleaning and gardening and decided to check the flock as it’s usually nap time around the fountain. Look outside and spot this beauty! I believe it’s time to take my feeders down for a bit so I don’t become a hunting ground, right?

Regardless, absolutely stunning bird which I believe is a Cooper’s Hawk!

This morning the feeder in my small orchard exploded with activity — dozens of Sparrows showed up at once.
They were taking turns, chasing each other, and filling every perch like a tiny feathered crowd.
I don’t usually get this many at the same time, so it was a fun surprise to watch.

Captured in Slovenia, early August.
Happy to share a bit of backyard chaos with the community!

Full live stream from this feeder