This mediocre photo depicts a very unusual event: Frank, on top of a nest box, with some Society Finsters (Earl Grey and Darjeeling, to be precise). Although Frank has been known to share the small white concrete perch with Tea, it's very unusual for him to sit on a nest box with any of the other Finsters. He stayed there for quite awhile — long enough for me to grab the camera and take quite a few mediocre photos.

Finally! The Finsters are happy enough with the Not-So-Evil Plastic Nest Box that I was able to take a photo of Goober on it with the Finsterium door open. Particularly since I'm adding new sprigs of millet every few days, and dumping out the old seed hulls, this box still makes the birds pretty nervous. But I guess Goober likes the plastic nest box millet spray enough that I was able to get this photo. You can click here for a big version, since it's such a nice photo.

Turns out the main problem with designating the plastic nest box Magic Purveyor of Tasty Seeds is that after awhile it gets half full of seed hulls. Removed it this morning to clean it out, but caused massive Finstipations when I tried to put it back in. Finally removed the annoying little clips that came with the box and hot-glued wire to it. Much easier to put back in! Unfortunately, it took the Finsters about half a day to forgive the intrusion.

Never fear, though, tasty seeds will win out! I've seen three or four of them snacking this evening.

I've described the layout of Peanut's house before, which — except for toys — hasn't changed much since I first got him. Nor has his habits of using the perches.

Until these past couple of weeks.

Instead of climbing happily onto his "sleepy perch" (labeled "D" in this image), and settling down to sleep, he's started to climb off it and sit on perch "C." I've been totally confused by this. Thinking that he isn't actually ready to settle down to sleep, I've tried to have him step back into my hand, for five more minutes of Warm Toasties. But wouldn't you know, after five more minutes, he still walks onto perch "C," and sometime he doesn't want more Warm Toasties at all.

So last night I ignored perch "D" completely, and offered him perch "C" at bedtime. Peanut stepped up happily. Same thing tonight. Go figure!

So it's official, Peanut has a new sleepy perch — "X" marks the spot. The only thing I can figure is that I don't sleep too well, and get up in the middle of the night sometimes. Since the old perch "D" is right next to the path through the apartment, this new spot is more restful for him.

Society finches are called "society" for a reason: they are a domesticated finch, and are good-natured and even-tempered. They're also good parents, and are often used as "foster" parents for other finches, since they'll help raise just about any bird. Several years ago when one of my Zebra finches was shunned by the other Zebras in the Finsterium, the Society Finsters took her right in. I keep hoping they'll do the same with Frank. And, it looks like Frank may be hoping for that, too.

This photo shows Frank sitting on the porch of the nest box that the Societies sleep in. There are a few Societies inside — although you'll have to take my word for that. Frank was sitting there so long some of the other birds seemed a bit irritated — the Finsters inside wanted to get out, and the ones outside wanted to get in.

Maybe one day Frank will start sleeping inside with them.

You knew all those used-up sprigs of millet spray from the Evil Nest Box had to end up somewhere, didn't you? Here's Earl Grey, looking very handsome while showing off his stick:

As I've mentioned before, male Society finches often show off to females by displaying with sticks, feathers, grass, or any other interesting object they can get their beaks on. Although these photos aren't great, I think Earl Grey is very cute, so you can click here for another big photo.

Now this really is a miracle! Timid Frank, snacking away at the tasty seeds inside the Evil Nest Box. Mind you, he's never been inside the box. But still. Frank is the last bird I'd ever expect to overcome his fear of Evil. Plastic. Boxes. This is a decent photo, so you can click here to see a big version.

I wonder if Sally would have been brave enough to try, if she were still alive?

Frank, by the way, continues to be active and curious — in addition to today's miracle. I haven't noticed him on the peach perch again, or the cuttlefish bone, but he's been snacking on the crushed shells, and last night I think he spent the whole night sleeping on top of the (cardboard) nest box that the Societies sleep in. I say "I think" because I didn't want to disturb the Finsters by looking too closely.

I can't help myself, I just think the ongoing transformation of the Evil Plastic Nest Box into a Nice Place For Snacks is the best thing since, well tasty seeds. But, I guess I'll try to refrain from posting too many mediocre photos.

There has been a lot of activity in the box — although both these photos show Goober and Earl Grey. Much of the activity is due to the fact that I keep putting new sprigs of millet spray inside — nothing like a good old-fashioned Finster Attraction Device to keep the birds interested. But Earl Grey also spent a bit of time on top of the box today.

Eight months and thirteen days after the introduction of the Evil Plastic Nest Box, and eight months and five days after a Finster Attraction Device was added, (some of) the Finsters have finally gotten brave enough to partake of the F.A.D., and actually touch the Evil Box! This is a momentous occasion, let me tell you!

We watched and waited, magic was added and poems were written, Finster Attraction Devices were manipulated.... But after a couple of months, I finally left the Evil Box alone, and the Finsters (apparently) learned to ignore it.

Until today! Bosco was first and bravest: you can click here to see a close up of her munching away inside. Goober is the choco-colored bird in all the pictures to the left. Also joining in were Earl Grey (middle and middle bottom) and Tea (far left on the bottom).

All the Finsters were quite interested in the newly discovered source of Tasty Seeds. In fact, Frank was even spotted sitting on top of the Evil Nest Box for a very brief moment (!), but these are the best of the photos I got. More later, I'm sure.

While I'm sure the Society Finsters know that Decaffeinated is gone, I'm not too worried about them. After all, they've always piled together. If they have favorites, I can't tell. But Frank is a different story.

Finches are social creatures, and will get depressed and lethargic if forced to live alone. Even though Frank isn't the only finch in the house, he is the only White-Headed Nun, so I have to keep an eye on him to make sure his general health doesn't degrade. The good news is that he's been active and curious since Sally died. In fact, he's done several things since her death that I've never seen him do before, including sitting on the peach concrete perch (it's a bad photo, but it's proof), checking out the perch with the cuttlefish bone, and eating crushed shells from the little dish hanging on the wall. One night, he even tried to settle down to sleep on top of the nest box that the Society Finsters sleep in! But they must have been surprised when he started rustling on their roof, because they chased him off.

Frank's activity is a good sign. White-Headed Nuns are a bit hard to find, and it'd be even harder to find a female around his age (he's getting old for a finch). But, I'd happily get him a sweet young thing to be his companion, if he decides he needs one.