[bristol-birds] Quandary?

Am I the only one who is consistently asking myself the question... should I 
keep filling my containers with birdseed, should I stop putting seed out during 
the warmer months, or should I less frequently fill the feeders during the 
warmer months??

I do the House Finch Disease Survey in cooperation with Cornell and have for 
the last several years filled the feeders most of the time during the summer 
months.  But this year I reasoned since the local birds are breeding here, feed 
their young primarily with insects, etc, then I should stop putting out seed.  
I have temporarily stopped the Cornell Survey.

Then along came the really cold freezing weather for a period of time with the 
birds hovering near the feeders even at dusk.. so I bought more bird seed and 
have again filled my feeders.  I have Chick-a-dees, House Finch, Titmice, Song 
Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Gold Finch, Cardinals, Indigos, Mourning Doves and 
perhaps others that use the feeders regularly.  

I have Robins, Eastern Bluebird, House Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Meadow 
Lark, Hooded Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, several species of 
woodpeckers, and probably others which feed on different kinds of insects, 
etc..  So I am thinking okay, am I going to continue to fill my bird feeders 
and let these birds take care of the insects?  So my quandary still exists.

Just curious about what others do.   For I can see many different ways of 
looking at this..

Tess Cumbie
Mitchell County NC



 

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