Waiting in Line for the Buffet

Sing for your supper, and you'll get breakfast;
Songbirds always eat
If their song is sweet to hear.

The feeders have been very busy these past few weeks, as it's been very cold and snowy. It takes a lot of energy to keep those little bird and bunny bodies moving in such chilly temps.

When I am at home, it is entertaining to watch the birds come to the feeders after a new round of peanuts has been provided. I have been taking lots of pictures and have started to recognize some of the usual suspects.

In this photo, a tufted titmouse waits patiently while a white-throated sparrow eats its fill of peanuts. You know how it is at the buffet: you stand and wait, and you hope there is still some good stuff left when it's your turn!

By the way, I would tell you that the tufted titmouse in this photo is our loyal little friend Tidbits. And it's quite possible that it is. But I have seen three or four tufted titmice making good use of the feeders, so it could in fact have been any one of them.

Let me add that we feed the birds whether they can repay us with their songs or not. There is no charge for this buffet. The only thing you need to bring along to dine alfresco is a hearty appetite. (Decent manners are also a plus.) Lately, I've been sharing tales of all of our bird and bunny visitors; for the record, not a one went hungry on this cold, cold day!

The song to accompany this image is the Mamas and the Papas, with Sing For Your Supper, and the lyrics quoted at the top are from the same song.