Garden Pic Wednesday: Mockingbird Training

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I've been watching various birds the frequent my feeder teaching their young fledging's how to feed themselves. 
Today's photo is a Eastern Mockingbird Parent on right teaching the Fledging sitting on the suet cage that,"this is the cafe where we dine on suet."
It's actually quite amusing. You can tell the fledging has no idea what's really going on. 
The parent and junior land on feeder and/or suet cage. Junior keeps eyes on the parent. The parent feeds junior a couple bites, then flies away. Junior just follows them with his eyes, then just squats on the suet cage, wondering what's going on.
Sometimes, Junior will help himself to a bite or two of suet, but mainly is waiting for parent to return.
Clearly the parent is trying to transmit the idea of feeding themselves.
One pair of Mockingbirds have 2 fledgings, who also dumbly squatted there when the parent flew off.
The two Mockingbird families have been working on this for a couple days now.


They aren't the only ones.
After the Mockingbirds left, I saw a Downy Woodpecker and his Fledging both land on the suet cage. The parent fed the youngster 2 bites, then flew off, but the Downy kid seemed to get it and continued eating the suet a bit before flying after the parent.
Also a larger Red Bellied Woodpecker and his Junior stopped by the feeder, but that off-spring seemed totally get it. (Red Bellied Woodpeckers have a red head as well and their back has a checkered look.)
The Purple Finches also have been showing their fledging's both the seed inside the feeder as well as the seed on the patio. They land in a flock of 4 to 6, but you can tell the fledgings because they sit near the parent fluttering wings, mouth open hoping to be fed. The parent will give them a seed or two, then walk away as hit to feed themselves.

A bird feeder has huge entertainment value.
I like it because it brings birds into range for me to see easily. There is actually a shield on the pole below the feeder to keep squirrels out. A Master Gardener at a recent Garden Club meeting suggested using Marlin fishing line for hanging feeders from tree limbs as it's too thin for the squirrels to grab; it's actually such a fine metal you need to handle it carefully as it can cut; but friends who tried it said it worked perfectly for stopping squirrels.
I have nest boxes and having a ready food source inspires the birds that like those to use them. 
 Birds also reduce insect pests in a yard & garden.
Just putting out something shallow that holds water for birds to bath in will attract them!

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