On 2010-07-16 17:29:46 -0400, Giles said:

Big, ugly boxey things.....cost many thousands of dollars, all for the
privilege of paying many more thusands of dollars for fuel.....and I'm
going to guess it really doesn't work anyway.

On the other hand, there's those itty bitty birds, the smallest of all
birds and, if the source I encountered recently is correct, the
smallest of alll vertebrates. Not the ruby throats, the only ones
that routinely how up and nest here eas of the big river,

We've been feeding these marvelous creatures for many years, and
started in April to feed them in Georgia before we came north. To our
surprise, we spotted goldfinches at the hummingbird feeders, apparently
getting a sugar high.

Lakewood Camps has six feeders on the lodge's porch. They have at
least 10 of the itty bitty creatures return each year. They are *very*
pugnatious and a bit controlling; we've seen a male go from feeder to
feeder chasing away other males and females.

They are the only birds that do not take Jenny's (the golden retriever)
fur which we put in suet feeders for the birds to line their nests. In
the fall, after the leaves fall, we find nests on the lawn after a good
storm. They are lined with Jenny's underfur. They are engineering
marvels, built strong and cozy thanks to Jen.

Dave