I've given up my bird feeders. The last few years, the local deer were really making a mess of them. Even when I hung them so high I had to use a ladder, they would gather underneath to vacuum up what fell to the ground, They were driving my dog crazy, and tempting him to run into the woods after them. That of course raises the specter of deer ticks and Lyme disease. To make matters much worse, we had two feeders torn apart by brown bear over the last three years.
Interestingly, the lack of bird feeders has substantially increased the number of birds using the bird houses. They are all full this season, and I have two nests in trees and one on top of my outdoor floodlight. I think they feel more secure without all the Jays, Cardinals, Grackles and Crows that the feeder used to attract. I do miss the Goldfinches, however. Dan Matyola http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 1:13 PM, Kenneth Waller <[email protected]> wrote: > Don't forget suet for woodpeckers. I've got a Cardinal that won't land on the > suet feeder but hovers while stabbing at the suet! > > For me, I don't shoot birds at the feeder but prefer a more natural look of > them sitting on nearby branches. > > > -----Original Message----- >>From: Bob Sullivan <[email protected]> >>Subject: Re: Birds at Feeder (Wrap up) >> >>Alan, >>We've also had success with different types of seed for different birds. >>Here some of the bigger beaked birds, cardinals or grossbeaks, prefer >>sunflower seeds. >>Meanwhile the wrens and goldfinches prefer little black thistle (nigger) >>seeds. >>And the doves like the cheap mixed seeds on a platform or ground feeding. >>Regards, Bob S. >> >>On Mon, Jul 7, 2014 at 11:52 PM, Alan C <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Thanks all for the comments & ideas. >>> >>> I shall construct a more "natural" bird feeder. Even a feeding table. There >>> may be the odd squirrel, bushbaby or some tree mice but it is mostly the >>> birds eating the seed. >>> >>> The Cut-throats & Bronze Mannekins arrive in large flocks & really gorge >>> themselves. The more timid species (like Blue Waxbills, Firefinches, Grey >>> Headed Sparrows & Yellow Eye Canaries) wait for lulls in the feeding frenzy. >>> If I move slowly, I can easily get quite close. The birds are used to me >>> now. What spooks them is shadows or a larger bird flying nearby. Also noisy >>> cars or motorbikes! >>> >>> I agree that a K5 (or K3) would be better (ISO wise) but the K7 will have to >>> do! I'll try using a tripod & a remote & "catch in focus". >>> >>> Alan C > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
