Feeding Wild Birds

[R2elk]

Still believing that it's spring.

I'm not that gullible. Over 2" of heavy white stuff so far.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Two perfect Puff and Struts in the yard with 9 hens, bright blue heads scarlet snoods and neck with nice full fans. Haven't seen this many together the past couple yrs.

 

[sourland]

Checked the vernal pools today. There was one egg mass in each of the first two and six in the third. That's perhaps 1/4 of usual. I wonder how old Wood Frogs live to be and at what age they are sexually mature? Last year in these 3 pools none of the tadpoles matured into frogs because of low rainfall.

 

[R2elk]

Checked the vernal pools today. There was one egg mass in each of the first two and six in the third. That's perhaps 1/4 of usual. I wonder how old Wood Frogs live to be and at what age they are sexually mature? Last year in these 3 pools none of the tadpoles matured into frogs because of low rainfall.

Around here, ponds drying up accelerates the tadpole to frog/toad stage.

 

[sourland]

Around here, ponds drying up accelerates the tadpole to frog/toad stage.

I've seen that happen with toads and spring peepers, but these tadpoles didn't have enough time.

 

[ValerieJ]

I've seen that happen with toads and spring peepers, but these tadpoles didn't have enough time.

that is just so sad. I hope they have a better year this year.

 

[Molpet]

Checked the vernal pools today. There was one egg mass in each of the first two and six in the third. That's perhaps 1/4 of usual. I wonder how old Wood Frogs live to be and at what age they are sexually mature? Last year in these 3 pools none of the tadpoles matured into frogs because of low rainfall.

Well that made me look it up.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...wQFnoECBQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw0OLinmrSb3k9fkaf9HMBXY

 

[bhawk-23]

We have, unintentionally, fed the hawks two nice meals.

Three years ago, after a hawk got one of our girls, we put a sturdy platform feeder up in the middle of our yard to entice crows. Worked great once we were on their regular food route. They alerted to hawks and even chased them off.

Two years ago I set up a dove platform and researched what they ate and soon enough we have doves also! Yay!

I’m perfectly content.

Last year hubs put up another “small bird” feeder and hawks are back to frequenting the feeders but with more determination. They have taken 2 doves so I’ve removed the third feeder and have to move the doves’ platform to a different location.

But now my dog is chasing off the crows. I’ve been trying to teach him to identify and chase hawks off for a few years. It seems to have finally clicked. He has no interest in the doves or other small birds so I think he is using shape and/or size for determining what I want him to keep away. Can’t fault him I guess, I just need to be more vigilant before letting him out.

 

[ValerieJ]

We had a bald eagle attack several years ago. It's a devastating ordeal to go through, especially for the surviving chickens. One died 3 days later of fright or stress from it. We had nets over our orchard for years after that, but we took them down last year because they were deteriorating. Haven't put them back up, but the bald eagles seem to have found their food elsewhere. That year they were attacking all the chickens in the area, but fortunately not since then.

 

[R2elk]

The 3 wild turkey hens came back and brought all of the neighbor's turkeys with them.