WHERE’D EVERYONE GO?

I’d filled the bird feeders days ago and barely any food was gone. “Hmm…I wonder what that’s

all about?” I said to myself as I stood in the kitchen and looked out our back door. Scanning the trees in our woods I didn’t see any birds at all. “Where’d everyone go?” I said out loud as my son Alex came into the kitchen.

“Who’s everyone?” He asked as he took out his coffee mug and went to fill the kettle with water.

“All my bird friends.” I said as I pointed to my feeders. “I haven’t seen anyone even taking a nibble.”

“Maybe it’s the wrong kind of seed.” Alex said as he pulled out a loaf of bread and popped a piece in the toaster.

“What do you mean wrong kind of seed?” I questioned. “It’s the same seed I always give them!”

“Maybe they don’t like that kind of seed anymore.” He said as the kettle came to a boil. He began to pour the water into his coffee.

I thought about it for a second then shook my head. “No. It’s got to be something else.” I put on my slippers and opened the back door. “I’m going to go check and see what’s wrong.”

I headed out to the feeders that still looked full. Taking down the first one I opened it up and began dumping it on the ground. “Oh, my gosh! What’s this?” I cried. A big clump of seed was stuck together.

Alex came out on the back deck holding his piece of toast. “What’s wrong?” He asked as he took a bite.

“All the seeds have gotten wet and now they’re all moldy!” I took down the next feeder and the same thing happened. “It must have been all that rain we just had.” I looked around the woods to see if any birds were nearby. “I hope I didn’t accidentally make anyone sick!” I brought the feeders into the house with Alex following behind me. I went to the sink and turned on the hot water.

I looked over at Alex as I was cleaning the feeders. “This has never happened to me before!”

“It was an accident.” Alex reassured me as he picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

“Accident or not I could have made some birds sick!”

Alex looked out the back door. “There aren’t any birds around so maybe word got out that you have rotted seed and they’ve been staying away.”

I turned off the water and began drying the feeders. “That doesn’t make me feel any better!” I cried.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “That’s the best I can do.” He said as he took another bite of his toast before taking another sip of his coffee.

“You know what?” I put the feeders down and went to the front closet. “I’m going to try and make it up to them.” I pulled out a 5 pound bag of peanut pieces. “I just bought this the other day for a treat during the winter months but I think maybe now might be a good time to break it out.” I went over to the kitchen drawer that had the scissors in it. I cut the top of the bag off and headed to the back door.

“Maybe this will bring them back.” I said as Alex followed me out the door.

I went down the deck stairs and began pouring peanuts on the ground. “Here you go my little friends! I’ve got a treat for you!” I looked up in the trees to see if any birds were nearby before looking over at Alex. “Do you think this will work?” I asked him.

“I know I always appreciate a good bribe.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Hopefully the birds will feel the same way.”