Episode 4: How I became a “Crazy Bird Lady.”

Welcome to Episode 4 by Alicia Jay. You can find the rest of her posts here.

Episode 4: I began to learn the differences of birds, even the individuals who visited! I looked forward to seeing my regulars.

For the bird species I didn’t know? I downloaded Merlin ID app through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I wanted to truly understand who, what, when & where. Slowly I learned who were regulars to South Florida & who were migratory to the area.

The knowledge of my past started to integrate with this new found knowledge. I started to be able to just hear their calls & know instantly what species was calling! How was this even possible? I became – in that time – the “crazy local bird lady!” Friends & family would send me pictures & videos asking MY opinion! MINE! Who knew?

Slowly I started to get a following of sorts. I didn’t know it at the time, but my posts were reaching tens of thousands of people. I began to post “stories” of what I saw. Put narrations to some of the videos. I loved when the birds were doing silly things in front of the camera. I always looked through the hundreds of videos for something really fun to share.

In January of 2023, a Pileated woodpecker decided to take residency in the nesting box. I was really excited! Every night she came “laughing” into the yard, announcing her arrival to rest for the evening. I thought, I am so lucky! But? It gets even better!!! You see, I’m not the type to sit inside. If I am home, I’m sitting outside watching my little world happen. It’s amazing what happens in a such small space when you are paying attention!

About a month after the Pileated woodpecker showed up? So did a mating pair of screech owls! The “nesting games” had begun! The screech owls were definitely persistent in their attempts to take over the nesting box. I would watch nightly & be completely fascinated with them! They knew me, my voice, so they weren’t deterred by my presence at all. At one point they had been harassing the woodpecker so hard I made a call to the local wildlife center for advice. I wanted to put up another nesting box – they said I really shouldn’t because if both boxes became occupied, when the birds fledged there could be a “war.” We discussed all the possibilities of what could happen. None of the theories came to the conclusion of the owls overcoming the box. So? I waited & I watched.

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To see the rest of Alicia’s Videos go here –Alicia Jay “Crazy Bird Lady”