Pigeons

Why are all those pigeons hanging out in the walnut tree?

They've discovered my bird feeder, that's why.

Remember the plastic seed feeder I put out a little more than a month ago? I found it in our shed, and it hadn't been used in a long while specifically because in the past it had attracted too many pigeons. I decided to try again, filled it with seed and at first, I enjoyed the small birds coming and going -- the tits and robins and dunnocks.

Then the pigeons moved in.

Actually, I suspect that all along they'd been emptying the feeder. Those seeds disappeared way too fast for the tiny birds to be entirely responsible.

The pigeons are too big for the feeder, so there's a lot of flapping and chaos while they try to perch on it. I think they use as much energy feeding as they get from the food, for a net gain of zero. But that doesn't stop them.

The little birds still get in a nibble now and then, but overall the pigeons monopolize the seed -- just as the starlings and parakeets monopolize our suet balls. Speaking of which, I haven't seen many starlings lately. Perhaps they move on as the weather cools down. The suet balls last several days now, and the parakeets come and go, unlike earlier in the year when I'd put out suet balls and they'd disappear in a few hours.

Thanks for your feedback yesterday on the wisdom of mowing the lawn in flip-flops! I did consider the safety of that, but as I said in a comment, I figured my feet don't get near enough to the business end of the mower for it to be a danger. But you're right -- it's probably not smart. I'll wear shoes from now on.

Olga has been visiting me in dreams again. I don't know what's bringing this on -- maybe the change of seasons? I wake up a bit melancholy. I ran into a neighbor yesterday who also has a very old dog. We've seen each other on the "dog circuit" for years, and I told him we'd lost Olga. His dog is 17, but she's a different breed -- a sort of furry poodly thing -- and though she walks slowly, she's still managing. I told him as long as she's eating and walking, she's in relatively good shape!

I was sorry to read about Robert Redford's death yesterday. I mean, the guy was 89, so it's not such a surprise -- he was born before both of my parents and they've been dead for years. But film creates an illusion of eternal youth and vigor, and it's always a surprise to find our screen idols aging like the rest of us. I liked Redford because his heart was in the right place. He seemed a good guy overall.