When we bought this house we inherited 9 bird feeders and 4 birdbaths. I love birding. The yard is always full of various birds, squirrels and chipmunks. On this particular morning as Frankenstein and I were doing our daily tour of the yard I noticed, sticking out of this feeder opening, a lump of feathers.To my horror a Tufted Titmouse, (Baeolophus bicolor), was stuck. His little head was inside the hole and his wings were jammed under the plastic bar that circles the feeder. I carefully removed the feeder from it's hanger and placed it on the near by table. The trick was getting him free without damaging its delicate body. One wing at a time, one feather at a time I freed his wings. The poor guy was so scared he just sat there, his head still inside the feeder. I was holding my breath, heart pounding as his fluttered. At last he popped out. His silvery face and black eye, freed! We made eye contact then he flew away!
If you are thinking of birding or currently are, please take into consideration this cautionary tale. If a feeder has a squirrel proof cage around it or other cage like parts, a bird can get wedge into it. Keep it simple and safe. Happy birding.
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