Happy New Year and Birds

[muddler]

Happy new Year to all.

 

My daughter and I built a new bird feeder this summer. We put it out about a week ago. We noticed that NO birds (not even Blue Jays) have showed up in the last week or so. I talked to my neighbours and they reported the same results. We always start the bird feeders in the cold weather. The seeds have not been touched at all. Early in December there were piles of chickedees, morning doves and other birds. Now Nothing.

 

Is there something happening here in northern Ontario (Sudbury Region) that we/I should know about?

Has anybody else noticed anything strange happening with the birds?

 

I've NEVER seen a winter day here without a bird flying about somewhere.

 

muddler

[Burtess]

They have probably found another area with feeders out earlier and are hanging around there.

 

I feed year long, and they know its always full. In the warm months the feed lasts a LONG time but they know it is there.

 

It also depends on what food you are feeding. If someone in the area is feeding better food, they will concentrate there.

I feed a mix consisting of greater than 50% black oil sunflower, plus stripped sunflower, millet. There are other grains in there but in small amounts. You need the sunflower for the songbirds, chickadees, nuthatches, etc. and the millet for the junkos, doves...

 

Burt

Edited January 1, 2010 by Burtess

[Roy]

A week ago? It was wickedly cold before then. Birds don't hang around hoping that you'll remember to put feeders out. I have feeders out all year.....they get to know that there's always going to be food there. It's a job but if you want birds around, that's what you have to do. I also throw left over toast or stale bread out on the deck which brings in the jays, cardinals, mourning doves and squirrels.

 

edit: Oops, just read Burt's post....spot on.

[muddler]

My next door neighbour has a feeder out all year as does the fellow across the street. Now They get nothing too. We've never seen that happen before. Just wondering if anything unusual was happening here?

 

muddler

[Burtess]

My next door neighbour has a feeder out all year as does the fellow across the street. Now They get nothing too. We've never seen that happen before. Just wondering if anything unusual was happening here?

 

muddler

 

Maybe Coopers or Sharp Shinned hawk in the area???

 

Burt