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The Feeder Plead
I have been on the road so
much, I haven’t been able to post on activity at the feeder.
I haven’t see any new species, but there has been a sharp up-tick in number of Chickadees and a drop in the number of Goldfinches. This is probably because while I was gone the Goldfinches emptied the sock feeders of their favorite nyger seed and they remained empty.
And they will will remain empty until I get some more!
The number if Mourning Doves is growing as well.
Nevertheless, the Z-CAM shows that some finches are still around… and eating.
In the daytime hours you can usually see activity at the feeders. I vary the cameras from time to time.
The Chickadees have been plentiful, which is always a delight.
They have also changed their songs a bit. I noticed before my penultimate trip that they were still pretty competitive and using their "alarm" or "aggressive" call. Now I am hear more and more their that sing-song call they seem to use for other communication.
I am able to imitate it pretty well and, yesterday, with a few minutes I had half a dozen curious Chickadees within about 20 feet trying to figure out what was going on. They would zip right up to me and then blaze away in little relays.
They are still flocking with the Nuthatches, of course.
I got a flyer in the mail from the bird store I usually go to stating that there is at present a good sale in course for feed. This would be a good time to stock up for a couple months.
Since I feed the birds by your donations, I will make an appeal on their behalf and mine.
I don’t know how you get such excellent photos. Thanks so much. I put them on my computer and my cats look at them….
Comment by Supertradmom — 8 February 2010 @ 4:55 pmOh, that last chickadee picture looks soooo pitiful, it’s cute!
Would love to help you feed the birdies, but I have no idea how to do without a credit card! And since I’m not working, that’s even harder! [A Hail Mary would be nice!]
Comment by irishgirl — 8 February 2010 @ 5:04 pmNow who can resist a praying Chickadee? [Welll…. it’s actually gnawing on a peanut… but don’t tell anyone.] I know the birds here are really desperate. We have close to 30” of snow on the ground and the birds are really dependent on the feeder. I can’t ‘wade’ to the feeder so we’ve been sprinkling some seed & bread on what concrete areas we have shoveled out. Even a few Crows have shown up for a bite to eat. That is a neat story about imitating the Chickadees call, it must be awesome to have them come to see what in the world you are saying to them.
Comment by wanda — 8 February 2010 @ 5:05 pmWe love the birds, too, and our feeders empty out quickly. I buy almost as much bird seed as cat food, which is quite a bit. (I did notice one day a chipmunk hanging up-side down on the tube feeder. Never saw that before. Hmm.) You can get birds to visit you by sitting still and making a sound like: three quick Psss…psss…pss, hard through your lips and teeth. The birds take this as a warning call and will come to see what’s happening. It’s doesn’t take long to get them to check you out.
Comment by Kathleen — 8 February 2010 @ 5:16 pmwanda: I wouldn’t want to guess at what I might actually be saying, of course.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 8 February 2010 @ 5:52 pmChickadees are so much fun…they are naturally tame. I miss them now that I live in a yard without large trees close by.
@Fr. Z: don’t worry, you are probably just saying the equivalent of “bite the wax tadpole” or something.
I’ll chip in…I miss my own feeders and this helps!
Comment by smallone — 8 February 2010 @ 6:18 pmSmallone, LOL! ‘wax tadpole.’ I can’t imagine what the birds think Fr. Z. is talking about.
Irishgirl, You have the power of Prayer and that is real treasure.
Comment by wanda — 8 February 2010 @ 7:23 pmThe two note fee-bee song belongs to the male chickadee. Spring is coming!
Comment by Lynne at Hasty Brook — 8 February 2010 @ 7:55 pmThe Dove is really a ‘Mourning Dove’. Named, I believe, for the somewhat soft, sad cooing sound they make. Some folks have nicknamed them Rain Crows, you’ve got me there, no clue.
Comment by wanda — 8 February 2010 @ 8:56 pmIf you don’t have nyger seed Goldfinches love suet cakes
Comment by PeterK — 8 February 2010 @ 9:05 pmPeterK: Interesting. The Chickadees go on the suet all the time, but never the finches.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 8 February 2010 @ 9:41 pmLynne: Spring is coming!
LOL! Ho ho ho… hee.. hee…
Ahh… that was a nice chuckle.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 8 February 2010 @ 9:43 pmThat was funny. Not spring on the East Coast, yet. 28-30” of snow on the ground AND we have another 10-12” predicted for Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Father Z., I’ll pray for your safe travels and pray for no delays.
Comment by wanda — 8 February 2010 @ 10:19 pmSo this appeal is truly “for the birds”? [/rimshot]
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. The birds, that is. :-)
Donation sent.
Jack in KC
Comment by Jack007 — 9 February 2010 @ 4:20 amPS. Is that “nyger” seed politically correct? LOL
Of course, I’ll say a Hail Mary for you, Fr. Z! ; )
Safe travels to New Jersey and Philly! Hope you don’t run into too many delays!
Another snowstorm is coming to the East-I think we are going to get some of it this time in Upstate NY!
And thanks for the reminder, wanda! : )
Comment by irishgirl — 9 February 2010 @ 10:53 amHopefully this round of storm and snow will be cleared up by the time I get there.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 9 February 2010 @ 10:55 amis it just me, or does it seem that time goes more slowly in the winter (maybe it’s the incessant shoveling in the Philly area lately…I don’t know how the DC/NoVA folks are doing it…) and so fast in the Summer?
Safe travels, Father Z.
Comment by Bryan — 9 February 2010 @ 3:04 pmHahaha! I haven’t checked in for a couple of days, and I just now noticed the little blue bird with the biretta that says “Follow@fatherz.” There’s my chuckle for the day!
For that—-you get a seed donation. Tuppence forthcoming….
Comment by Catherine — 10 February 2010 @ 1:27 pm