Location, location, location.

So my first birdfeeders were nestled in amongst the trees of my backyard, the better to provide shelter and protection from predators for the songbirds in my area. They were somewhat spread out, with the finch feeder hanging from a tree and the two seed feeders hanging from hooks on a pole.

The biggest drawback to this configuration, of course, is that we couldn’t see the birds very easily. And then the squirrels came, and so I bought a baffle, another hook, and moved the feeders to a new location, out towards the lawn but still close enough for flight when the hawks come.

What a difference a few feet of placement make.

(Click to see full size, with identifying notes.)

I snapped the above shot a few mornings ago during a quiet period at the feeder. Ten birds would have been a maximum in the previous position - now I’ve counted over 30 at one time. Goldfinches, house finches, dark-eyed juncos, chickadees, red-bellied woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, blue jays, cardinals, mourning doves - all are regular guests for meals.

I went in to buy thistle seed last weekend and remarked how well the finches seemed to be doing this year. The guy behind the counter raised an eyebrow and said that most people were having trouble attracting them. “They must all be in my backyard, then,” I laughed. Dozens of well-fed finches, all keeping me company as I work.

It’s not just the backyard, either. I’ve got about a half-dozen eastern bluebirds who rotate through the trees in my front yard. Williamsburg is really wonderful for seeing colorful birds.

What’s really interesting to me is how much my son likes watching birds, too. He may be a rambunctious toddler most of the time, but he’ll sit and watch the birds during breakfast and lunch very quietly. He also insists that the feeders must be full at all times, which is cute when it’s a mild day but not nearly as funny when the temperatures plummet.

Still: it’s nice to be able to share it with him.