Feeding Birds at Mendon Ponds Park
Thursday, December 31, 2009
When my friend Elliott and I first went XC skiing at Mendon Ponds Park (way back in 1997 or 1998, I think) there was a fellow standing by the trailhead with his hands out in front of him... we watched for a bit and finally figured out that chickadees were flying down and taking seeds out of his hands. I read about the fairly bold Mendon birds several times since then but never found the opprtunity to try feeding them, so today was a fun first.
There were seeds scattered in the snow so I wasn't sure we'd have any luck, but then I heard wings fluttering and a chickadee landed on my hand, grabbed a seed, and then took off. I had a couple more come in and then Ann tried as well, with similar success. We spotted quite a few more birds in the bushes - sparrows, a few titmouses, and even a pair of cardinals, but the chickadees were the only ones brave enough to come out and take seeds from our hands.
After we finished snowshoeing/skiing, we tried again, at a different set of bushes, and once again the chickadees were clearly the bravest... but we were surprised when a couple of titmouses flew to Ann's hand to get food. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get any shots of them. The cardinals also seemed very used to people (unlike the ones in Ann's yard, which seem downright neurotic - the slightest movement sends them under cover.) I thought we might get one coming to feed, but they stayed in the shelter of the bushes and had a good time with the seeds we'd thrown there.
All in all, I have to say these birds have a good deal... they're probably some of the best fed little guys in the Rochester area!
JMH
