Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Where Are The Birds?

I've not filled the feeders over the summer. But last week, a few titmice passed through the yard checking out the empty stations. Guilt took over so I loaded one right up and they took up a few seed. And that was that. No more birds.

But...someone noticed what was going on and took full advantage of the situation. One might think its cheeks were full but this little one was still packing away the seed.


The seasons, weather, wild food availability, and predators are all variables affecting the birds' presence at our feeders. Massachusetts Audubon has a great article on the missing birds.

p.s. A new oil boiler was installed and life is warmly back to normal.

2 comments:

  1. Glad to hear that you are roasty toasty once again!
    We stopped feeding birds altogether 2 years ago due to too many bears, even in broad daylight. I miss watching the feeders in the morning with my mug of tea. But I do not miss all the little mice and squirrels that would also feast on the dropped seed and then take up residence in our house.
    This weekend my husband accidently swept up a tiny field mouse nest that was lodged in our cellar stairs under the bulkhead. It just looked like a pile of pine needles and spider webs but when he looked at it in the dust pan, there was a mother mouse with several babies! He carefully put them down on the grass and we left them alone, watching from the window, feeling awful ( they were SO ADORABLE) while trying to decide what to do. All of a sudden, mama mouse disappeared with one baby in her mouth. We waited. She came back and took another and another until they were all taken care of. They are now somewhere under our deck- but I can only hope they are all safe and sound!
    ~gretchen

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  2. I'm sure mama mouse is taking good care of her little charges. Mother knows best! :-)

    Bears... wow. My feeder mammals are no larger than the squirels.

    Thanks! The baseboards are crinkling away with hot water as I contentedly rock. Life is good. :-)

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