I've spent decades observing birds from my kitchen window. Each neighborhood seems to have its own unofficial bird expert. You know, the person who can identify the call of a chickadee versus a tufted titmouse. Did you ever wonder if you are part of this exclusive club of backyard bird watchers? Here are a few signs that will affirm your membership.
Bring Hummingbirds Right To Your Window!
Check Price1. There Is an Accompaniment to Your Morning Coffee Routine.
The chair that you love so much has been placed by the window, making it so your morning routine isn't complete without observing the scenes of nature. Just like we would sit around the radio to listen to the shows that we liked, you now listen to the show given by nature that stars cardinals, finches, and woodpeckers which form a woodpecker percussion group.
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2. Your Neighbors Request Bird Identification Assistance
You are the neighborhood bird expert. You are able to identify birds by the silhouette they have, how they fly, the way they call, and you even have the ability to diagnose what the problem is with the car just by hearing it! And just like the neighborhood mechanic, you probably have neighbors sending you texts with pictures asking, “What kind of bird is this?”
3. Your Garage Resembles a Seed Grocery
Instead of your dad’s collection of tools and lawn equipment, you now have an impressive collection of seeds, suet, and specialty feeds. You have the different blends for the different seasons and know which mix attracts which species. You are personally known at the local feed store and they give you a call when your favored seed goes on sale.
4. You Have a Bird First Aid Kit
You have the wildlife rehabilitator in your contacts, and you have bird emergency supplies on hand. Like Mom, who would always have Band-Aids and mercurochrome for skinned knees, you have a stock of towels, boxes, and all sorts of other things to help injured birds.
5. Your Garden Attracts Birds
Your imagination for the landscaping is a wonder for the birds! You have berry bushes, a water feature, and lush shrubs for nesting. Your old yard that used to grow tomatoes and snap peas has become a five-star resort for birds, both local and migrating.
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6. You Have a Schedule for Seasonal Feeding
Just like an old-time train conductor with a pocket watch, you run your feeding station like clockwork. You know exactly when to switch winter suet to spring seed mixes; you even change your feeding times according to the migration patterns and the change of seasons.
7. Your Camera Is Always Ready
Now that you have a fancy digital camera, you can replace the old Kodak Brownie, and always have it on hand. You've mastered the technique of photographing birds through windows without glare and your social media friends know to expect daily updates on your latest feathered visitors.
8. You Might Have Named Your Returning Customers
You've learned the names of many of your regular visitors, just like we knew every kid on the street. Old Red the Cardinal, Woody the Woodpecker, Mrs. Finch with her distinctive markings; and you get worried when they don’t show up for a few days.
9. Your Weather App is for the Birds
You don't really check the weather for yourself. You check it to know when to expect different animals or to know when to prepare more food. Like farmers that can read the sky, you understand how the changes in the weather will affect your backyard visitors and their appetite.
10. Your Holiday Wish List Is Bird-Centric
Your gift ideas, instead of ties and slippers, include heated birdbaths, fancy feeders, and expensive binoculars. Your family understands that any bird-related gift will make you happier than any new gadget or gizmo.
11. Your solutions for squirrel problems are amazing!
Just like the NASA engineers who sent humans to the moon, you have created some highly advanced systems to outsmart those problem solving squirrels. Your feeder contraption looks like a Rube Goldberg machine with baffles, spinners, and weight activated perches. The neighborhood children come to watch your newest \\"squirrel-proof\\" innovations.
12. Your Vacation Plans Are Based On Migration Patterns
Previously, we would plan our summer trips based on the limitations of the family station wagon. Now, you plan your trips based on the migration patterns of the birds. You know exactly when the warblers will be passing through, and you have your sights set on them to get the best view. Your spouse has learned to anticipate off-road trips to wildlife refuges on every road trip.
13. Your home is referred to as 'The Bird House'
Your house has become a neighborhood landmark just like the corner store where we used to buy penny candy. Local kids scout your place to watch for birds at your feeders, and the mail carrier saves bird sighting reports to tell you. You've got quite the reputation as the neighborhood bird expert!
14. You have a bird emergency fund
Do you remember Dad storing cash for emergencies in a coffee can? Well, you have your own fund, but instead of cash, you want to help your feathered friends so they never go hungry. You have set aside money for the best seeds for migration and even more during the bad weather. The birds eat better than some people you know!
