8 Comments

Such an entertaining, informative article! Tx, Fred!

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I come from generations of bird watchers here in northern Pennsylvania. My grandfather, a country newspaperman for much of the 20th Century (and some of the 19th) wrote often of his backyard birds. in his weekly column. "My birds gave me the cold shoulder for four straight mornings last week. I had begun to wonder, and then one morning came a male Cardinal. The brilliant bird took his time for a hearty breakfast of sunflower seeds. The next morning there was one Bluejay, and for a few seconds a Chickadee visited the feeder, just outside the window where I have my own breakfast. Since then the usual variety has come to breakfast and all are very welcome regardless of the brilliance or somber appearance of their attire."

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Happy to have rediscovered your work. It’s nice to start the morning with First things first.

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I can see the backyard feeder from my office window, and I occasionally take 15 minute bird breaks where I focus on the feeder and surrounding trees, registering who I see and hear for ebird.com. Right now I'm being serenaded by a desperate sounding Carolina Wren, who really, really wants to meet somebody special.

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