During especially cold and snowy winters (Jan-Feb 2017 and Jan-Feb 2011) out here, I've had large flocks of Redpolls clear out a dozen suet cages in two days. This was a mixture of plain beef suet from a local butcher shop and "High Energy" suet cakes which have some seeds and cracked corn but are mostly fat. Both of these periods involved extended periods of subzero weather with snow cover in excess of 2 feet.
During spring fallout caused by abrupt cold/mass insect deaths, I've seen the Yellow-Rumps gorge themselves on suet. The most memorable was Spring '07, when we had that big flash-freeze. Also saw Eastern Bluebirds and Red-Winged Blackbirds doing the same thing... I remember that was the first year I got a digital camera, and I was standing inches from the feeders getting shots of them and several of them landed on my hat. I was still in Isanti Co. when that happened. On Sat, Apr 16, 2022 at 12:15 PM Steve Wilson <[email protected]> wrote: > In early February I noticed my first observation of common redpolls eating > suet that did not contain seeds of any type. At first it seemed to be a > single bird, then a few, and has gained in popularity to where they are > mobbing the suet ball today. Others in NE MN are reporting the same. It > should be noted that reports of hundreds of redpolls at a single seed > feeder > are not unusual in the last week or so. I've not found anywhere, including > in the authoritative Birds of the World species' account, that mentions > suet > as a food item. I'd like to document the extent of this behavior. To that > end, I would appreciate receiving any reports on common redpolls eating > non-seed-containing suet this winter, or in past winters, for that matter. > If you noted any dates, please include them. Even approximations of when > the > behavior was first noted, numbers, and how the behavior progressed - or > didn't - as time went on would be much appreciated. And of course the > location. Replying to me individually is fine. > > > > Footnote: I just had two feeding on peanuts, which I've also not seen > before, but peanuts are not so far afield from their supposed winter diet > limited to vegetable matter. > > > > Thanks! > > > > Steve Wilson > > Tower, MN > > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > -- Jason M. Frank Founder & Vice President Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) Big Stone County, Minnesota ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
