From SVBC charter member Lydia Vogt.

There are many reasons we are warned to be prudent with bird feeders. Are we interrupting migration? Could the food become rotten or contaminated? Are there laws against feeding wild animals? The danger of cats becoming aware of a steady food source is one of the most common for those of us residing in suburban areas.

I have been happy that none of my neighbors seem to have any outdoor cats, and so my seed feeders under a huge old camphor tree which is in front of my studio window have drawn an interesting assortment of both common and occasionally more exotic species for almost five years now, with impunity, or so I thought.

Today I had a Wild Kingdom moment.  It began with a cat- new to the neighborhood- who managed to grab one of the abundant House finches that typically eat the majority of any seeds put out. Luckily the finch managed to get away, but two alert Scrub jays nearby saw the action and soon had the poor finch in their beaks.  I ran out and rescued him, but they were sharp-eyed and managed to grab the finch again from the low branch I had hidden him on. I thought that was the end of him, and headed back indoors.  But they dropped their prize into the grass.  The cat came back, but a sharp knock on the window was enough to scare away.  Just then a crow took over the hunt.  He flew in, cautiously scouted out the views from various nearby branches, and finally made a quick pounce and flew off, the winner of the lengthy battle.  

I only hope the finch was, by that time, dispatched and no longer feeling anything. I’m reconsidering my feeder options.