I agree. I used to have so many feeders set up. Just on the tree outside my kitchen window, I had: an open tray with dried fruits & nuts; a feeder with sunflower seeds; a feeder with regular millet mix; a hanging water container; a heated bath (so it wouldn't freeze over.) I have so many pics of so many different types of birds taken through that window. I think I already posted the many types of other general and species-feeders feeders I've had set up. As I type this it occurs to me that I've not seen the pileated woodpeckers as much as I have in the past 10 years. We're told they only need our help in the colder months, but still... That friend of mine who owns a greenhouse came by and was shocked at all the birds I had here...both the number and the variety. It was a mob. No one cared who had the seat next to them.
That's great I put out about 3 feeders, a sack with thistle, plus suet. I was in Lowe's about 3 years ago they had a phenomenal clearance sale going on. They had something I've never seen before a 3 section suet holder, really well-made for 99 cent. They had so many great sales that day, that I filled my car Trunk. I may be crazy but when the feeders are empty I swear The birds seek me out, will chirp loudly until they get my attention, I'll check the feeders and sure enough there empty.
I've never had the pileated woodpecker, those are the ones that resemble Woody Woodpecker correct? I have seen them in woods about a half mile from my house.
You're not crazy, you've been trained. There's a guy on a farm here who gives an annual talk on being a purple martin host (he just hosted his 26th Annual Purple Martin Field Day.) He's a lawyer in Alexandria VA and has a farm here his mother lives at...at least, that was the situation 10 years ago. He may be retired now. These birds only exist east of the Mississippi because of human assistance. They are migratory. It all began with Native Americans putting up hollowed-out gourds for them. Most purple martin houses are shaped like those gourds. Read about them when you get a chance. It's fascinating stuff. This is a pic of his setup:
Yeh, their appearance and their call is what Woody was fashioned after. I have more than one pair on my property. I've seen them up close & personal, although they are skittish. It's something else to see a pair in flight, side by side. Just a straight direct path, no ups & downs to it.
I have the Martin poll about 30 feet adjustable I purchased the house but never installed it. I wanted them on my property to control the mosquito population.
You oughta read that guy's purple martin page. There can be quite a bit to it. Cow birds lay their eggs in purple martin nests so the purple martins hatch & feed the baby cow birds. But the cow bird chicks are more aggressive and they crowd out the purple martin chicks, which starve. You can't just remove the cow bird eggs, because the adult comes back and checks up every once in a while. If their eggs are gone, they destroy the purple martin eggs. So the trick is to addle the cow bird eggs so they'll never hatch and put them back. Audubon refers to this behaviour of having another bird hatch & feed their chicks as "parasitic."
Interesting I have Cow birds in this area, I see them in the yard I don't recall seeing them at the feeder, there must be Martin houses somewheres close by. I always wanted to keep a record of what birds I see the time & date. Migrating birds I might see for a week then may not see them until next year or they migrate in the other direction.
The birds have all but disappeared here. And the few I do see look unfamiliar. Maybe this is the problem? ... "After breeding, the molting season kicks in, heralding major changes in both the appearance and behavior of birds. Molt is the systematic replacement of feathers. All birds do it—from hummingbirds to penguins. They have to molt in order to survive, because feathers wear out from physical abrasion and bleaching from the sun. Once a year (in the late summer for temperate species) birds grow an entirely new set of feathers through a complete molt." It said they also lay low at this time because they are more vulnerable to predators. Yesterday I saw a dark scraggly looking bird briefly. The closest picture I could find on the internet, is supposed to be a juvenile robin. I only saw it from behind and above. Sure doesn't look like any robin I ever saw.
There has been an update in Virginia regarding the mystery of the dying birds. While there is no progress being made on the cause, reports of dying birds have decreased dramatically in the state. The recommendation to remove bird feeders is now limited to a narrow east-to-west swath in the northern part of the state. From yesterday's press release: "For the remainder of the state, DWR advises removing bird feeders anytime multiple dead birds are observed on a property over a short period of time." You may wish to check you state/regional authorities for any such updates that might impact you directly.
we've spread the feeders apart...no signs of the crusty eyes or other symptoms... i had also read that some research led them to the cicadas...a fungus carried by them
I think I read where the Maryland cases are going up. I don't remember if parts of the state were specified. I'll try to find the reference. Thanks for the updates, John. I sure miss my birds. I've been cheating. I spread seeds on the camper top of my truck. I was careful not to let the neighbors see me doing this because they already think I'm weird. The birds have been getting the seeds but not two together so they can't infect each other.
What do you mean "Not two together"? You got a sign up or something? You throwing out one seed at a time?
The birds alight on the camper top, grab some seed and usually fly right off. There are rarely two at one time on the camper top. It works out. They have space to be apart from each other even if more than one lands at a time whereas at the feeder they have to crowd each other. Unfortunately I can't watch the pickup from my window and only see them come and go when I'm working in the backyard.