Day 45: "I'm sorry, Mr. Dee can't speak with you at the moment. He's in the can." The phrase takes on a whole new meaning in my yard (indeed, perhaps a better one than the original vernacular). Not only do they take food from my hand, but if my open palm is already occupied, the braver souls have no compunctions about landing on the rim of the can or even getting down inside to select their lunch. I have to admit I'm spoiling them rotten. I usually only put a cup of seed in the feeder at any given time to prevent the blackbirds from hogging it all, so as soon as I notice that the 'dee-dees are scrabbling for the last bites, I go out to refill it. This also gives me the opportunity to continue hand-training...or can-training, as the case may be...but the Nuthatch still has reservations. He will land on the feeder inches from my elbow but has yet to dare the hand. He's hovered above it a couple of times as if testing the waters, but has yet to actually touch down. The 'dees have no such compunctions; in face, they compete for first rights, one bird pushing another off in order to land. Sometimes I offer "lazy seeds," i.e., hulled sunflower seed sold for human consumption. Nothing is too good for my little 'dee-dee friends!
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