Hi all and here's another one about our feathered friends. I sent it to the 'Rapids Tribune last week and it might appear in their Lake Country section this coming Friday (Feb. 6). Meantime you get to read it first. Enjoy.

Loving Our Feathered Friends

          Ever the bird watcher, Ruthie especially enjoys seeing the big, gorgeous-looking pileated woodpecker going after the suet in our feeder out back. Attached to a big oak, it has a wire-mesh cover to keep squirrels or raccoons from stealing it. This also stops the pileated itself, having a fierce appetite of its own, from pecking it up all at once.

Or it used to. Last week while out there looking at our feeder, Ruthie pulled off a piece of the old wood. “Dear, this poor thing has seen too many years. We need a new one.”

I groused, “Well, sweetie, your precious pileated hasn’t helped it any!” A month ago I had nailed up a piece of tin to cover a big hole it had made in back to more easily get the suet. Back then I’d thought-This’ll stop it.

Proving me wrong, that greedy thing had not only punched right through the tin, but had also pecked away more wood on top. This had loosened the nails holding down the mesh, allowing a raccoon, most likely, to fold it back. Then it had been come one-come all for everyone, the pileated, the raccoon, and the squirrels to get in and help themselves.

My bird-loving spouse was actually admiring. “You’ve got to admit, dear, my pileated is not only pretty but very creative!”

Discouraged, I shrugged, “Then why bother with a new feeder?”

“Because, Gilbert (That instead of Dear means uh-oh, I’m in trouble), they’ll peck on it instead of our siding!”

She was right. Tearing down our dilapidated feeder, I snatched up whatever scrap pieces of heavy-duty treated 2X8’s and tin I could find in our shop area, and went hard at it.

Hearing all the sawing, drilling, and banging around, Ruthie called down, “Good grief, dear, it sounds like you’re wrecking the place!”

All done, I yelled back, “Sorry! Anyway, I’ve put together the new one and just finished covering it with tin!”

“This I’ve got to see! Be right down!”

Soon as she was, I held it up proudly. “Probably used a little too much tin but other than that, how’s she look?”

Stifling a laugh she patted my shoulder. “Well, it looks more like an armored car than a feeder, but that’s good right?”

“It has to! Otherwise, your monster birdy will just peck it apart again!”

“Then let’s put it up! I’ll bring my camera!”

Minutes later Ruthie was holding my contraption up against the oak. Using my battery-powered driver to screw it into the trunk, I grunted, “Nope, no fooling around this time! This’ll show ‘em!”

We backed up and looked at my handiwork. Ruthie motioned with her camera. “Dear, stand next to it, OK?” I did. “Closer…that’s good! Now point at it with your electric drill-perfect! Ready?” I growled, “Yeah, but I’m hoping this feeder is. ‘Course, it’d probably hold up to Godzilla with all the metal on it!”

“Dear, it has more than our car, so it will! Even against my powerhouse pileated! Smile!” Click-click!

Sure enough, before long a smaller woodpecker was busily pecking up suet through the mesh. As we watched from inside, Ruthie was all smiles. “That little guy’s a ladder-back! See how happy you’ve made him!?”

“Fine but when your huge pal shows up, I want it to learn whose boss here!”

She snickered, “Uh-huh, and if it doesn’t?”

Finally lightening up, I threw up my hands and laughed, “I’ll leave it my County Market card and it can buy its own suet!”