Tuppence

In my experience, feeding the birds can be a good deal more expensive, Mary Poppins/Julie Andrews notwithstanding. I started modestly, with a bit of nyjer seed for the finches, in one of those cylindrical mesh feeder that only finches can access. I wanted to expand to other songbirds, though, so I got another type of feeder, one of those shaped like a birdhouse, but surrounded by a coarse grill to keep the doves out. Hah!

The stupid songbirds promptly began push much of the seed out onto the ground, thereby attracting an enormous mob of doves. I hope they get a commission.

I took my problem to the bird seed store, who promptly recommended a solution of sorts. For slightly less than $200 I could get a pole type apparatus upon the top of which could be placed my bird feeder (itself having cost $60 or so). Underneath the bird feeder would be perched a platform surrounded again by a dove excluding grill.

So far, I'm not buying it. Maybe I can just get a cat with a taste for doves.

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