February 27, 2004
Well, this is cool! There’s been a lot more bird activity, despite a rather cool February. I have noticed, for example, that the pair of towhees are around much more often, and that they have begun using the suet feeder.

But not today—not so far, anyway, because a beautiful mockingbird is guarding the suet feeder, as if he were a hummer and it were a flower or nectar feeder. He’s perched on the branch right above the feeder, and is attacking and chasing off other birds that dare to try to feed, including so far, finches, another mockingbird, sparrows, a cactus wren, and a woodpecker! As soon as the intruder bird lands on the wire mesh, the mockingbird gives it a fierce look. If it tries to eat, he flies at it in a fury of feathers. He occasionally flies over to the tangelo slices on the redwood planter, but keeps one eye on the suet feeder. Then rushes back to defend it.