Feeding Wild Birds

[ValerieJ]

After all that time of filling feeders and having so many birds all the time, we suddenly just have one or two coming around. Also not hearing all the bird songs on the river. Can't figure it out. We are having a bit of a heatwave, 95 today which is very unusual for us. Could that be it? We even have less squirrels, stellar jays and crows. Can't remember this ever happening before. Perplexing.

 

[sourland]

After all that time of filling feeders and having so many birds all the time, we suddenly just have one or two coming around. Also not hearing all the bird songs on the river. Can't figure it out. We are having a bit of a heatwave, 95 today which is very unusual for us. Could that be it? We even have less squirrels, stellar jays and crows. Can't remember this ever happening before. Perplexing.

Any possibility a hawk is 'working' your feeders?

 

[ValerieJ]

Any possibility a hawk is 'working' your feeders?

Well, the hawks are often around here. The bald eagles live here. And the feeders are too small for hawks. However, we do get red tail hawks that sit in the branches from time to time and drop in on an unsuspecting dove..poor thing. But I haven't even seen a sign of that happening. I'm not hearing hawks and not hearing/seeing the eagles. I don't get it.

DH said perhaps it was because there were a bunch of earthquakes at Mt St Helens last week or two. We are in the foothills of that mountain. I just don't know. So strange

 

[R2elk]

After all that time of filling feeders and having so many birds all the time, we suddenly just have one or two coming around. Also not hearing all the bird songs on the river. Can't figure it out. We are having a bit of a heatwave, 95 today which is very unusual for us. Could that be it? We even have less squirrels, stellar jays and crows. Can't remember this ever happening before. Perplexing.

Here there are drastic population changes due to the fledglings becoming travel ready and the whole family moves on. Most of the grackles have left. Because of this the Blue Jays have returned.

Robins are still fledging as the second hatches leave the nests.

 

[ValerieJ]

Here there are drastic population changes due to the fledglings becoming travel ready and the whole family moves on. Most of the grackles have left. Because of this the Blue Jays have returned.

Robins are still fledging as the second hatches leave the nests.

That would make sense actually, but all the bird varieties? And all the nests? I haven't seen a Robin in a week or two either, but DH said he had to guide one out of the coop yesterday. We should look for a nest out there. They have nested in the apple trees before. Nice placement with all that chicken food available I guess.

 

[R2elk]

That would make sense actually, but all the bird varieties? And all the nests? I haven't seen a Robin in a week or two either, but DH said he had to guide one out of the coop yesterday. We should look for a nest out there. They have nested in the apple trees before. Nice placement with all that chicken food available I guess.

Whenever all the birds abandon the feeder here I can usually see a hawk sitting above the feeder.

 

[ValerieJ]

Whenever all the birds abandon the feeder here I can usually see a hawk sitting above the feeder.

It has to be something like that.

 

[Cebarmlds]

I am kitty sitting for my neighbor for the next couple weeks, she told me to feed the birds if I wanted to but don't have to.. so I went out on the deck where the boss is kept in a metal garbage can took the lid off and grabbed the scoop, then noticed the seeds were moldy and I saw some kind of worm! grossed out I slammed the lid back on and said to myself, no way! the birds can eat insects so they will be fine, it's not winter after all. The bird feeder had been full when the neighbors left so they must have just filled it, the seeds in the can didn't mold in just a day and a half, did they?? I hope the birds don't get sick from having eaten the moldy seeds!

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

One of my owls was yelling about something earlier. Never heard that scream before, usually it’s just hooting.

 

[ValerieJ]

We saw one of the bald eagles today, so they are apparently still around. Also a few doves came to eat seed I throw on the ground for them. 2 grossbeaks showed up at the feeder, one male and one female. But that's about it around here.