Feeding Wild Birds

[sourland]

The crow 'family' has grown to 8 or 9 birds with last years and this years young. One of this years birds is exhibiting signs of West Nile Virus. When the virus first appeared here, it wiped out most of the crows and raptors along with many songbirds (catbirds especially). Since then many appear to have developed an immunity.

 

[R2elk]

The crow 'family' has grown to 8 or 9 birds with last years and this years young. One of this years birds is exhibiting signs of West Nile Virus. When the virus first appeared here, it wiped out most of the crows and raptors along with many songbirds (catbirds especially). Since then many appear to have developed an immunity.

The thing I noticed about West Nile here was that many birds were exhibiting signs of dehydration. I found a dead songbird almost daily.

After I put my pond in, I stopped finding dead songbirds everywhere. Now the normal is maybe one a year. I also am no longer seeing signs of dehydration.

 

[ValerieJ]

The bird flu didn't hit our area this year, nor did it a couple years ago when so many chickens were lost. Not sure why we were passed over, but I'm thankful for it.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

The annual World War Hummingbird has officially started! I’ve got at least three of them fighting over the feeder presently. I never realized how noisy the little things could be before I started feeding them.

 

[ValerieJ]

I actually had two hummingbirds zooming around after each other going for the best of the fuchsias. So fun to watch them.

 

[ValerieJ]

The duck and geese families are getting so big. Can hardly tell which are the parents.

 

[R2elk]

The annual World War Hummingbird has officially started! I’ve got at least three of them fighting over the feeder presently. I never realized how noisy the little things could be before I started feeding them.

One year they were thick here. I was watching them when one decided to check out my ear hole.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

One year they were thick here. I was watching them when one decided to check out my ear hole.

I had a relative that would get dive-bombed every time the feeder got empty. Mine aren’t quite that brave yet!

 

[R2elk]

I had a relative that would get dive-bombed every time the feeder got empty. Mine aren’t quite that brave yet!

My brother had barn swallows nesting in his "barn". They would sit on the power line on our property boundary. When I would go over by the property line the little stinkers would dive bomb me.

 

[sourland]

For several weeks four turkey hens and eight poults have been showing up for water and to scrounge under the bird feeders. Recently the bearded hen has joined them, and seems to be accepted by all but one of the mature birds. I've noticed that all seem to be predator aware, and none are aggressive to the poults.