Gunfight at the O.K. Patio

In the past week or so a chipmunk has been a regular visitor to my back yard. Whenever I see him, I try to toss out some bird seed; my challenge is to do it without somehow signaling those toerag squirrels.

Last Friday I’d tossed some seed out and Chipper was enjoying it along with a few cardinals, a couple of wrens and a chickadee.

Now, you have to understand that chickadees are teeny-weeny birds. Teeny-weeny. But this chickadee for some reason took exception to the chipmunk and started fussing at him. It fluffed up its feathers and flapped its wings. Chipper took notice and froze. There was a standoff. Then chickadee fussed again. Chipper fled the scene.

After a few minutes of enjoying its victory, the chickadee flew off and the chipmunk returned. None of the other birds seemed to notice.

I seriously laughed the entire afternoon. I don’t know what the chickadee’s objection to the chipmunk was, but, man—it was not having it.

I didn’t get any video of the confrontation, but here’s the chipmunk.