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From Fall of 2007… |
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 Where do our hummingbirds go in winter? South, way south. Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds spend the winter in southern Mexico and Central America. There are always those who wander but according to banders, they are impressive at “sticking” to the same routes each year. We also know that while most other hummingbirds migrate over land, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds make their daring nighttime flight across the Gulf of Mexico in the spring and fall.
Could I have seen a Red-breasted Nuthatch already?Yes. We have been seeing really good numbers of Red-breasteds since early September. We haven’t had a good winter invasion of these little guys in a few years so this is exciting. They love lots of different seed but peanuts and sunflower chips are their favorites. Keep your eyes open for other invaders. Since lots of nuthatches generally means the pine seed crop didn’t do well up north this year, we may see Red Crossbills, Purple Finches and even White-winged Crossbills if we are lucky. Call us if you have a “red” invasion at your house.
I’ve seen a hawk hanging around my feeder. Is that why I have fewer birds right now?It really is a good question. Birds do decrease their activity at feeder stations in the fall and early winter each year and we generally attribute this to the boom in natural food that occurs then. Hawks may play a larger role than I have really ever given them credit. The fall and early winter period is also the time that hawks are migrating into our area. Sharp-shinned Hawks in particular can be here in impressive numbers and can’t resist a visit to a target rich environment like a bird feeder station. Birds are smart animals and learn quickly to avoid hawks. The best thing that you can do to protect your birds is to make sure they have escape cover.I live in an apartment and my feeders can’t make a big mess. What seed do you recommend?There are several options for you. Hull-less seeds like sunflower hearts, chips and peanuts are great. “They are like boneless, skinless chicken”, as Ruth likes to say. Wild Delight’s Total Cuisine is a waste-free mix that gives you seed diversity without any mess. They also have several low waste mixes including the new Less Mess Cardinal Food featured in the enclosed flyer. |
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From Summer of 2007… Why have the squirrels been so bad at the feeders this summer?Almost all of these problems are related to the “Easter Freeze” I wrote about in the cover article. The lack of natural food this early spring has been hard on all wildlife. Squirrels have been eating anything and everything. If it makes you feel any better, they really are hungry.My bluebirds started nesting so late this year, do you think they will try a third nesting?I would say yes. A bird’s drive to have offspring is very strong and given the opportunity to nest again, they will often try. Bluebirds do not face the long migration that many species do, thus have more time to invest into an additional nesting attempt.
How long will my orioles and hummingbirds stick around?Orioles are one of the first migrants to leave each “fall.” As a rule, our birds leave in early to mid-August. We will have migrant birds passing through our area through mid September. Hummingbirds on the other hand peak in numbers around September 1st and trail off until early October. Many dedicated hummer folks, maintain their feeders well into early November to help out any stragglers that might come through.I saw a cute cat shaped bird feeder at another store. Why don’t you carry those?The estimates vary, but scientific date estimates that hundreds of millions of songbirds are killed by house cats each year. It isn’t that I don’t like cats but I don’t like cats that roam free and are allowed to kill birds and other wildlife. Though it may have no impact at all, I made a pledge with myself to not promote products such as cat shaped feeders and houses. If just one bird is less defensive of cats because it associates free food with the shape or features of a cat, I have become part of the problem instead of the solution. I would plead to all of my customers, please keep your cats indoors and make your feeder stations and bird houses as cat safe as possible.I’ve notice bird seed prices have gone up. Why?There are several factors that affect bird seed prices. The classic “supply and demand” rule is really kicking in right now. The demand for sunflower seed is really high because of the human consumption market. Have you noticed how many sunflower pictures you are seeing on potato chip bags lately? This is coming at a time when supplies are lower than normal. Many farmers in this country have converted their crop land to corn because of higher profits. These profits are the result of current Ethanol push by the current administration. Will it come back down? No one knows. |
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From Spring of 2007…
What affect will the April “Freeze” have on our birds?This is a very complex question but I think their will be significant issues for our birds later in the year. We fear that we lost some of our early arriving birds like Purple Martins and hummingbirds due to the reduced availability of insects and flowering plants but to what extent we do not know. What concerns to me more is what is going to happen to the vegetation and insect populations. Most plant experts are saying we are going have to wait and see but I’m afraid that the berries and seed crop for the fall have already been greatly compromised. Fall is a critical time for birds as they are either in migration or preparing for winter. Let’s hope it isn’t as bad as we fear right now.The male cardinal has started banging at my window again. Is there anything new to keep him from waking us up at sunrise?Each year certain species of birds see their reflections in windows. Generally it doesn’t last very long but in some cases it can go on for weeks. Remember that the birds are getting a mirror image of themselves and your yard so they can’t see anything inside. Visual distractions have to be placed on the outside of the windows. One that we have had really good luck with lately is The Diving Hawk by BirdsChoice. This is more than a sticker shaped like a hawk. This is a unique 3 dimensional hawk that suction cups to a window. It worked on a male cardinal that had been hitting a window for over a year!If I cut back feeding during the summer, what feeders should I leave out?Most customers who cut back during the summer leave out a finch feeder, a peanut feeder and safflower. Finches do not nest until July and will remain quite active at feeders late into the summer. Nyjer seed doesn’t germinate and it doesn’t encourage grackle and other summer “undesirables”. Peanut feeders are another favorite because they are waste free and require little maintenance. Their design alone make them less desirable to grackle as well. The best choice for your general feeder is safflower. Safflower can germinate but only sparsely and Mourning Dove tend to vacuum the seed up nicely. Once again, its greatest appeal is that the grackle and squirrels do not like it and starlings are not crazy about it either. |
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From Winter of 2007… Ever since the cold weather settled in, the starlings are driving me crazy. What can I do?Starlings really settle in when the weather gets harsh then tend to move out when it gets mild again. The combination I have found successful is nyjer seed for my finches, safflower in my feeders that starlings can get to and cage feeders for my sunflower based products. As for their favorite food, suet, I’ve found that the upside down suet feeders really slow them down.
I had a raccoon get into my bluebird house last year. What can I do to protect them?I have always said the nature doesn’t provide predator guards for birds, but it is also true that we may artificially attract more predators to nest with our human scent. Either you can provide protection with the pole or the house itself. If you have you box mounted on a pole, an ERVA SB4 Raccoon Baffle is the absolutely best option. If you have your box attached to a tree or building, the best option is to place an extension guard on the hole. We have them made of wire and a new one made of molded plastic to look like a broken limb. It looks great and won Best New Product of the Year at this year’s Birdwatch America Tradeshow.When do I stop feeding suet?There really isn’t any reason to stop feeding suet. We have two basic formulas which come in many different flavors. During winter, most customers feed the “Treat” formulas that are higher in fat. Around mid-April it is time to switch to the “Delight” formulas that are lower in fat thus they have a much higher melting point.
Is it too late to put out a heated bird bath?Absolutely not. Water is the most critical of resources for our birds. This January and February have been proof of that. We have had record numbers of people reporting bluebirds at their bird baths this winter and it may very well have made the difference in the survival rate of these birds this year.When will the Birding Software you sell be available for my Apple?Good news for the Mac people out there. Thayers birding software is finally releasing a Mac version of their mega popular program. We should have it here in March. Give us a call and we will reserve you a copy! |
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BACKYARD BIRD CENTER (816) 746-1113 info@backyardbirdcenterKC.com 6212 NW Barry Road • Kansas City, Missouri • 64154 [ BACK TO TOP ] |
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