Bird Question

Over the year I've received some interesting feedback from some folks. "You sure do write good ... but I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about." Okay. A break today from the more "cerebral" to the more mundane. But don't get used to it.

This blog is titled "Birds of the Air" for multiple reasons. One is that I like birds (and most other wildlife). Another is that I love the concept that God, who takes care of the birds of the air, considers me more important and takes better care of me. At times I've written about birds, stuff I thought was interesting about them, and things I've learned from them. Mostly, though, I post about whatever is on my mind without regard for birds.

Today, however, I'm looking for help, specifically with a birding question. We like to feed birds to get them close enough to watch. Hey, we're in the desert here. They need all the help they can get. So we provide them with water and a variety of seed to satisfy a variety of birds. Of course, occasionally it's the birds we are attracting that become the food for other birds, but that's okay. We like birds.

There is one bird, however, that I do not really enjoy so much. It's the pigeon. Oh, yes, I know, they're actually quite a bird. They're in the dove family. Their more correct name is "rock dove". And they live nearly everywhere on Earth. They are the oldest of the dove family. Some have suggested that it was very likely that it was a rock dove that Noah released from the ark. All well and good, but they're big and voracious and noisy and they're not my favorite bird to watch.

I'm not looking to get rid of them. Most people don't realize the extreme difficulty of getting rid of pigeons. Trap them and carry them 50 miles into the desert and they'll just return. Killing them is just too messy (and against my birding instincts). So they can stay. I just want to find a way to feed other birds without feeding them.

I'm wondering if anyone has a way to feed birds like the quail, the cardinal, or the smaller birds without giving access to the pigeons (and the squirrels, just to keep in mind). It seems like there should be a way to allow smaller birds access while blocking the larger birds.

So, does anyone have a method for me to feed smaller birds without having those big pigeons gobble it up first? Don't worry about them. When the smaller birds eat, they'll knock down enough food to keep the pigeons happy. I just want to find a way to attract, say, the local cardinals (yes, we have local cardinals) so they can eat before the pigeons clean it out. Maybe a covered tray system of some sort? (A lot of birds like to eat off a flat surface rather than a tubular-type feeder.) I'm open for suggestions. You may have an idea that could actually be worth something!

Any suggestions ... anyone?