I have a bird bath, a suet block feeder, a hummingbird feeder, and I throw seeds out on the driveway for birds, squirrels, and rabbits. I put peanuts on the window ledge for the squirrels so my dog Tina can bark at them. I put orange marmalade on a little dish attached to the hummingbird feeder. A few minutes of work each day provides hours of fun.

            One thing I have noticed is that some species dominate different spots. Robins scare away all other birds so they can drink and bathe by themselves. One Robin runs the other Robins away. Doves are larger but, true to their name, the robins dominate them.

            The suet block is controlled by the Downy woodpeckers. They are new this year to the suet block basket. They have been physical in their conquest. Several other species eat the suet when the Downy woodpeckers are not there but leave as soon as they return.

            The seeds on the driveway are fairly neutral ground because the birds and squirrels like different seeds so competition isn’t required. Oh, the rabbits are out of bed before the rest arrive and leave when the others come.

            I often thought about naming some of them after political figures. The Robins would be the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump, the dominant one constantly squawks at the others. The squirrels eat together but on the ledge, most run off when Tina barks at them. One has figured out Tina cannot do any harm through the window. That squirrel would be President Joe Biden because it ignores Tina’s whining and barking. The rest of the species of birds and creatures, rabbits, and 13 strip ground squirrels, are voters and Independent Party members. It is fun to compare personalities isn’t it?