Athens, Ohio –
Connie Hunter has been feeding birds for about 45 years, but some bird sightings can still make her “scream a little.”
One of those happened when she spotted her very first Baltimore Oriole at the feeder. But he hadn't come alone. With him was a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Connie's husband came running when he heard her. As it happened, he had wanted to see a Rose-breasted Grosbeak ever since seeing one in a book as a child.
In one magical backyard visit, Connie saw her first Baltimore Oriole and her husband finally saw the bird he'd been waiting for since childhood.
It Started With “Wild Canaries”
Connie's love of birds began with her mother.
She remembers her mother tossing stale bread into the yard and the two of them watching to see what came. Then her mother's friend got a thistle feeder and started attracting goldfinches, or what her mother called “wild canaries.”
Of course, Connie's mother had to have one too.
The hobby grew, Connie got involved, and when she eventually started a family of her own, the bird feeders followed.
Today, at least two of Connie's children have feeders too.
At the Edge of the Woods
Connie's house sits on a steep slope in Athens, Ohio, where her lawn ends at heavily wooded state park land.
That location brings an incredible variety of birds throughout the year. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Wrens, Finches, Woodpeckers and Titmice are among her regulars.
Fall and winter bring Juncos, Towhees and different Sparrows. Then spring signals the return of Baltimore Orioles and Hummingbirds, with the occasional Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Connie credits the woods for some of that variety, along with the birdseed she gets from Happy Birdwatcher:
“The fact that my seed is superior, wink wink!”
The Best Part of Watching
After all these years, Connie says some of her favorite moments are watching bird families.
She loves seeing courtship rituals followed by “harassed looking adults” trying to teach cheeping youngsters, sometimes nearly as big as their parents, how to feed themselves.
She also watches parents introduce their young to the birdbaths, which she says has resulted in some hilarious moments.
Even the occasional Cooper's Hawk makes an appearance, although Connie has one request for him:
“I know he has to eat too, but I wish he would do his shopping elsewhere.”
“They Are My Happy Place”
Connie's son introduced her to Happy Birdwatcher with a Gift Subscription, and when her gift ended, she enjoyed it so much that she continued the subscription on her own.
She especially loves the Seeds, Nuts, and Fruit Blend, particularly for feeding on her patio in winter without leaving a pile of hulls behind.
But her favorite thing about feeding birds isn't any particular species.
“I do get very excited about my birds. They are my happy place.”
After 45 years, that hasn't changed.
Connie’s Backyard at a Glance
| 📍 Location | Athens, Ohio |
| 🌿 Setting | A sloping yard bordering heavily wooded state park land |
| ❤️ Favorite Thing to Watch | Adult birds teaching their youngsters |
| 🐦 Regular Visitors | Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Wrens, House Finches, Goldfinches, four kinds of Woodpeckers, Mourning Doves & Tufted Titmice |
| 🌻 Favorite Happy Birdwatcher Product | Seeds, Nuts, and Fruit specialty blend |
| 🎉 Birdwatching Began With | Her mother and a friend's “wild canaries” |
| 🗓️ Feeding Birds For | About 45 years |
Congratulations, Connie, and thank you for sharing your woodland backyard with us!
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