The Sons of Anarchy move in

A flock of Red-winged Blackbirds dropped in on the feeding station the other day and sparked a turf war with the Mourning Doves.

   That’s how I think of things with the birds in my backyard – one big battle over turf. Just like gangs in our streets.
   You have the blackbird gangs – the starlings, grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds. They’re like motorcycle gangs; every now and then they swoop in, take what they want, then move on. The Red-winged Blackbirds soon came an agreement with the doves the other day. The doves took the ground territory while the blackbirds took over the tube feeder. So Sons of Anarchy.
   But the Mourning Dove gang pretty much owns this block. They’re like The Sopranos. They have the numbers and muscle control things. And they like to hang out under the feeders, like Tony’s crew did at the restaurant.
   Then there is the cardinal gang. They’re more like the traditional Mafia network. They’re snappy dressers who flit in and own whatever feeder they like as long as they’re around.
   The Blue Jay crew is a raucous bunch that try to scare everyone around. But they’re more like the Reservoir Dogs crew – robbers who storm in when their favorite fare – peanuts - are in for the taking. They pick out these jewels and take off.
    Then you have the phony mayor. That would be the mockingbird. He tries to act like he has control over the whole domain, but everyone knows he’s helpless against the gangs.
   Caught in between all of this gang stuff are the honest, hard-working smaller birds, the chickadees, titmice, wrens and sparrows. They just scratch out a living, coming and going, getting what they can until the bigger gang birds show up.
   The woodpeckers mind their own business. The juncos and finches are like tourists passing through and watching their backs the whole way.
   Then, of course, there are the cops – the hawks. They spy on the scene and wait until just the right time to move in. Everyone scatters when 5-0 shows up, and pity the poor soul who is too slow to escape.
    That’s my backyard street scene. Not much bloodshed, because everyone knows his place. Nevertheless, it’s an entertaining series of episodes I don’t want to miss.

Here’s the lineup from today:

(PM, 75 degrees, partly cloudy, 30 minutes)

Carolina Wren
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-throated Sparrow
Brown-headed Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Goldfinch
Blue Jay