Where have all the birdies gone?

Long time since I’ve seen one. When will I ever learn?

Facebook reminded me yesterday that a year ago I was having breakfast on the deck watching a woodpecker attack a tree stump. It was a sad reminder. I haven’t seen a single woodpecker so far this year.

At some point while I was away for a fortnight, the last of the peanuts in the feeder for the Steller’s jays disappeared, as did the last of the suet in the bird feeder and the last of the nectar in the hummingbird feeder. I dealt with all of these things the day after I returned.

The hummingbirds came back fairly quickly (although not in the numbers I used to see), but I’ve only seen a couple of small birds at the feeder and I haven’t seen (or heard) a single jay pecking at the peanuts.

I loved having birds around all the time last summer.

I put out food – and they ate it – all last winter.

I’ve been good to these birds. I shouldn’t say they owe me, but they do. So the feeders were empty for a few days? Seriously, is that all it takes to be abandoned?

Birds are fucking fickle.