I've been feeding a few sparrows with the top of my coconut when I have my coconut water 4 or 5 times a week. Now those sparrows have me feeding them sweetbread. My wife has warned me about her sugar. She is car proud and very against bird poop.
In reply to Headley
What a good read.
The author has a creative style, punctuated with humor made the article most enjoyable. She comes via fishkeeping, but clearly is a nature lover in general.
My feeder remains the focal point of my breakfast table. Nothing like a morning coffee and seeing "the regulars" come and go. In Barbados, the feeder is nectar for humming birds, and on the balcony a small feeder that sparrows and the occasional yellow-breasted finch (once so plentiful, now nearly gone from Bajan landscape). Having keep, breed and raised birds & fish all my life - I've come to appreciate that the way to success is always the same: keep it simple, give them space, and let them be. The parallel to humanity should not be lost.
In the states, the feeder is always a filled with "songbird mix" - and the sight of Cardinals and Blue Jays will never cease to bring a big smile and twinkle in my eye.
(similar effect when reading a bravos thread)
In reply to pelon
Yes I thoroughly enjoyed the article for the self deprecating humour, the detailed info about various birds and bird feeding, the evolutionary aspects and more.
Thank you for previously providing the info about bird identification and raising my consciousness. I just saw two sparrows using my coconut feeding tray. Haven't seen (or heard) many parakeets this January. Last January I saw about 150 in Haggetts, St. Andrew, above a stream which flows to Belleplaine, in an area of thick overgrowth and a few big trees.
For full disclosure I should add that in my pre-teen days I killed a few birds using catapults (known as guttaperks in Bim and derived from the guttaperka or guttapercha a latex producing plant which was a popular 19th century 'plastic'. Lots of interesting stories about guttaperka on the net). Thankfully in my senior years I now realise the value of birds and fish as more than food. Which reminds me, I need to resurrect my aquarium.
Right now I am designing a coconut water supply line for my kitchen. I got the idea from Dukes. 
For full disclosure I should add that in my pre-teen days I killed a few birds using catapults
A right of passage
Between shooting wood doves with a guttaperk and hunting lizards with blowdarts - I too have to offer same disclosure as I suspect most of my love of nature came at the expense of many dead curled up bajan lizards...
Just the other day a buddy and I where discussing how we would ride bikes all day, eat dry coconuts and roast breadfruit as a day meal while exploring from dusk till dawn.
RE: Fishkeeping. A dying if not dead hobby. A few passionate folk in bim, but nothing like in the 70 - 90s .... Gertz petshop was like my second home.
So boss man, what type of aquarium you looking for? Salt or fresh? I never was interested in Salt, as the potential for breeding is slim. I am a tetra fan, set in all natural plants and drift wood. Two 6 foot aquariums remain inside... but the ponds are where birds and fish and pelon conspire.
Raised from fry: Discuss, Angels, Fighters, Rams, Gouramis and koi. I had so many koi at one point I had to let the Crane have unfettered access.
The simple things matter most... get that aquarium setup man.
