|
Post by downylover on Jan 7, 2017 18:06:44 GMT -5
I didn't take any photos but I've had so many birds. We had about 1.5" of snow on Friday and the feeders were hopping. Today we've had snow all day. We're at about 8" and it seems to be slowing down. I had dozens of white throated sparrows, probably a dozen juncos, a dozen cardinals, 8 or so blue jays. Smaller numbers of chickadees, nuthatches, downys, hairy, red bellieds and robins. Also had dreaded starlings show up to crash the party. I filled the feeders and bird bath twice and gave them lots of extra peanuts out of the shell because I read somewhere that they are good to feed in cold weather - extra protein helps them stay warm or something. Its going to be bitter cold tonight so I figured every little bit helps. I was totally prepared. I have lots of food for them so they can gobble up food all day tomorrow too.
I know there's storms far worse all over the country. I hope you're all safe & warm.
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Jan 11, 2017 23:56:09 GMT -5
When you knew the snow was coming did you go out and stock up on birdseed or was it just good timing? My friends think I'm funny--when they know it's going to snow, they hit the grocery store. I hit the feed mill! LOL We've had more snow, too, (currently about 15" on the ground) but our birds are still pretty much MIA. The usual locals are here except that the blue jays and goldfinches are way down in number from other years (remember our 90 blue jays? there are only about 24 this year--and the same amount of goldfinches, down from hundreds in recent years). No irruptives at all! The up-side is that we managed to stay in budget on seed this year as a result!
|
|
|
Post by downylover on Jan 12, 2017 18:53:26 GMT -5
Haha, I hit PetSmart when I knew it was coming to make sure I was fully stocked. I know I have so many extras in the snow. We ended up getting almost 10" but its all gone now. Its been freakishly warm the past couple of days. It feels like early spring.
24 blue jays is still a lot!! I usually only have 4-6 in the summer but I had 10 in the snowstorm. I counted 37 white throated sparrows during the storm. I had 8 today. Where did the other 29 go, lol? Now you have room in the budget for some treats! My cardinals got blueberries this week because they were on sale. During the winter I always try to get some fruit here and there as its on sale. Red grapes are usually it because they go on sale all the time so blueberries were a good treat.
100s of goldfinches is amazing but I can't even imagine how much all that nyger seed costs. That's break the bank territory.
|
|
|
Post by l2b on Jan 13, 2017 11:37:35 GMT -5
We went from 6*F. to 66*F. in a few days, 3 inches of snow all gone. Just the usual: ---- Cardinals, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Titmice, Blue Jays, A. Crows, House Finches, Goldfinches, Carolina Wren, Downy & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Mourning Doves, White-throated Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Slate-colored Juncos, and, of course, E. Starlings, & House Sparrows---.
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Jan 13, 2017 23:40:30 GMT -5
heheh You can always tell a bird lover by which stores they hit before bad weather arrives! Amazingly, I haven't had to buy any new thistle for over 5 months now! I get it in 50# bags, so it does last quite a while, but without the arrival of the finches this winter, my thistle supply will likely last through March. That's unheard of, but it does cut down on the costs by a LOT! It still amazes me that Carolina wrens are so tough, l2b. We only get winter wrens and house wrens here and neither of them stick around for winter.
|
|
|
Post by l2b on Jan 14, 2017 10:36:08 GMT -5
heheh You can always tell a bird lover by which stores they hit before bad weather arrives! Amazingly, I haven't had to buy any new thistle for over 5 months now! I get it in 50# bags, so it does last quite a while, but without the arrival of the finches this winter, my thistle supply will likely last through March. That's unheard of, but it does cut down on the costs by a LOT! It still amazes me that Carolina wrens are so tough, l2b. We only get winter wrens and house wrens here and neither of them stick around for winter. I've been hoping for a Winter Wren. One time, years ago, I had one Winter Wren visit but haven't seen any since. How many Winter Wrens visit you at one time?
|
|
|
Post by downylover on Jan 14, 2017 11:13:58 GMT -5
I had 100s of grackles in the trees today. They must have been here earlier too when I was out because the feeders are completely empty (were full before I left!). I really, really, really hope they aren't coming back early. I usually don't have to deal with them again until March.
|
|
|
Post by l2b on Jan 14, 2017 11:50:12 GMT -5
I had 100s of grackles in the trees today. They must have been here earlier too when I was out because the feeders are completely empty (were full before I left!). I really, really, really hope they aren't coming back early. I usually don't have to deal with them again until March. Please, do not tell them where I live.
|
|
|
Post by downylover on Jan 14, 2017 12:21:42 GMT -5
I had 100s of grackles in the trees today. They must have been here earlier too when I was out because the feeders are completely empty (were full before I left!). I really, really, really hope they aren't coming back early. I usually don't have to deal with them again until March. Please, do not tell them where I live. I didn't say a word! I got a couple of not great photos and a really short clip of the noise. There were many more (& much more noise) 5 minutes later. Noise!!!!
|
|
|
Post by l2b on Jan 15, 2017 12:48:35 GMT -5
Please, do not tell them where I live. I didn't say a word! I got a couple of not great photos and a really short clip of the noise. There were many more (& much more noise) 5 minutes later. Noise!!!!Thank you. WOW! They sure are a NOISY bunch.
|
|
|
Post by downylover on Jan 15, 2017 13:39:35 GMT -5
They were here in the 1000s today. I went out to clear the car after the snow and they filled the trees all along the entire block. They've been in the yard in groups of 100s today, all day, on and off. I've never seen anything like this in the winter. I have a day or two like this as they are coming back to the area, generally in March/April and again usually in November when they're leaving for the winter.
I also saw about 40 geese flying overhead when I was putting out food and a chipmunk was out yesterday before it snowed. Its bizarro world! I guess spring is going to be really early or something.
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Jan 16, 2017 20:34:13 GMT -5
I've been hoping for a Winter Wren. One time, years ago, I had one Winter Wren visit but haven't seen any since. How many Winter Wrens visit you at one time? I watched a nesting pair one summer, but mostly I only see one at a time. I've never seen one here, but I used to see them in the parks in Eau Claire (about 50 miles away now since we moved). Haven't seen any at all for about a decade now....
|
|
|
Post by hazelrunmama on Jan 16, 2017 20:36:24 GMT -5
They were here in the 1000s today. I went out to clear the car after the snow and they filled the trees all along the entire block. They've been in the yard in groups of 100s today, all day, on and off. I've never seen anything like this in the winter. I have a day or two like this as they are coming back to the area, generally in March/April and again usually in November when they're leaving for the winter. Oy! I can't imagine 1000s of them!! O.O Are they still out there? It'd be like something out of that Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds"...
|
|
|
Post by hutchgigi on Jan 29, 2017 15:03:12 GMT -5
I had 100s of grackles in the trees today. They must have been here earlier too when I was out because the feeders are completely empty (were full before I left!). I really, really, really hope they aren't coming back early. I usually don't have to deal with them again until March. The boat tail grackles are funny in the south but SO many and So noisy. I did pretty good the past few years in NJ with no long time stayers of starlings and grackles. Ginny H.
|
|
|
Post by hutchgigi on Jan 29, 2017 15:05:22 GMT -5
I didn't take any photos but I've had so many birds. We had about 1.5" of snow on Friday and the feeders were hopping. Today we've had snow all day. We're at about 8" and it seems to be slowing down. I had dozens of white throated sparrows, probably a dozen juncos, a dozen cardinals, 8 or so blue jays. Smaller numbers of chickadees, nuthatches, downys, hairy, red bellieds and robins. Also had dreaded starlings show up to crash the party. I filled the feeders and bird bath twice and gave them lots of extra peanuts out of the shell because I read somewhere that they are good to feed in cold weather - extra protein helps them stay warm or something. Its going to be bitter cold tonight so I figured every little bit helps. I was totally prepared. I have lots of food for them so they can gobble up food all day tomorrow too. I know there's storms far worse all over the country. I hope you're all safe & warm. I surly saved money on bird seed this winter. My daughter just went to the farm store to get seed for the Ma. house. Finn told me all about the store and seed . I had my sister and brother in law stay here for a week and they got snow and enjoyed the birds. Filled the feeders when they left but all was empty when i got home. We might get snow monday early so all is filled now. Ginny H.
|
|