No offense to the birds, or to any other wild creatures (or tame ones, for that matter), but if I had an extra five dollars a day to spend (which I really do not), I would spend it on a person (quite possibly, but not necessarily, myself). I would not (although that seems to be what I’ve been nudged into doing) spend it filling the wild bird feeder every single day.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy the frenetic chirping and mad flapping that goes on constantly outside my back door. I could sit and watch it all day, if I could sit all day and do anything. But this year has brought by far the highest population of birds, especially goldfinches, since I’ve had the feeder (which was soon after I moved here, nearly eight years ago). Sometimes the noise gets louder because they fight over position. Sometimes they attack each other, but mostly they just wait their turn, perching precariously on the porch post or dangling from the rope that holds the feeder up. It’s amusing, and often comical.

But oh, the expense. (And obviously, I’ll only use the best food.) I filled the feeder Saturday afternoon about 3:30, just before I left to romp with the kids. I filled it again this morning about 11:30, when I got back from the post office. Tonight as it was getting dark, about 8:30, it was already down to the level it was when I filled it this morning. This is insanity, and I’m going to have to risk pissing off the birds and find a way to limit the number of times I fill the feeder in a week.

I still don’t have a photo of the birds crowding the feeder, but it’s getting closer to the time when I’ll probably be able to get one. That’s because they’re getting more and more comfortable with me, and coming back sooner after my presence scatters them. There’s probably a place in the yard I could stand to get a good shot without disturbing them. I might have done it today, even, if it hadn’t been too hot to stand out there and wait. I’m still a little gun shy when it comes to the sun’s rays. I’d rather be pale than crispy.