Would you like to swing on a suet feeder? Or would you rather be a mule? I am reminded of the old song "Swinging

on a Star" when I see the creatures who enjoy the suet feeder.  Remember, "would you like to swing on a star, carry

moonbeams home in a jar"? Wouldn't it be cool if you really could capture moonbeams and hold them in a jar? Before

get too carried away with the possibilities imagined in the song, I will return to our friends here.

I know a lot of people dislike seeing squirrels stealing all the bird's food. But when we choose to feed wild animals, can

we really choose who gets to eat the food and who does not? When I put a new cake of suet out, it is generally the

the chickadees who get to it first. They are brave souls, unafraid of me and waiting close by. They are rather quiet,

not bringing a whole lot of attention to themselves and so they get a nice meal before the noisemakers show up.

Once the blue jays spot the suet in the feeders, they insist on telling everyone else what they have found and that

it is theirs exclusively. And for awhile, not one dares to disturb them until the woodpecker family arrives. I said the

chickadees are brave, but the woodpeckers are fearless when it comes to chasing the blue jays from the suet. I think

they are the police officers; they want everyone to have a fair chance at the suet. And that does work for awhile

as all of the feathered variety of diners take turns on the feeder. The only true hog on the feeder, is the squirrel.

So if the woodpeckers are the police officers, the chickadees are the brave soldiers that means the blue jays are the

court jesters and the squirrel is the king!

And so this little guy is dubbed King Moonbeam!