Few things make me happier than watching birds and listening to them sing from my balcony. Photographer Carla Rose has taken it a step further and created a bird feeder that doubles as a little selfie booth. Her project Under the bird feeder Through a series of beautiful photographs that Carla has kindly shared with DIYP, we celebrate the “ordinary” birds and other animals that visit our backyards.
Carla took photos of her little avian friends every day during the winter of 2020-2021 with a DSLR camera she placed under a bird feeder that attracted not only birds but also furry visitors like squirrels and deer mice. But having a camera and seeds in her backyard wasn't enough.
“In the winter, I get to participate in one of my favourite pastimes: feeding birds,” Carla explains. But in the warmer months, “it's completely unethical to hang bird feeders in my area (the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA). Bird feeders are a particular nuisance as they attract black bears, but even in winter, placing them requires some care.
“Ethical considerations were paramount in this project,” says Carla. “This included hanging the bird feeders in trees away from the windows of the house. If not properly maintained, bird feeders can be vectors for diseases such as Salmonella.” To avoid these issues, Carla regularly stirred up and dug up the soil under the bird feeders. She rotated the feeders to different branches, left them emptied from time to time, and disinfected them regularly.
“Plus, my garden remains 'wild' even during the colder months, so I offer options other than bird feeders. Planting native species in my garden is a huge priority each year as they provide food and shelter for animals. I strongly believe that if you feed birds, you should do so responsibly!”
When starting this project, Carla was wondering how the seeds would affect the ecosystem. And would they only attract birds? As it turns out, there were other little creatures who were interested in being photographed. Surely they were looking for food, but let us daydream. 🙂
Carla observed the animals that gathered and their habits and behaviors. “After sunset, the deer mice would collect the aforementioned seeds and hide them in the stone walls near the bird feeders,” she says. They were often assisted by, as Carla puts it, “the adorable but poisonous northern shrew.” “When dawn came, a variety of predators (from birds to squirrels) would pounce on the hidden prey.”
“Behavioural insights have always fascinated me. The black-eared skylark was always the first bird to emerge at dawn and the northern cardinal always emerged at dusk. I began to recognise the regular birds and developed a particular fondness for a deer mouse with notches in his ears that I eventually named 'Notch'.”
We often look for beauty in faraway lands and exotic animals. Under the bird feeder It reminds us to explore our own surroundings and find the beauty of the flora and fauna that we often overlook. This is exactly what Carla wants to achieve with this project. “What if we all paid attention to, protected and respected our surroundings? I think we could achieve great things in conservation”, Carla concludes. It's all there, waiting for us, we just need to open our eyes!
Check out some more of Carla's beautiful photos below, and be sure to check out her website to see more of her work.
