Birdfeeders are messy. All around them, birds scatter seeds, feathers, and the end products of digestion. That’s what they do in my front yard. It’s okay, though. I have a clean-up crew who come around every night, 24/7. They never take a day off. They never complain. They keep the area under my “squirrel-proof” birdfeeders looking (relatively) tidy.
And I don’t have to pay them!
Last night I went out to bring in the feeders—because if I don’t, the cleaner-uppers climb the pole and empty them for me—and heard scrabblings up the trunk on the majestic tulip poplar that stands near my front door.
I stood still and waited. Within seconds a black-masked little face peeked around the trunk about ten feet off the ground. Before I could say, “Good evening, little friend,” a second face poked its way over the first one’s shoulder.
Two nights ago, I remembered after I was practically asleep that I’d forgotten to bring in the feeders. I barged out the front door without thinking and startled a possum on my front porch. She cleans up the niger seeds the goldfinches drop.
During the day, pigeons and doves and other sorts of ground-feeders pick up what the raccoons and the possums miss.
And the daddy-longleg spiders inside the house clear up any ants who find their way inside.
Life is good.
BEEattitude for Day # 323:
Blessed are those who take the time to observe what we animals do and who appreciate us, for they shall reap the benefit of our activity.Coming Soon: a raffle, so your dog might be in my next book!
Details on September 1st!
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4 comments:
Sounds like our nighttime friends - we keep a feeder and water bowl on our carport for "Opie" and "Little Opie" - our possum visitors. They are adorable and now don't even bother to run when we look out the window. During this heat spell we have made sure that all little creatures have food & water and will continue to do so as always. No raccoons to speak of yet but you never know.
So far, the stream in my back yard hasn't dried up. Hope that never happens. I see a lot of critter footprints down there.
Nice post.....
Dry cleaner pick up
Thanks, Andrew. Glad you enjoyed it.
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