Bird watching

I've come to enjoy living in a town like Hollidaysburg where I'm within walking distance of stores, restaurants and grocery markets. There are times, though, that I miss living at my parents' house in the country, where nature was always at their back door. They've had deer, groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, turkeys and even bears visit them over the years.

One way to bring more animals to your doorstep is by feeding them, especially in the winter when food is scarce. My parents decided to put a bird feeder on their back porch a few months ago, and since then the house has transformed into a miniature aviary. Some types of birds stopping by include chickadees, titmice, blue jays, cardinals, doves and woodpeckers.

I visited my parents this weekend and noticed all the birds darting back and forth from the trees to the feeder and decided to set up my camera nearby. The birds were skeptical of the camera at first, but once they realized it posed no threat, they went back to eating. Some of the birds I caught on video included chickadees, titmice and an enthusiastic blue jay at the end.

I've loved birds ever since my parents got a cockatiel as a pet. Since then, I'm always keeping my eyes toward the sky to see what birds I can identify. Enjoy the video, and consider buying your own feeder if you want some cheap entertainment.