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The other day, I noticed that the hummingbirds were only eating at one feeder.  They would wipe it out before they went to the next one.  It was as if they didn’t like any feeders but that one.  It was strange.  They would take forever to empty the second one but they eventually would.

Problem is they were wiping both feeders out in only a few hours.

Every night I had to refill the feeders for the next morning.  By late afternoon the next day, they were empty.  Sometimes I refilled them in the afternoon if it was early enough for them to keep feeding, but man!  Talk about a bunch of piggy birds.

I kept noticing, though, that they would empty the one first, before they went on to any others.  It was driving me to distraction, wondering why they did that.  If I moved it, they still ate out of it first.  It began to bug me.

I decided to fool them.  Tuesday, I bought a very LARGE feeder and a couple of cheaper plastic ones (which are identical to the one they eat at first).  I figured by putting these new ones out, the birds wouldn’t wipe them out so fast.  I thought maybe they would quit eating at the one special one.  I put all the feeders out and they were all in use within a few minutes.  I refilled them that evening.

This morning when I looked, the birds had still wiped on that one first.  AUGH!!!

Now the psychology behind this eludes me.  There are about 15 birds and they all fight over that one feeder even though there are now 4 hanging on the front porch and one in the back.  The large one is ignored until last.

Can anyone explain to me WHY they ALL go to the one specific feeder and empty it before they start on the others?  Why so many birds try to eat at that one small feeder when there are 3 others right there??

It reminds me of children.  You can cut a cake in equal pieces and they will all want the same piece.  The pieces all look the same but the kids fight over one specific piece.

I guess it is just one of those funny unexplainable things that make life so much fun!  I am sure there is a reason, but I am not sure I want to know.  I just enjoy watching these birds do their thing.

And maybe that is the whole point –it doesn’t have to make sense.  Just enjoy it!  Look at life through eyes that are expecting to find something to enjoy – and you will find it!

Follow your joy!