Feeding feathered friends

I suppose I enjoy bird watching because I am reminded of many lessons in life that I sometimes forget about. Seldom do you see a squabble at the feeder. It seems that the yellow finches get along well with the gray juncos, the black and white chickadees, the brown creeper and the tufted titmouse. They are all different colors, but don't mind sharing with each other.

As I watch these birds, I am reminded that they have no concern about tomorrow. They just do their "bird thing" each day, oblivious to the need to store up for a rainy day. They don't worry about where their next seed is coming from. They know the Lord will provide.

The songbirds that visit my feeder always seem to have a purpose in their activity. They don't spend time trying to "find themselves." They are economical. They are doing something constructive, not wasting senseless energy on senseless projects. There is a purpose in everything that they do. Even when they are at rest, there is still a purpose.

Sometimes you see a mockingbird sitting on a tree branch singing his heart out. I always wonder to whom he is singing. Perhaps he is singing a praise or just singing because his heart tells him to sing. He seems to be perfectly content with who he is.

There is a certain rhythm to a bird's life. They get up early, usually before the sun is up. They have certain times during the day when they are actively feeding, while at other times they are resting from their activities. Then late in the afternoon they find their nightly roosting spot and retire early. I'll bet my wife thinks that I am related to a bird. I like to get up early, eat a lot, take a nap and go to bed early.

If you too would like to enjoy the company of backyard songbirds, pick a spot in your landscape that you can see from your favorite armchair or kitchen window. Put up a feeder on a pole or post. You can also hang one from a tree branch or mount one on a porch rail.

Get a tube or wooden feeder that allows you to use a bird seed mix, or a large seed. My favorite bird food is simply black oil sunflower seed. I find that most of the birds in my location will find sunflower appetizing. In addition none of the seed is kicked out of the feeder so little of it is wasted.

Next, fill the feeder with the sunflower seed. If I am putting up a feeder in a new area, I also spread sunflower seed on top of the feeder, and all around the feeder on the ground. Once the birds have found the feeder, I put the seed only in the feeder.

Now is when the real fun begins. I go inside, sit in my easy chair, pull out my binoculars and watch all of the comings and goings.

Occasionally, a bird of a different feather comes to the feeder. That is when I pull out my Roger Tory Peterson "Field Guide to the Eastern Birds." I can usually flip through the photos and spot a picture of the new bird at my feeder.

This Christmas if you want to start a new hobby, or know someone who does, try bird feeding and bird watching. You or your friend can have a lot of fun, relax in the process, and maybe learn a thing or two about life. Merry Christmas to all.

Send your gardening and landscape questions to Paul Schnare at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699 or by e-mail to news@semissourian.com.