Goldfinch

I'm very excited about the new bird feeder set-up that I have on my back deck rail outside my kitchen window. For a while, I put seed on a small glass plate that was just sitting on the rail. The birds and squirrels would knock it off often, and I was lazy about going down the steps to pick it up. Soon one plate fell on top of another and both were broken. I needed something that would stay on the rail and not cost a fortune. I got an idea to drill a hole in the rail and put a metal rod through some sort of plate and down through the hole. Something I could still bring in the house and wash but something that would have enough weight to stay put. My friend Don helped me pick out an old pot lid at the thrift store. The handle was held on by a screw, so it already had a hole in it. He drilled a hole in the deck rail and put a rod through the lid and wa la. I have this very inexpensive and totally practical bird feeder. No more seed just on the rail falling off on the ground. No more glass getting broken. It stays put very nicely now. And, I can easily get tired of this one in my photos and switch to a different color or size. I get so much enjoyment from those birds outside my window! Thanks, Don!

Here's a picture of an adult female cardinal and a fledgling from this year on the lid where you can see the rod:

And here's one of a black-capped chickadee:

And one of a tufted titmouse:

I also moved my hummingbird feeder to this deck and will be trying to get a shot worth being a POTD:

Today is Johnny's birthday. He's seven, and we're having a party for him at Marbles Kids Museum. Guess you can figure the theme of tomorrow's POTD:-)