Visitors to the feeder, as reported by a camera with opinions.
Paris, KY
“38 Bird Species Spotted” reads the ledger of the feeder’s camera, whose built-in AI names every guest it sees. The Manor transcribes its testimony faithfully and does not always believe it.
Per the feeder’s AI · not verified
Seven of the thirty-eight, pinned as the feeder’s AI labelled them, plus one gate-crasher the camera never saw. Names, visit counts and dates are copied exactly from the app; photographs are cropped to the tray and the bird.
The most faithful visitor in the ledger, and the label nobody here disputes. Note the AI’s blue box, drawn around it like a police outline.
Posed for its portrait like a Victorian aunt. Also turns up in the sound log below.
THE FEEDER’S AI SAYS… Bewick’s Wren, eight times. A bird long gone scarce east of the Mississippi, so either Paris, KY is very lucky or the camera is very confident.
THE FEEDER’S AI SAYS… Field Sparrow. A brown streaky bird, close enough to fog the lens. The Manor files it under “a sparrow of some description.”
THE FEEDER’S AI SAYS… one Brown Creeper, once. Creepers spiral up tree bark and rarely bother with seed trays. A single visit, unrepeated: the ledger marks it “alleged.”
THE FEEDER’S AI SAYS… Verdin, a small yellow-headed bird of the desert Southwest, four times. The photograph it kept as proof is an empty tray. Make of that what you will.
THE FEEDER’S AI SAYS… Violet-green Swallow, a Western bird that eats insects on the wing. This one appears brown, streaky, sparrow-shaped and very interested in seed. The violet and green may be in the post.
NOT IN THE LEDGER… Caught clinging to the underside of the feeder, just out of the camera’s sight, inspecting the inspector. The AI never logged it. The keeper did, with a phone, from the porch. One for the humans.
All species names above, save the woodpecker’s, are the camera’s automatic identifications (Vico Nature feeder app), not confirmed sightings.
Every cabinet of curiosities keeps one exhibit behind glass for its own protection. Ours is a thief.
WANTED
for grand larceny of birdseed
“The Culprit”
A gray squirrel. Last seen nose-to-lens in the feeder tray, eating what was clearly labelled for birds. Shows no remorse. Approaches the camera to inspect the investigation.
Reward: One (1) Peanut
Do not approach. Suspect is armed with incisors.
see also his file in the Secret Passage →A few seconds each, sealed in glass and set to loop forever. The camera did not name these guests, so the names on the tags are the Manor’s best guess.
Looked into the lens, and the lens looked back.
Arrives, takes what it came for, and leaves without small talk.
Carolina or Black-capped? The camera has views. This clip offers none.
A flash of red, shown here at half speed.
Mr. and Mrs., dining out. He arrives in full red; she arrives in sensible brown.
Cousin of the red-headed one in the drawer above. That one has the red head; this one has a red head too, and a belly you must squint to find. Neither was consulted on the names.
Arrived loudly, by all accounts. The clip is mercifully silent.
Found the bowl nearly empty. A complaint has been filed with the management.
Voices in the hedges, picked out by a sound-identification app. No photographs exist. Only the testimony of the ear.
Identifications by sound-ID app, as listed on the dates shown. The squiggles are ornamental, not real recordings.