Eye, Fly, Awry in this Landscape of Words,
They say don’t feed the birds, you encourage
dependence, promote non-native species.
who knew, it seemed such a harmless lark.
And what is the result of my two week vacation,
starvation throughout Brentwood stretching to
Dalhousie and Charlewood, or is it more widespread.
They do fly after all and we go through a lot of seed,
will they be dropping in Shanghai and Topeka,
and if not mass starvation, perhaps delinquency.
The whole of bird society breaking down, begging,
sexual license, belling cats, downing power lines
pushing each other into the air intakes of jets.
Or could it be positive, native species returning
Bluebirds, Martins sundry Warblers all jostling
wildly for the vacant nesting boxes and bird baths.
Maybe we should think big, Passenger Pigeons,
Carolina Parakeets, Labrador Ducks, who knows
what these misplaced Weaver Birds were up to.
Maybe we will see the great brown spurts of Bison
moving out of the river valleys with their attendant
packs of Grey Wolves and lumbering Plains Grizzlies.
And if I stop feeding the sleek Black Squirrels
that hang like misshapen fruit from my feeders,
what can I get for that?
Guy
6 comments:
Guy, very thoughtful and somewhat sad. Have they banned bird feeding where you are? I think the benefits far outweigh the downside, for all the pleasure that birds bring us. Like you say, feeding the birds does help some species survive. I think caring for wildlife is important, especially since man has done so much to contribute to species decline or even extinction as you mentioned. That being said, I do try to pick seed and feeders that do not attract the nuisance birds, but sometimes it just can't be helped!
Hi Kathie
No we can still feed birds some groups try to discourage it but most people go ahead. I don't think we really get the huge flocks of nuisance birds here I suspect it gets too cold. The House Sparrows seem to be fighting it out with the House Finches which is ironic. But as you say birds bring a lot of joy and I don't think it does any harm. Some species will never adapt to the cities and a lot of other birds pass thru and eat during migration even if they don't stay.
Regards
Guy
Guy, I loved this, and your squirrel image could have been taken in my own garden - the same right down to the green feeder.
Hi Cate
I am glad you liked this. I did replace the plastic feeders with squirrel proof feeders from Lee Valley last week as the squirrels were carrying off so much food. Now I have a flock of house finches chewing thru the food at an incredible rate. The squirrels now eat what the birds drop.
But the yard is lively.
Guy
Well said, Guy, thought-provoking and the picture of the black squirrel made me laugh. It looks like we give Nature a hand and bring out the worst in it.
Hi Hilke
Things do seem to get pretty muddled no matter what we do and despite our best intentions. I bought squirrel proof feeders and now they sit underneath while the finches spill the food for them.
Regards
Guy
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