[va-richmond-general] Re: Message From RAS Website Link
- From: Betsy Shaver <emailbetsy@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx" <juliekazz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2015 17:14:25 -0500
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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