Plenty of snow has brought plenty of birds to the feeder. This year it’s mostly blackbirds, with only occasional visits from others.

Blackbirds are not good at sharing. The main feeder is a four-sided construction, and there’s easily room for four large birds. Do they use it that way? No. Usually I see at most two birds eating, with a whole bunch hanging around and waiting for their turn: some on the feeder stand, others on the clothes drying rack, even more in the trees nearby. They don’t even wait nicely – instead they interrupt each other and chase each other away.