Thoughts About Backyard Birds

I am thankful for all the comforts I have, and they are many. I live in a lovely condo in a lovely city, in a lovely Canadian province. I have a reliable income and fairly good health. My life includes food, shelter, furnishings, hobbies, memorabilia, exercise, and community. And, until today, I had birds.

Today I was told that I had to take down my bird feeder. I could keep the hummingbird feeder, but the seed feeder had to go.

Ever since I read the condo bylaws, which was several weeks after I moved in, I knew that bird feeders were not allowed. But by then I already knew their shortcomings. Depending on the type of seed, the type of feeder, and the varieties of birds, overspilled seeds and husks can attract rodents. In my neighbourhood those include field mice and racoons.

Consequently, I did everything I could to limit the possibility of visits from rodents while continuing to encourage visits from birds. I discussed the problem with the local Backyard Birds store staff and they advised me to add a catch tray, to use the smallest de-husked seed, and to fill my feeder only to about one-third of its height. That way very little seed would be spread beyond the catch tray.

In addition, I swept below and around the feeder quite frequently to ensure that no stray seeds lingered among the brick tiles of my patio. I thought I was doing my neighbourly best, but it seems that is not enough.

The delight I take in watching the various finches, robins, blackbirds, and wrens every day cannot be compared to the risk of rodents visiting the patios of my neighbours who might also want to have bird feeders on their patios. It’s an all-for-one and one-for-all kind of regulation. I know this because the maintenance man explained it to me today.

I have always had a good relationship with the maintenance man, and he was quite dismayed to have been the bearer of bad news in telling me that the strata council (aka HOA) wanted him to tell me to take down my bird feeder. But, as he told me this, I was struck by two, equally disturbing, realizations. The first was that I would have to take down my feeder. The second was that they had used the maintenance man to deliver their directive.

When I let him know I would no longer be using my feeder, and as I walked away, I wrestled with which issue bothered me most; the need to remove the feeder or that fact that the council had not approached me directly. Now that the feeder has been removed, dismantled, and put away, I am left with a gnawing disgruntlement.

As I write, I am watching birds fly by my patio, looking for the absent feeder, while I ponder the choices made by my condo council. I know very little about the council, but using the friendly maintenance man as bylaw officer does not sit well with me.

I’m going to miss the birds and am trying to think of ways to redirect some of that grief into positive energy, although that may take a while. Perhaps I should run for a seat on council. Hmmm.

#animals #backyard #birdFeeder #Birds #blackbirds #finches #hummingbirds #husks #nature #Photography #Relationships #robins #rodents #Society #wildlife