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geofflambert -> RE: OT Things to ponder (7/31/2016 4:27:35 PM)
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Next to my computer desk is a window which looks out into my backyard. I keep it completely open, not even with a screen, as I wish not to have anything but air between me and the birds. If mosquitoes or hornets come in, so be it. On two occasions in consecutive years a chimney swift flew right into my room. Chimney swifts are not like the swifts some of you have in Europe. They cannot perch like other birds nor hop around on the ground. Their repertoire consists of two things, flying (and eating bugs) or grappling onto vertical surfaces. So the first time one flew into the room it was stranded and was squawking its head off, and my cat was very interested in this state of affairs. I went to the bird and picked it up by the wings, near the "elbows" and tossed it back out of the window and it flew off none the worse for wear. The next year it happened again, but this time the bird made no commotion and I picked it up and tossed it back out the window. I think it was the same bird and that it knew I would not harm it.
I have a chimney cap on my house because one winter when it got very cold, below 0°F, two or three starlings came down the chimney and into my basement. They couldn't find their way out so I had to dispose of them. The cap means chimney swifts cannot nest there. I looked into plans to make a free standing structure they could use to nest in but they are very elaborate and not cheap. They need to be a minimum of 12' tall and only one swift will nest there at a time. I think I'll take off the chimney cap instead.
Anyways besides several bird feeders of various types I am operating three hummingbird feeders at the moment. One of them is bee proof, but the honeybees know there is sugar water inside of it and keep trying to get at it. The hummingbirds are able to find an unoccupied port about half the time, but I am surprised how often they fly right up into my window and hover for 5 or 6 seconds giving me funny looks. If I were quick enough I could reach out and grab one. I figure they are thinking "what's that big ugly green thing in there?" or perhaps they are speaking to me (if it's dead quiet you can hear them chirp) and saying "what kind of crummy joint are you running here with all the bees at my feeder?"
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