The feeder dead zone

[Steve Foss]

Well, the fall sparrows are long gone, all but a few straggling juncos have left for points south, and it's a little too early for a lot of the winter birds. I've heard pine grosbeaks and redpolls overhead, but none have stopped in at the feeder yet.

We've had good numbers of purple finch. More than a dozen females in view at once, with only one male or two. Blue jays, red-breasted nuthatches and chickadees are rounding things out, but I'm hoping we'll get the grosbeaks and redpolls soon, as well as the Bohemian waxwings coming in to grab fruit and berries.

Can't happen soon enough!

Anyone down south in Minnesota still have lots of fall sparrows or other stragglers?

[Mutty]

My feeders this summer were loaded with goldfinches and house finches in Maple Grove. Up to 20+ birds at a time. Since late October, I have not seen more than 2 goldfinches at once and my feeders that I had to fill every two days have sat for 2 weeks. What could be wrong? Bad seed? No birds?

I'm thinking a little snow might bring them in again.

[Steve Foss]

We get a fairly slack period between when the fall migrants move out and the winter regulars start hunting up feeders. Had a couple winter-plumage goldfinches last week, but this zero degrees and 30 mph northwest wind probably drove them out.

Could by you've just got a little dead zone of your own going on.

[Mutty]

Well, this snow we have today has brought back some birds to my feeders.

Goldfinches and Juncos. About 7 right now...so I am happy!

[Dotch]

So far the only thing close to "stragglers" would be a pair of mourning doves. Have had them show up off and on several of the last few winters so they're possibly locals willing to risk the warmer than average winters. Not sure I'm feeding what migrating sparrows would like. Black oil seed sunflower and safflower are about it other than suet. Yesterday was the first day in awhile that I've been able to see what's coming to the feeders during midday. Besides the doves, there were male & female downies, a female red-bellied woodpecker, 6 or 7 goldfinches, juncos, white-breasted nuthatches, house finches, a few bluejays, some starlings and house sparrows. The suet has attracted the downies and a few starlings so will likely attach the feeder to the underside of a board where only the woodpeckers can cling to it. There is usually a lag in feeder activity just prior to leaf drop here.

[Steve Foss]

Yep, Mutty, nice to have that snow. We got a few days ago but it hasn't helped much yet.

Good news then, Dotch. Nice variety at the feeder. Any Eurasian collared doves down there? They're still uncommon, but have gotten more and more common the last few years.

I've found sparrows and juncos prefer cracked corn scattered on the ground/snow more than other seeds. I toss it out in spring and fall when those species are migrating through. Not much else goes for it, although blue jays love whole shelled corn.

[fishface5]

I've got alot of the same here. E.Sparrows, House, and Gold Finches, Misc. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, Bj's, Chickadees, My semi domestic mallards are keeping the pond open again, Man I wish I had a decent camera! a Cardinal pair is hanging around. Geese and Swans on the Lake, Eagles soar by every once in a while. No coots left. I saw a first today duing the snow fall, probably not too uncommon but I've never seen it before, Junco's useing the thistle feeder. Oh by the way, What ever happend to the bugtusle news? I miss it! Have a good early winter.

[Steve Foss]

The redpolls have shown up. Had a dozen at the feeder in the half light this morning. No doubt there'll be more soon now.

Here are a couple from last year.

[M.T. Bucket]

I've also been seeing a few redpolls around in the last week or so. I've only been getting blue jays, chickadees, and the occasional white-breasted nuthatch at my feeders for some time now. I've declared war on the pigeons that are keeping everything else away. I got one this morning, but it's tough to not look like a nutcase when you're (Contact US Regarding This Word) near 30 and busting birds under your feeder. What I really need is a neighbor with an 8 year old kid that will take a quarter a pigeon to take them out whenever my wife isn't home (she objects). I've thought about a pigeon trap, but there's already one on the bar near my house that obviously isn't working. Any pigeon control ideas are definitely welcome, as long as they don't involve removing my feeders or changing my seed because I've already tried those methods

I've been living vicariously through my parents' feeders. They live near Grand Rapids on the edge of a nice big tamarack bog with other conifers in their yard. A couple of juncos, both types of nuthatches, hairy woodpecker, house finches, blue jays, cardinals (pretty unusual up here still), pine siskins, and gobs of chickadees were all present yesterday. Hoping some pine or evening grosbeaks and the redpolls show up soon.

My parents had a bird at the feeder they couldn't identify this week, but also couldn't describe well enough for me. It was a dark, streaky, robin-sized bird with a long bill. My dad knows what a starling looks like and said it wasn't that. He pointed to a picture of a Rusty Blackbird in my guide, but that would be pretty weird right now. I was kind of hoping for a Varied Thrush (there was one in Grand Rapids last year), but I doubt it. I'll have to keep a closer eye...

[Steve Foss]

This is what I've had for the last two weeks. Lots of them, but just a little monotonous.

Well, hoarfrost can make any bird look good. A sharp eye will note that my autofocus betrayed me (wrong autofocus setting - operator error), and sharpening the bird's head in photoshop could only partly overcome the problem. The lesson: Get it right, because photoshop is not God!

[fishface5]

8:00 AM, 11/30, 12 of 60 semi-domestic mallards kept a 10' diamiter hole open in the pond across the street. By 1:00 pm all are gone, hole froze over. Winter is here! Started out 4 years ago with 12 ducklings. Raised them, banded them, let them go that first summer. This spring 5 still here. This fall 1 still here. I had my phone # on the bands, but no calls. Next spring should be interesting. I don't think they go far for the winter. Prob. only to Monti. area, tons of birds winter there.

[Dotch]

Hey Steve, are those all female purple finches at your feeder? Haven't seen purple finches here for 20 years so my ID is a little rusty on them. Better to ask a dumb question and know for sure than wonder for the rest of my life...

That's kewl you released a bunch of mallards fishface. We raised a bunch back in the 70's but never banded them. One fall day they just flew away, never to be seen again.

[Steve Foss]

Yep, Dotch, all purples. At our peak so far in the last few days, we had 42 at one time, nine males and 33 females. Yikes!

[Dotch]

Thanks Steve. That's a bunch of little birdies. Hmmm...not bad odds tho if yer a single feller. At least now I can sleep tonite knowing that (and probably dream...)

BTW, Happy Bird-day!