The animals along the boardwalk in Summerside are a source of interest and enjoyment for many walkers. If you walk in the morning, birds and rodents are foraging and will take food from your hand if you are patient. However, there is a protocol for each species.
Chickadees, the smallest of the lot, cannot take peanuts in the shell.
Consequently, we crack the shells,
remove the peanuts and break them in two. Then the tiny birds can fly off with half a peanut.
They are careful at first when you offer up peanuts but if one of the birds thinks he can trust you, soon several are in line to take the tasty morsels.
Then there are the blue jays. They will take peanuts however they are offered up, in the shell or not. They are reluctant to take peanuts from your hand, preferring them on the ground or railing. But if you are patient, they too will approach your hand to take them.
The jays watch the area near the bridge carefully. At least one of them is always around and if a walker offers food,
notice goes out and before long, you can have up to a dozen birds there.
When you walk on after feeding them, some of the birds will fly from tree to tree along the way with you. They don’t want to miss out on anything.
The rodent population is represented by chipmunks and squirrels. We haven’t seen chipmunks around the boardwalk for a few weeks now but they disappear every winter into their burrows.
However, the squirrels are still busy gathering food and will come around any walker.
They don’t hesitate to take peanuts from anyone. They usually inspect peanuts theyare given and eat any with cracked shells. Shells which are in perfect condition are taken away possibly for winter storage.
People in the area are photo worthy too. When we arrived on the boardwalk Monday morning, we could see through the trees that people on the bridge were feeding the animals.
Later, as we continued our walk, people were busy feeding the animals further along the boardwalk, a lot of them in one area.
The sun that day made for a poor photo however.
Animals and people are conditioned in a mutually beneficial relationship. It is enjoyed by all.
32 comments:
Such a lovely post! We have so many chickadees and blue jays here. They are some of the prettiest birds I've seen. I love how you've captured them. All the animals are getting ready for winter ♥
What A Fantastic Post - You Guys Rock - Love That Vivid Blue There My Dear
Big Hugs
What a cute little darling tit:)))Sguirrels are so amusing too
Nice they eat by your hand,I never have managed such a thing
Beautiful photoes from your place!
Chickadees will take sunflower seeds in the shell. Unsalted is best, I would think.
I love the chickadee on your hand, such acrobats!
Wow and wow! Amazing.
Wow, so much fun just taking a walk. Love the commentary! It's funny, I just had a handful of peanuts when I clicked on your post, no shells though. :)
Oh how jealous I am! That Jay is wonderful.
I once got a little bite from a chester (squirrel) so I am reluctant to get that close.
I love this. One post growling about squirrels taking the birds' treats. Another with a squirrel munching happily.
We have a black squirrel whom I have named Nijinsky as he (she?) can leap into any bird feeder, regardless of pole placement or baffles or height, it seems. JG even strung a clothesline one year and we hung the feeder on that and the wretch ran out the clothesline.
So, we now have a squirrel feeder AND a bird feeder and are trying to wean the blue jays onto their own space to let the little guys in to the silo feeder. It is an interest. It is an expensive hobby if the price of black sunflower seeds goes up much more.
Blue Jays seem unable to resist peanuts in the shell, and it always puzzles me how they first came to recognize them. They don't grow anywhere around here (or where you live, Marie) and even if they did they would be underground. We can coax a Downy Woodpecker to the hand sometimes so maybe that's your next target.
Oh my, to be a PEI resident bird!
Fantastic photos! Chickadees stopping for anyone is surreal.
In Vermont this season, there has been small groups of bluejays tolerating each other. It use to be one or two. When I put out seed regularly, if I am late with the daily drop, they will squawk.
How lovely to have such a relationship with those critters and birds.
I love the photos.
Sue
Heartwarming and beautiful. Many, many thanks.
They have it made.
When you moentioned birds following you, I recalled chickadees doing the same at the cottage almost 20 years ago.
Your pictures are simply wonderful. I used to feed the birds but the English sparrows chased away all the others, so I quit. Plenty of neighbors still feed them, though. I love the chickadees especially. :-)
Beautiful birds, and what fun to have them come so close!
I like to see little kids involved in feeding the critters.
What fun! My squirrels are pretty wary of me, but that's because I chase them away from the feeder or else the poor birds would get very little.
There is a tiny nuthatch that stuck around last winter and I saw it in October and it will come quite close but I've never tried to hand feed it.
These days the weather is too cold for me to stand and see if I can convince anyone to come to me. I fill the feeder and head back indoors to watch.
That is some tame and trained wildlife.
How cool is that?!?
We have never tried to hand feed our bird's but now I'm thinking it might be possible!
Magical moments along the boardwalk! Thank you.
Fascinating post and I am amazed that the little creatures will take food from people. Amazing to see. Thanks for sharing
Amazing you got so close!
I left a reply to your comment on Duta's post (PlacesPeopleStuff with Character). I have not heard of the man you mentioned. Who is he? What things does he say? Thanks.
What a cool post! Love the photos of hand feeding. You’re giving me an idea to try this on my walks. Great! A happy weekend to you and yours.
Beautiful photos! I can't believe that animals are so trusting! Lovely walk!
I wish I could handfeed birds, but so far it hasn't worked for me. I'm amazed at the hand feeding in your photos!
Fantastic photography Marie.
An what a lovely way to spend a day with the birds and animals.
All the best
Peggy xxx
WoW!!! how fun!! your images of the birds are awesome. i have never had the privilege of serving the birds from my hand, i enjoyed reading your tips for doing so!!
Love the photo of your chipmunk on the stones. Feeding the birds and animals must be great fun :)
Oh thank you sooo much for sharing these breathtaking views dear Marie for these are rare sights for us here though northern cool places are where both parties can encounter in such friendly way.
I thoroughly loved how you feed the beautiful birds through hands .kindness is most divine most beautiful force that inspires me always
Wow. That really was up close. I had a neighbor at the old apartment that fed the squirrels peanuts. I'd find cracked shells buried in my flower pots. Never found the peanut, just pieces of shell.
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