The one who is waiting on the branch, looking at me, wanting me to throw him or her some bread or a piece of a nut?
I've joked about feeling like Snow White when I walk in the park near my house, as all the animals come out to me and take food from my hand. When other animals are getting fed, some kind of word goes out because before long, layer upon layer of the animal kindgom shows up to get theirs. If I'm feeding ducks the geese come, then the squirrels, then Grackles, then Blue Jays and then, if I'm really lucky, the red headed woodpeckers show up. The Grackles are smart, as I wrote about HERE, and they eye you and wait for that bread and go after it. But the Blue Jays bomb dive from the branches and nab their own.
Here is a close up.
His head is tilted slightly so he can eye me... I will hold up the bit of bread (or morsel of an almond I've cracked to size with my teeth if that's all I have on me) and he will do the amazing thing of letting me know quite clearly that he sees it. I toss it in the air and he flies off the perch at the right time to get it.
Here is a close up.
His head is tilted slightly so he can eye me... I will hold up the bit of bread (or morsel of an almond I've cracked to size with my teeth if that's all I have on me) and he will do the amazing thing of letting me know quite clearly that he sees it. I toss it in the air and he flies off the perch at the right time to get it. I've had the rare treat of having red headed woodpeckers do this too. Woodpeckers one up the Blue Jays though.
Forced to perch parallel on a tree trunk, their beaks pointing at the tree itself, it's a trick to look at me at all. But they too fix their sights on what I hold up... but when I toss it to them, they soar off the tree, catch it in the air and sail off like a streak of lightening to land on the closest trunk with it. Once they gulp it down, they're back staring me down for another. Again, catch my offering in mid air. I was absolutely stunned when this first happened... and honestly, I'm stunned every time it does.
Has anyone else experienced this?
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6 comments:
Yay! I have all those birds at my bird feeder, but never tried to feed them myself. I think I just might. The red headed woodpeckers are a riot on the feeder, as they come at it from a completely different angle. And the blue jays are HUGE here. I did see a cardinal male the other day, but not like in the summer. You have touched upon one of my favorite things... i love to watch the birds. Thanks Syd.... xoxoxoxo
I remember a time when at the beach, we were in our room and on the balcony with bread pieces. The seagulls soared by the balcony, seemed like hundreds of them. They'd look you right in the eye and wait for you to toss them a morsel... caught in mid air, they'd stay in place, wings flapping, waiting for the next piece.
Often it was difficult to throw to a bird behind them as they were quick in movement and would move as fast as the bread did thru the air.
We loved doing this. Same thing walking on the beach. If you had food, they would fly in place in front of you, just waiting and hoping for some of that treat we had in our hands.
I did spot the blue-jay...just had to enlarge the picture first, then when I went back to the smaller version, I could see him.
Great post Sydney.
I will have to try this with the nuts. I noticed the woodpeckers are hammmering away, "calling all mates"!
We don't have those birds, but we have a lot of parrots and they are pretty cheeky and friendly and are quite happy to land all over you to get food.
I love nature don't you!
xxsm
That is quite amazing. I haven't done this - but I can very well imagine it by your description!
Seems like they ~trust~ you X:-)
When at Wilson's Prom yesterday, i had a Wombat, a Kookaburra and an Albatross allow me to get REAL close... It made me feel *special* and honored that they trusted me x
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