[va-richmond-general] Re: Message From RAS Website Link
- From: "Catharine W. Tucker" <cath.tucker@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Madden FreeLists.org" <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2015 21:20:12 -0500
Here in central Hanover Co in woods, bluebirds usually stay in edge of woods
out by county road 1/4 mi north. This winter, the small flock has been back
near the house often. About a week before the snow on 2/17, 3 birds (2 males, 1
female) checked out the nest box & scoffed up 1/2 c. of mealworms. Since the
2/17 snow, I've seen 1 here at the house on suet cake. None since last week.
Birds have come to water here as well as food. Three of the suet cakes & a
thistle-seed sock all hang from the awning over the back steps, so any birds
there are easily identifiable from inside the back door.
Today, there were 7 m. doves & 2 male towhees among the doz. juncos, 8-10
white-throated sparrows, 4 jays, 6 titmice, 6 Car chickadees, 2-3 nuthatches, 3
downies, 3 red-bellied wdpkrs & 3 goldfinches, Car. wrens (3), all coming close
to house for both seeds & suet. Last "warm" day, there were 2 pine siskins on
the suet & 1 bedraggled yellow-rumped warbler. Last Fri, a female redwing & 2
crows joined the jays. After seeds on ground. An hour or so later a large,
noisy, mixed flock of redwings & grackles flew over. Also, 3 hermit thrushes
kicked up leaves in few open areas around the driveway. Today the yard was so
full of birds it looked like a chicken yard.
Since latest cold, wet freeze, I haven't seen bluebirds, warbler, siskins or
thrushes. Flock of robins cleaned the berries off big English holly bush
between snows. Native holly berries were gone by New Year's.
There are 2 hawks in the woods, a red-shouldered & Cooper's. I hear & see
them occasionally. Crows alert to their whereabouts. They keep the small birds
restless & wary. They may also be picking off the weak stragglers. Wish they'd
get a couple of squirrels.
Catharine Tucker
Sent from my iPhone
____________________
On Mar 1, 2015, at 5:14 PM, Betsy Shaver <emailbetsy@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> We live in the city, near Willow Lawn. We have had more bluebirds this year
> than in the other 4 years we've lived here. They show up to feed in groups
> and like the suet cylinders or balls, although I have seen them eating whole
> shelled nuts from the pole system feeders.
>
> Sorry to hear about others' bluebirds. :-(
>
> Haven't seen any drop off in bluebirds or anything else... In fact I feel
> like we've been going through birdseed more quickly this season and getting
> more birds. I've been tossing a few scoopfuls on the ground each time I fill
> the feeders and the robins and towhees are on it as soon as I get inside.
> (And the squirrels of course.)
>
> -Betsy
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Mar 1, 2015, at 3:31 PM, juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
>> We live in a very residential area with deciduous trees, brush piles, water
>> sources and more bird feeders then I can count. We have been hatching and
>> feeding Bluebirds for decades. They have been very active, or perhaps I
>> should say, more visible since we have had the snow and ice. Their favorite
>> food seems to be suet although they are feeding on sunflower seeds, peanut
>> butter and the most certainly mealworms when I scatter them.
>>
>> We do not use any chemicals, rock salt or anything for that matter for
>> melting ice. During the spring and summer we just let the "lawn" do what it
>> will. The only thing we do to it is mow it. Zero fertilizers, pest control
>> etc. We had one instance of a female Bluebird found dead, but that was
>> during the breeding season. She was found with her eyes pecked out in her
>> nestbox. I think a Titmouse did that...grrr.
>>
>> Will watch for any signs of illness or worse.
>>
>> Here's a little happier action from ice-central today.
>>
>> JulieKacmarcik
>> Chester
>>
>> <IMG_4631.jpg><IMG_4541.jpg><IMG_4659.jpg>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> From: "Wendy Ealding" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: joelively@xxxxxxx, va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sent: Sunday, March 1, 2015 2:59:13 PM
>> Subject: [va-richmond-general] Re: Message From RAS Website Link
>>
>> I live in a densely developed neighborhood in Midlothian, it is my first
>> winter at this location. Because this is a new development, there is very
>> little in the way of trees or shrub cover. I have been having Bluebirds
>> come to my feeder regularly since mid-December. The feeder is a
>> pole-mounted hopper type, fairly close to the house, and I feed sunflower
>> hearts and have a peanut butter suet cake in a basket mounted on the pole.
>> The Bluebirds are taking the sunflower hearts, and haven't shown interest in
>> the peanut butter suet.
>>
>> Because this is my first winter at this location, I don't know if this is
>> typical.
>>
>>
>> Wendy Ealding
>> Midlothian
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Joe Lively <joelively@xxxxxxx>
>> To: va-richmond-general <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Sun, Mar 1, 2015 2:35 pm
>> Subject: [va-richmond-general] Message From RAS Website Link
>>
>>
>> Re: Report of dead bluebirds by Alyssa Salomon.
>>
>> I live in a very rural
>> area near Farmville. After reading your report, I checked my boxes today and
>> found two male bluebirds dead (each in seperate boxes). Another was found on
>> the back deck. There were no external marks to indicate dying due to predator
>> action. Although bluebirds will tend to crowd into a nesting box on cold
>> nights,
>> no active bluebirds have been observed subsequent to the two snows.
>>
>> First
>> thought: I would think that a die-off might well be related to the unusually
>> cold conditions. During our recent snows, two bluebirds were observed
>> feeding at
>> suet blocks, along with other species that are not commonly seen around
>> house.
>> In past years, I have taken photographs of bluebirds showing them consuming
>> berries from wild sumac bushes. They have also been observed visiting a
>> hanging
>> feeder filled with black-oil sunflower seeds that had been liberally
>> sprinkled
>> with freeze dried meal worms. So from field observations, supported by
>> photographic documentation, I do know bluebirds eat seeds. Each observation
>> (and
>> photographs taken) occurred during snow, ice and unusually cold conditions.
>> Record cold conditions prevailed this past month.
>>
>> The questions are:
>> 1.
>> Was a source of wild seeds or supplemental feed available?
>> 2. Was this apparent
>> die-off due to the frigid temperatures
>> 3. Did pathology have a role?
>>
>> If more
>> reports come in from a wide radius, concerned bluebird hosts might consider
>> delaying the cleaning out of nesting debris from the previous season. This
>> would
>> provide addition insulation against the cold.
>> Should numerous reports continue
>> to come in, it might be an issue for Audubon to explore.
>> Joe
>> Lively
>> Jetersville, Va.
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