Finally a Feeder Watcher
By Mike • February 20, 2009 • 9 commentsHow was your GBBC? Mine wasn’t very productive, though I did manage to keep track of dietary intake of four rather dull goldfinches for the duration of the count period. The most notable point about my 2009 Great Backyard Bird Count is that I finally have a backyard in which to count birds!
In the past, I’ve counted backyard birds outside a Bronx apartment window. Now, I’ve got grass, bushes, and tall trees all around my domicile. And, thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law, I have a bird feeder and a big bag of black oil sunflower seed with which to fill it! During a highly unseasonal break in the snowfall, Mason and I installed the feeder. We chose our front yard since that’s the vista from the kitchen and dining room windows. Sara documented the action, much to the bewilderment of our neighbors. Apparently I’m the only bird blogger on the block… go figure!
Presenting my first bird feeder
Hanging wire
Those birds look desperate. Start filling, Mase!
Seed dispenser secured
Allow me to note with pride that my configuration is almost entirely squirrel-proof. Despite the ravenous hordes of Eastern Grays (and whites) around, only once have I spotted a squirrel on the feeder. Believe me, that squirrel looked unhappy! Birds, on the other hand, find the globe feeder and nyger sock quite worth their while.
Tags: features, feeders
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Cool feeder, Mike. Gotta get one of those. The squirrels are driving me NUTS this year. Although, Ruby enjoys chasing them . . . I didn’t see much at my feeders although given the 8″ of rain we got that weekend, it’s not a big surprise. The birds were just hunkered down hoping it would end soon.
Love the post Mike! It’s good to see kids involved.
It’s actually surprising that you are the only bird blogger on your block. I did count the # of NY bird blogs on John Trapp’s list (40-something)…
Someone looks like their dad!
“Allow me to note with pride that my configuration is almost entirely squirrel-proof.”
I wish you luck, but I fear you just jinxed yourself. Big time.
Nice to Mason again!
-Mike
Hey Mike,
Awesome to see that you have a budding bird blogger working with you. I have a similar feeder and although I hate to tempt the squirrel gods I would say that it is totally squirrel proof! I did some backyard birding counting at my feeders too and it turned out to be a decent count.
Have a great weekend,
Owlman a.k.a Quintus.
Let me try this again, without missing an entire word. Take 2 (and enjoy your weekend):
“Allow me to note with pride that my configuration is almost entirely squirrel-proof.”
I wish you luck, but I fear you just jinxed yourself. Big time.
Nice to SEE Mason again!
-Mike
Squirrels can be deterred but they usually find a way to the food anyway. At the very least, they will jump on a hanging caged feeder and knock the seed out. That’s probably still a better outcome than having them hog the feeder, though.
Oh, good for you! I hope those birds will start flocking to see you now! I have one of those globe feeders meant for bigger seed. I love it even though I don’t have squirrels! It keeps the pigeons and white-winged doves out of the seeds and lets the smaller birds in! I hope you will have blogposts about your backyard birds now also!
Cool feeder Mike. You will have to keep us updated on the”antisquirrelness” of that particular feeder.
I don’t even know how to explain my GBBC numbers. The weather was cold, 37ish and of and on rain. I couldn’t count on Friday as I was working, but, Saturday, when I got up and went outside to begin counting at 0800, there was the largest flock of finches I have ever had at my house. Literally hundreds of them.
Sunday and Monday were similar with Monday being the biggest turnout for Pine Siskins with 115. I did notice that as the Pine Siskin numbers increased, the Lesser Goldfinches numbers decreased. The Siskins seemed to simply take over the thistle feeders. Lots of House Finches and a couple of Purple Finches graced my home. 15 species in total and over two hundred birds counted.
Now here’s the weird part. I wasn’t able to spend any time in my yard for the next four days (work really gets in the way of life doesn’t it?) but this morning when I went out, the numbers of birds where back to normal. Lesser Goldfinches and Pine Siskins back in the teens, as were the House Finches, plenty of Dark-eyed Juncos, some Mourning Doves, a couple of White-breasted Nuthatches and my resident Oak Titmouses.
Do you think the Pine Siskins knew it was the GBBC weekend? Hmmmm.