The first thing I wanted in the house we bought in New England was a window over the kitchen sink. I was blessed with this double window seen above which provides a perfect view over the back yard. I have placed these four different bird feeders just outside the window so I can see them when I am at the sink. Ironically enough, this home has a dishwasher, so I am not at the sink as often as in previous years. Still, I frequently am there for briefer times and able to catch sight of the birds.

This time of year we are visited by black capped chickadees, house sparrows, house finches, nuthatches and tufted titmice who eat at the large feeder filled with an assortment of seed, primarily sunflower. Goldfinches, some just on the cusp of turning yellow, feed on the tiny niger seed from the front feeder. Downy and red bellied woodpeckers like the suet hanging in the front. Mourning doves like to perch on top of the large feeder and scrounge the ground under it for missed seeds.

Of course, our greediest eaters are the squirrels. You can buy all sorts of squirrel baffles or you can just enjoy their antics. Long ago I quit despairing of the squirrels’ appetites and just enjoy watching them hang upside down eating from the “squirrel-proof” devices.

Our yard provides all sorts of food for the birds come spring through early winter. Since we use no herbicides or pesticides, I am delighted to see them scour the yard for treats. But the feeders don’t seem to dissuade them from feasting in the yard. They happily eat in both places. And I delight in their presence.