Birdfeeders 041513

First Birds of Spring

Pine Grosbeak and Goldfinches

Birds: Sparrow 061612

Man's Love Of Animals

The mighty Blue Heron in a staring contest.

My neighbor Ken has fed this blue heron for 5 years, now. He makes a home of their yard. Three years ago, he came in for the day with a large, nasty hook snared in his neck, partially exposed, partially buried.

Ken told me that the bird wouldn't let you try to remove it, and the wound was severe enough that he would have slowly died.


Luckily, this blue was smart enough to sense bird lovers in Ken and his wife, who hand-fed the heron for a year straight, every day. He told me that the bird's skin and feathers grew over the hook, and he behaves like any other blue heron to this day. Only a slight hump in his neck belies the injury.

Birds Of Pine Island

Ken's wife feeding their birds.

Ken and his wife have lived in my neighborhood for many years. He used to be an avid fisherman, and began to collect birds from his evening fish cleanings. Over the years, these feathered friends have brought them many happy days.

A few years ago, Ken had to stop his fishing due to health concerns, but the birds still lingered, awaiting their daily morsels. Not one to disapoint, Ken now pays some of the local fishermen for their scraps every few days. His wife is doing the feeding duties today.

You can see 4 different species fighting for their reward: egret, wood stork, white heron, and ibis.