Jump to content

Strange things happening at the bird feeder


Smallpatch

Recommended Posts

I do have a strange type of a homemade bird feeder which is easy to watch the strange things that birds do we didn't know about...IMG_1866.JPG.fd40528dfd72c4853a9662266d6db846.JPG

 

The reason I started looking for another way to offer seed to the birds was I had noticed most of the seed we offered in the store bought feeders was going on the ground and not staying in the feeders. Some of the smaller birds was throwing out the unwanted seed looking for their millet or some favorite stuff...I ended suspending this animal cookie sales containers and only stocking it with the black sun flower seeds..This is what the prettiest birds are after so we did get to cull out the uglies…

  First findings was the female red bird has never gone into to clear container in the four or five years we have had it hanging. She sits up around the top somewhere and waits for the male to come out to feed her.. And most of the times  she only gets fed one time before the male leaves and the female follows him after her still waiting for a while probably still hungry? He usually stays in the feeder for a while cracking and eating till he is full before coming out and feeding her one time. Whether that is a lot of seed or not we don't know...but he only offers the seed to her only one time before he flies off... 

  Finches, some can't find their way out after they go in and eat for a while...This pisses off another finch and it will go in a squawking and starts pecking the finch in the head and pulling out feathers finally making the lost bird find a way out to get out of the being hurt..  Only the same species goes in for a pecking and an order to clear out . There will be three or four feathers left floating around after he finally gets out..

 The big Doves...not even sure as to what kind of dove but they are all to dumb to find their way out the top after they come in and eat so we have to go out and lean the feeder over and stay that way till they finally see the hole and leave.... 

 Mostly what comes to the clear hanging feeders are Red Birds, Cardinals, Tit Mouse, Finches and Doves so the rest goes else where for their meals...

Scissor Tails follow me when I'm mowing and walk along after me for I must be scaring up some good food.

 

Oh by the way, this also keeps the raccoons from tearing up the feeders and eating all the bird seed..They try to navigate the small ropes but haven't succeeded yet!

 These feeders are hanging under the covered decks so they never have to be attended to during a rain...

Link to comment

That's interesting about the red birds. I'm amazed that any find their way out. 

During good weather, the double doors on the shop stay open. Birds of all types have found their way in. They mostly fly to the far end and beat their brains out against the window panes. The doors stay open but, they often fly too high and can't seem to find the opening. Eventually they must get tired and fly lower. Some have been known to walk out.

Of all the birds that visit, Ravens are far and away the smartest. They don't frequent the feeders, though. They prefer dead meat. 

 

Link to comment

I also prefer dead meat and it has to be cooked.

That reminds me, did you read  a couple of days ago where a man and wife ate a squirrel without cooking it and both died. Don't remember where? Also a guy I knew went rabbit hunting in the last town we lived in and shot a rabbit and took it home and started getting sick then died. Not the rabbit the shooter. The rabbit died before he got home!!! That just goes to show you stores are the best place to get the food a person is going to eat...Its still not 100% you will live over it but the odds are better that hunting the game yourself...

Link to comment

Didn't see the raw squirrel story. IMO, that's just plain stupid. I've skinned and eaten a lot of rabbit and squirrels. But, none raw. There's a good reason there are hunting seasons. We never hunted rabbits or squirrel in the summer. Any more, most my meat come from the butcher, too. 

Link to comment

Jess, I have never seen anyone just hang up an open jar like that.  Neat idea.  The only overhang I have that might work (and still be seen) would be our front porch. I think I'll pass on trying it there:D

I also have birds flying into the shop.  Most find their way out, unless they go upstairs.  I usually go up and help those out.  I did have a hummingbird fly into the garage one day.  That poor thing just couldn't find it's way out, and I could not get it to go out.  I waited until dark and it had perched on the door rail.  I was able to get a ladder and just go up and pick it off the rail and carry it outside.

Link to comment

Cal, we been hanging up feeders since we retired here 20 years ago and nothing ever suited us for we were loosing more feed for the birds were throwing it out they didn't like and then cats would sit there waiting for the unsuspecting to fly down on the ground.

 A feeder like this would be no good without a cover over head..

  These tit mouse has been teaching other birds to take a sun flower seed out and sit on a branch and hold the seed with his foot and peck it till they could get the seed out...but other birds claws are not built like the tit mouses and they drop their seeds. There are always great shows being performed on our covered deck. Funny I use to never have time for anything like this in my working years.IMG_1970.JPG.4add8d6ce66e28b9400c07b27b6d0886.JPG

 

This was an earlier version of a feeder and it sat on a table but if there were any seed still there after dark the raccoons would destroy part of it each night..also the bottom part is wood and it rotted.  Then I tried hanging it but that didn't help...

  There is no extra work involved with the hanging idea from two different directions... The first time I hung it straight down a rope and the raccoons would slide down the rope...

  Squirrels might be a problem but I keep the pecans in a trap for them and I think this is their favorite food so they don't have to depend on sunflower seed to live..

 

 

Link to comment
On 5/12/2019 at 12:54 PM, Gene Howe said:

Didn't see the raw squirrel story. IMO, that's just plain stupid. I've skinned and eaten a lot of rabbit and squirrels. But, none raw. There's a good reason there are hunting seasons. We never hunted rabbits or squirrel in the summer. Any more, most my meat come from the butcher, too. 

Gene, my dad raised rabbit for food. He had a hand guillotine to kill them. 

What was your favorite way to prepare rabbit for cooking? Seasons, coooking method etc.

Link to comment
12 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Mom wasn't a tremendously creative cook but, it was always good!

My Mother could kill water.  Of course my wife loves this because she never hears, "my mother can tell you how to cook this."

 

:throbbinghead:

Link to comment

Rabbits, we raised New Zealand Whites when we lived in Calif. A truck came around once a month  to buy them.. Use to be as much lamb chops and rabbit in the food markets as all the rest of the meats. We got a dollar for each one....I don't know why they are not being sold and prepared anymore but these Texans just eat red beans and corn bread for breakfast and supper, then corn bread and milk for a bed time snack...

Link to comment

We never cared for farm raised rabbits. Too fatty for us. But, old cottontails could be tough and stringy, too. We could generally tell if it was an old tough one when we skinned it. Mom would pressure cook those before frying them up. 

Ham hocks and Pintos with cornbread is good eats at any time. Dad poured syrup on his. I like horseradish on mine. But then, Dad put ketchup on his chicken gravy, too. 

 

Link to comment

My wife has never heard me say that my mother did this or that.  Mother was committed to a mental institute when I was just 4 years old.  So, I didn't have that to compare to.  Her mother was a case.  It's amazing that any of us lived through that but we are all tough.  Now, the wife's mother was a really good cook and a wonderful MIL.  

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...