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Post by Woody Williams on Dec 12, 2023 12:35:23 GMT -5
We have always fed birds. I've had out a couple feeders and two seed cakes continuously.
In the last 4 or 5 months the number of birds hitting our feeders have dropped off drastically.
I used to go through a 40 pound sack of black oil sunflower seeds a month, along with a dozen seed cakes.
Now, not even a two coffee cans full a week.
Cardinals was the majority of our birds and now I haven't seen one in a week or more.
Anyone else not seeing many birds?
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Post by stevein on Dec 12, 2023 12:48:56 GMT -5
The Bluebirds that use my houses return to bath and regroup in the mornings. I have counted 7 or 8 but it is really hard to tell. The pair fledged 10 chicks in 2 nestlings last summer. So I am sure I have seen both the cock and hen that would make a 50% survival of the chicks. I get Titmice (mouses?) come by and peck at my maple. The attraction is the birdbath as at this time I do not feed them.
I noticed the absence of sparrows. They like the same nesting boxes the Bluebirds use. I keep some .177 pellets to feed them. Also very few Starlings last summer. Since they are large flock birds maybe avian flu got them, I can only hope.
We have had many Cardinals and if they come once or twice that is about it. I have been seeing a few Blue Jays which is up.
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Post by Mack Apiary Bees on Dec 12, 2023 13:15:52 GMT -5
I think the chemtrails are killing the birds and insects. Chemicals coming into the hives is now the #1 killer of honeybees. I'm sure all the chemicals in the plants and animals is taking it's toll. We now need to remove 3 to 4 year old wooden frames. The wooden frames are loaded with chemicals coming off the bees.
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Post by huntsemall on Dec 12, 2023 14:05:39 GMT -5
Filled the feeder last week..no suet cakes yet. Just now getting some juncos?, tufted titmouse, couple red bellied woodpeckers and a crap load of bluejays. Other than the bluejays, numbers are way down compared to other years. Those bluejay boogers are nothing but flat out bullies.
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Post by omegahunter on Dec 12, 2023 14:08:25 GMT -5
Our bird show dropped off drastically when we cut down both of our old dying trees. I kept a feeder going and suet feeder, but it got down to only English sparrows visiting the feeder and nothing on the suet. I quit putting anything out.
Seeing plenty of "black birds" flocked up in the fields right now. Too far away to tell if they are Starlings, Redwing Blackbirds, or Grackles. I would think the Redwings would already be gone by now.
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Post by saltydog on Dec 12, 2023 14:13:30 GMT -5
We have always fed birds. I've had out a couple feeders and two seed cakes continuously. In the last 4 or 5 months the number of birds hitting our feeders have dropped off drastically. I used to go through a 40 pound sack of black oil sunflower seeds a month, along with a dozen seed cakes. Now, not even a two coffee cans full a week. Cardinals was the majority of our birds and now I haven't seen one in a week or more. Anyone else not seeing many birds? Yesterday was the first time in about 3 or 4 months that I have purchased bird food, Seems that I am seeing about 1/2 of the birds I used to have. In mid october I had the last of 2 seed cakes out and the birds havnt touched them. As far as my bees go, I have lost 3 of 4 hives that I had. 2 of them were my strongest hives and were full of enough surplus for the winter, or so I thought.
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Post by featherduster on Dec 12, 2023 14:37:36 GMT -5
This year looked like it was going to be a very good year for ducks that is right up till the opener of duck season. There has been no major migration efforts of ducks and geese so far this year. Looking at the long term weather forecast I don't see anything coming that's going to change things. Very few birds in the feeder.
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Post by stevein on Dec 12, 2023 15:12:36 GMT -5
Interesting thoughts on insecticides. My Bluebird houses have been up in the same location for over 20 years. They get 2 or 3 clutches a year. I have nearly 100% fledge. Except for raccoons and sparrows that destroy nests. When asked how they are so productive I say I do not spray insecticides or fertilize my lawn and no other chemicals except for an occasional dose of Roundup when cattails start to grow in the ditch.
SILENT SPRING?
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Post by steiny on Dec 12, 2023 15:59:42 GMT -5
Do you have a water source? Most of the midwest is in drought conditions, all of the regular wet holes, marshes and shallow creeks are about dried up Most ponds are down several feet.
Wildlife, birds included need to be pretty near water. Keep a bird bath filled along with your feeders and it makes a difference. We've got a healthy crop of birds using our feeders.
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Post by featherduster on Dec 12, 2023 16:34:41 GMT -5
Do you have a water source? Most of the midwest is in drought conditions, all of the regular wet holes, marshes and shallow creeks are about dried up Most ponds are down several feet. Wildlife, birds included need to be pretty near water. Keep a bird bath filled along with your feeders and it makes a difference. We've got a healthy crop of birds using our feeders. My property has a marsh and a couple of ponds. I live in a neighborhood of properties that also have marshes and ponds or lakes and we are all at normal pool. Something different these past few years.
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Post by Woody Williams on Dec 12, 2023 16:39:44 GMT -5
We do have a bird bath out within 10 feet of the feeder. It really hadn’t been all that dry in my area. My grass stayed green all through the summer.
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Post by drfleck on Dec 12, 2023 17:51:36 GMT -5
I have a pretty large flock of house sparrows hitting my feeders regularly. A couple of cardinals here and there. Thanksgiving weekend I had my first dark eyed juncos show up. I hadn't seen any juncos for a few days but yesterday I had two at the feeder, or rather on the ground below the feeders.
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Post by duff on Dec 12, 2023 18:26:54 GMT -5
Hmmm, I don't feed the birds but have not noticed a reduction either.
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Post by parrothead on Dec 13, 2023 4:52:55 GMT -5
The cranes have started heading South
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Post by saltydog on Dec 13, 2023 5:54:51 GMT -5
Do you have a water source? Most of the midwest is in drought conditions, all of the regular wet holes, marshes and shallow creeks are about dried up Most ponds are down several feet. Wildlife, birds included need to be pretty near water. Keep a bird bath filled along with your feeders and it makes a difference. We've got a healthy crop of birds using our feeders. Yes I have 3 bird baths with fountains and rocks for the bee's and butterfly's to crawl on , I would fill them every day when I would get home from work.
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Post by span870 on Dec 13, 2023 6:20:18 GMT -5
Milder winters leave birds with less reason to migrate. Most only go as far as they need to. Most see bird congregation this time of year because of migration. Birds just aren't migrating? Asked as a question because I really don't know. Never really thought about songbirds migrating until I saw a robin migration this year while deer hunting. Thousands of them.
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Post by esshup on Dec 13, 2023 9:44:01 GMT -5
Enough sparrows are showing up on the back porch by the martin house that I'm going to start feeding them, then put out a sparrow trap.
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Post by welder on Dec 15, 2023 20:42:31 GMT -5
I was in the yard today and I actually saw a mockingbird. First time ever this time of year. I figured they migrated a long time ago???
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