I think the Black Capped Chickadee is one of the smarter birds. Of all the birds that visit the various feeding stations placed about the yard, I believe they’ve actually made the connection between the human presence and the seemingly endless supply of black oil sunflower seeds. All of the other creatures, birds, squirrels and chipmunks mainly, scatter whenever a human is in sight. Not those Chickadees, though. They’re not afraid. They’ll sit right there on a nearby branch or on the woodshed and wait until a feeder has been replenished, sometimes moving in before all three are topped up, then swoop in, grab a seed and take it to a place, like the crook of a sumac tree, where they can crack it open and eat it. Those birds are brave little things; and curious, too.They sometimes venture up to the deck, perch in the vines, on the railing or explore the various potted plants. Occasionally, one of these astute little birds will notice the greenery inside behind the patio door. These are the times when the cats settle in for some entertainment. The cats know they can’t actually catch a bird through the glass, so they just practice their posturing, crouching, tail swishing, ear flattening and make gentile chattering noises. Only if a bird gets too close will they spring and slap the glass with a thump and drive the bird away. But, like I said, those Chickadees are quick to catch on, and soon enough, if they’re still interested, they come back for another look. It’s great fun for the cats and keeps them thinking about something other than food. At least for a while anyway.
CF
