"Being Unemployed Is For The Birds"

WEEK 7

I love photography and I love Southwest Louisiana. Combine those two things and you can understand why I love taking pictures of the landscape, wildlife, and nature around southwest Louisiana. 

As most everyone knows, I especially love taking pictures of the majestic pelicans, screeching seagulls, quacking ducks, and honking geese found in Cameron Parish.

                

I recently noticed something that I had never noticed nor paid attention to before and it wasn't until being unemployed and tending to my garden that I really noticed the numerous songbirds in Southwest Louisiana.

While growing up and living in Cameron, I never really noticed any songbirds around. In the winter we would see ducks and geese, and in the summer we would see seagulls and pelicans.

Each morning, after I go out to check my garden and the classifieds, I sit on the porch and drink my piping hot coffee that I brewed. 

Over the last couple of weeks, as I sit drinking my coffee I have started noticing the beautiful tweeting, chirping, cooing, and whistling echoing around my backyard. Along the tree line I could see some fluttering and movement. 

I made my decision.

I needed to get a bird feeder. 

I went to Wal-Mart, got some bird feed (and a bonus bag of squirrel food-more on that later), and a little bird feeder.

I got home and hung the feeder next to my house. I had been seeing squirrels playing in the trees so I put some squirrel food on the ground next to the bird feeder.

Well, just like relatives at a crawfish boil, the birds soon swooped in to eat. I noticed red birds (Cardinals), blue birds (Blue Jays), doves, robins, and some yet to be identified colorful birds.

 

It is oddly relaxing watching birds swoop in and eat some feed. The birds will fight with each other for territory. They will team up against other species, the red birds run the blue jays away, then the blue jays run the red birds away. It goes back and forth throughout the day.

I soon learn that there is a second participant in the battle for food. SQUIRRELS.

There can be 2 or 3 different bird species eating but the squirrels will zoom in and run all the birds away and then they begin to feast.

This goes on throughout the day. It's like a choreographed circus routine. Red birds, Blue Birds, Doves, and then Squirrels, rotating in and out to feed. It is very peaceful and harmonious the way the cycle plays out throughout the day.

Even while being unemployed and on the job hunt, life in southwest Louisiana can still be very relaxing. 

All you need is a bag of bird feed and a little patience. 

Until next time.

More Tales from the Unemployment Line.

DISCOVER BIRDS IN YOUR BACKYARD:

www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wildlife/birds-louisiana