Possibly sick from Salmonella. We had a severe outbreak through the NW last year due to extremely high numbers of Pine Siskins. I would see several lethargic birds at or around the feeder everyday. You could walk right up to them and they would just look at you, too weak to fly. I finally followed the Audubon Societies advice to stop feeding because birds congregate at the feeders and transmission is increased to all birds. I also emptied and scrubbed the feeders and plexiglass hoods with a strong bleach solution and rinse. No sign or reports of Salmonella this past summer.
We have seen very few sick birds this year. Last year was bad for mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in our house finches and a few other finch-sized birds. It is really important to keep those feeders clean, but it only does so much good if your neighbors don’t do the same. Still, those of us who know do our part, eh?
We’ll do one more after this one - don’t want to hijack too much like I did in the “What Are You Listening To” thread…
They are suckers for grape jelly and will return each year if you supply it. We have also tried orange rounds and special oriole nectar feeders, but our birds don’t use them. They mob the grape jelly, though. YMMV. Edit: Oh. Ahem. What eatonpcat and Ronaldo said. Heh heh.
We started seeing stragglers maybe 2 weeks ago or so - now they’re here in force with occasional white throated sparrows mixed in.
We bought a feeder that holds 2 orange 1/2's and a jelly tray. They didn't find it, that we saw. Maybe next year.
This was back in May. Orioles, titmice, and chickadees went crazy for this used coco fiber we put out. We’ve had good luck with birds, especially this last year. At least one brood of chickadees, 3 broods of bluebirds (14 babies). They explored around the place last year, moved in this year. We had a total of five bluebird houses put out around the property, some of which were store-bought at a pretty price. They preferred my home-made birdhouse! We had fresh water out at all times, provided housing and nesting material as above, and had a variety of seeds and suet, plus live mealworms that The Wife raises. Yes, we are “bird people” and our birds are spoiled!
We We saw titmice take those fibers from her basket planters. She had a nesting ball filled with, of all things, cat hair she removed from his brush. They did take it.
I saw one too and was thinking it was too early for it to be down this way. It was in a small mixed group with at least 3 titmice (which is the usual number I see them in around here), several chickadees (which haven't been around for months) some house finches (females and young males) and a couple of birds that were obviously over caffeinated as they were so flighty I couldn't get a look at them (could never get my binoculars up fast enough when they alit on branches or ground).
We thought the juncos got here early, too, though no actual data to support it. Just ‘felt early’, based on our short years living in WI and observing the birds here. It’s always interesting to observe the rhythms of Creation. Our first year (winter) in this house we had pine siskins everywhere. That was almost four years ago. Haven’t seen one since. Not a single one.
My Sister had a Wooly Malamute. When they blow their undercoat in the spring she would comb the dog out on the deck and bunches of fur would blow all over and the birds would go nuts picking it up and away to line their nests. She said that a half hour after grooming, the fur would all be gone!
