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Office Birdwatching
Dec. 7th, 2021 01:59 pmI've never really thought of nuthatches as a "bird-feeder bird" and yet I've had one hanging out regularly for months now. I think sometimes there have been more than one. (It's my memory that's uncertain, not my ID skills.) I think mostly it's been going for the seed mix with a high shelled sunflower content, but lately it's also been defending the suet/seed cake holder rather valiently.
Last year the thistle seed holder was constantly swarmed with goldfinches. I still get them these days, but not in quite the same numbers. And it makes a difference on how often I have to refill! When the goldfinch gang was in full swing, I'd have to refill the thistle seeds once a week. Now it's more like once a month.
One side-effect of my new computer glasses prescription is that my focus isn't as good at bird-feeder distance. (Approx. 12 feet -- 4 of them inside the window, 8 outside.) I can still ID all the regulars based on the obvious cues, but I might have problems with a less common species.
I may have posted about how the new computer glasses still weren't quite right but I wasn't going to go back a third time to adjust. This week I had the brilliant idea that I could actually move my monitors about 3" closer. To widen the top surface of the desk where the monitors stand, I'd put a 1x5ft shelf board on top, which gave me another 2ft of width. Well the other thing that board can do is be slid toward me. I tested it to make sure I'm not anywhere near the tipping point. (How often does one get to use that phrase in its literal meaning?) That much difference means a lot to eye strain. I was even able to reduce the display magnification from 175% to 125% and it's still better than at the farther distance.
After going to the trouble of getting the "close-up laptop glasses" for when I'm working without the desk setting, I'm not really using them because the "desktop" glasses work for everything except a really close distance. And even when I'm working with the plain laptop, usually it's distanced by virtue of actually being on my lap (rather than a table) or due to having a dinner place sitting in between us. Still, options are good.
Last year the thistle seed holder was constantly swarmed with goldfinches. I still get them these days, but not in quite the same numbers. And it makes a difference on how often I have to refill! When the goldfinch gang was in full swing, I'd have to refill the thistle seeds once a week. Now it's more like once a month.
One side-effect of my new computer glasses prescription is that my focus isn't as good at bird-feeder distance. (Approx. 12 feet -- 4 of them inside the window, 8 outside.) I can still ID all the regulars based on the obvious cues, but I might have problems with a less common species.
I may have posted about how the new computer glasses still weren't quite right but I wasn't going to go back a third time to adjust. This week I had the brilliant idea that I could actually move my monitors about 3" closer. To widen the top surface of the desk where the monitors stand, I'd put a 1x5ft shelf board on top, which gave me another 2ft of width. Well the other thing that board can do is be slid toward me. I tested it to make sure I'm not anywhere near the tipping point. (How often does one get to use that phrase in its literal meaning?) That much difference means a lot to eye strain. I was even able to reduce the display magnification from 175% to 125% and it's still better than at the farther distance.
After going to the trouble of getting the "close-up laptop glasses" for when I'm working without the desk setting, I'm not really using them because the "desktop" glasses work for everything except a really close distance. And even when I'm working with the plain laptop, usually it's distanced by virtue of actually being on my lap (rather than a table) or due to having a dinner place sitting in between us. Still, options are good.
