Very busy at the bird feeder today! (10 Viewers)

[stonechat1]

[...] After all, it is not unusual to kill invasive species. Several US states kill Mute Swans and NY plans to eradicate them. Rock Doves are routinely killed in many areas in the USA [...]

This may be a common routine in your country or in Oz, but in countries in Europe like Austria it´s not. If they aren´t protected like native species (e.g.: Mandarin Duck, Ring-necked Parakeet) they are regulated by hunting laws, e.g. Pheasant, Mute Swan or to mention mammals: Nutria (Myocastor coypus), Muskrat, Rabbit. And even so it´doesn´t mean that they are huntable as on this lists are also animals protected the whole year like the wolf.

Shooting, hunting and gun laws are very different in other parts of the world like in your country (USA).Here one can not even hunt on land which you are possessing without beeing part of a hunting club and pay big money. And even then it´s regulated what and how much you can shoot, excluding small game. Not to mention to kill invasive species on your land...

However beautiful some of them may be, invasive bird species are a problem.

There's some truth in it. But those species are since long time part of your country/ environment and well established or am I wrong?

BTW, for readers who don't know the USA, I should perhaps say that the four species I mention above were all deliberately introduced into the USA from Europe. [...]

So who is to blame then? The birds who increased due to their natural behaviour?

 

[stilt]

"This may be a common routine in your country or in Oz, ? "This was not necessary. <stonechat1>
Your passion on this is obvious so allow me, if you will, to reverse this. I quickly looked up a shy and beautiful Australian bird I came across the eastern rosella. Would you protect it if it's habitat was threatened. Especially by an introduced species able to mimic it's sound to lure it into answering back and then pushing it and any eggs out of its nest?
Let's go one step further. The brown tree snake has been accidentally introduced to Guam. Guam has or had numerous species of beautiful birds. Many are threatened. The snake has been their for a long time. It's done no wrong. I am sure you see where this is going.
So what is your pain level? Where do you finally decide it's time to act.

I'll tell everyone when the birders on the other sites said they kill starlings " on sight" I was appalled. It was a shock a birder could do such. I asked the question here because I was not sure if I should play a role in this or not. Ie... Am I doing my bit to help indigenous birds?
Feel free to look up eastern blue birds. It's a fav. I have never had one at my feeders. I have had indigo buning, blue jays and every single indigenous species of wood peckers. This winter is so harsh I am going through 5lbs of seed a day. Much wasted due to the starling. Only so much can be picked up by rock doves and cardinals. Was not my intent to offend nor upset anyone and I certainly do not wish to cause friction within the group.

 

[JeffMoh]

This may be a common routine in your country or in Oz, but in countries in Europe like Austria it´s not. If they aren´t protected like native species (e.g.: Mandarin Duck, Ring-necked Parakeet) they are regulated by hunting laws, e.g. Pheasant, Mute Swan or to mention mammals: Nutria (Myocastor coypus), Muskrat, Rabbit. And even so it´doesn´t mean that they are huntable as on this lists are also animals protected the whole year like the wolf.

Shooting, hunting and gun laws are very different in other parts of the world like in your country (USA).Here one can not even hunt on land which you are possessing without beeing part of a hunting club and pay big money. And even then it´s regulated what and how much you can shoot, excluding small game. Not to mention to kill invasive species on your land...

There's some truth in it. But those species are since long time part of your country/ environment and well established or am I wrong?

So who is to blame then? The birds who increased due to their natural behaviour?

I don't think we'll reach agreement, stonechat.

My personal view is that we have an obligation to try to foster ecological diversity by protecting native species. In my area this includes killing invasive fire ants in a local wildlife refuge to protect the native Greater Prairie-Chicken. The fire ants have been here quite a while now but they were brought here by humans and not through any natural expansion of their range. In a similar way the authorities are removing water hyacinth from local parks, where its spread is killing off fish and destroying bird habitat. Birds such as Starlings may be more beautiful to most people than fire ants and water hyacinth, but they are the same kind of human-enabled threat to native species diversity.

BTW, I would totally oppose any attempt to kill off Cattle Egrets. They are nonnative but they arrived here naturally, spreading from Africa to the USA via Latin America.

Jeff

 

[JeffMoh]

Continues to be very busy in our yards with a dozen or more of each of: House Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-winged Dove and American Goldfinch.

Other daily visitors: Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, Pine Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Downy Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Mockingbird.

Our single Brown-headed Nuthatch has turned into two. I'm hoping we may end up with four like last winter.

A small flock of Cedar Waxwings has moved into our neighborhood. (At work we now have a flock of 200+ so maybe we're heading for 1100+ as we had there last winter.)

One odd thing is that Yellow-rumped Warblers seem to have disappeared from our yards.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[Larry Lade]

Our Yard, St. Joseph, 02/07
* 3 F, cloudy
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
European Starling - ten birds munching tortilla chips
Dark-eyed Junco
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

* May have additional species coming in later.

 

[momofsally]

American Goldfinch, purple finch, chickadees, titmouse, white throated sparrow, bluejays, cardinals, Carolina wrens, nuthatch crawling up the tree, woodpeckers and then . . . the cowbirds descended along with hundreds of redwing blackbirds. They've driven everything off and are draining the feeders. Hope this is short-lived. I grow weary, but I will not kill anything. I would like to detract the cowbirds but have found nothing that works. Usually they're only here in large numbers for a few weeks.

 

[stonechat1]

"This may be a common routine in your country or in Oz, ? "This was not necessary. <stonechat1>

Don´t know if was necessary or not but the fact is that it is common routine. Didn´t you read Jeff´s post?
Or watch some disturbing videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38XtL-3SB2o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJkalMn6q8Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5LmiQzdjSA

[...] I quickly looked up a shy and beautiful Australian bird I came across the eastern rosella. Would you protect it if it's habitat was threatened. Especially by an introduced species able to mimic it's sound to lure it into answering back and then pushing it and any eggs out of its nest?

1. Austria isn´t Australia
2. Starlings don´t lure your native birds somewhere with the goal that they can push eggs out from the nest.
I live in Starling breeding country, never saw such behaviour here.

[...] Am I doing my bit to help indigenous birds?

I would rather put up nist boxes on apropriate places to help them. But that´s just me.

Feel free to look up eastern blue birds. It's a fav. I have never had one at my feeders.

Saw them a couple times in Canada. Do you feed insects? Eastern Bluebirds are insect eaters I hope they are all in warmer countries now.

[...] This winter is so harsh I am going through 5lbs of seed a day. Much wasted due to the starling. Only so much can be picked up by rock doves and cardinals. [...]

I appreciate your effort, though I never saw starlings on a seed feeder.
Maybe some people over there need to think about feeding birds the whole year, is it really necessary?
And now when we are back at the beginning I´ll stopp this excurse hence it´s off topic in this thread

 

[roger1234]

Who would have thought this is a thread called :
VERY BUSY AT THE BIRD FEEDER TODAY

Interesting!!!!!!

 

[bongofury]

Who would have thought this is a thread called :
VERY BUSY AT THE BIRD FEEDER TODAY

Interesting!!!!!!

Indeed, I think we need some posts moving.

Back on topic, a Blackbird was attempting a song at dusk this evening.

 

[jpscloud]

Morning all, I hope those in flood-hit areas of the UK are doing ok. We've escaped the worst of it all here although yesterday was so windy I thought I could feel the house shaking sometimes.

I spotted a sparrow clinging to a stem of bamboo in my garden and it did a kind of fairground ride as the (very tall) bamboo whipped around like crazy! The sparrow clung on with grim determination, I had to admire it!

Mood lifted this morning like magic, as I had a proper sighting of a wren foraging in my garden - I had fleeting glimpses of them last spring, and I have been nurturing dense mixed hedges in the hopes of attracting them for a few years now. Looks like it's paying off

On the starling debate, I enjoy the visitors I get.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Really good to see the pair of Red Kites back over the garden yesterday.

Rich

 

[JeffMoh]

Looks like breeding season is approaching. Yesterday I saw a male Red-bellied Woodpecker hassling the female that is a regular visitor. Until then I hadn't see a male for several months.

Jeff

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Amazing morning with 9 Pheasants (!!!), 3 Bullfinches, a flock of Siskins and Collared Dove. Best of all, amongst the twittering Siskins I heard a Brambling but a couple hours later I managed to see it! I think all my previous records for Brambling have been during cold weather spells, so it was an unexpected bonus.

CB

 

[JeffMoh]

Amazing morning with 9 Pheasants (!!!), 3 Bullfinches, a flock of Siskins and Collared Dove. Best of all, amongst the twittering Siskins I heard a Brambling but a couple hours later I managed to see it! I think all my previous records for Brambling have been during cold weather spells, so it was an unexpected bonus.

CB

Nice one, CB!

Only change in our yards was the arrival of our first American Robin of the year.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[bongofury]

Pleased to hear that the Song Thrush is back singing under the street light for the 3rd spring.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Blimey I have missed loads on here.

Thanks to Stonechat for putting a positive view on things and for others for getting us back on track.... good work

Anyway some great megas appearing in CBs garden add to that great counts of Pheasants too, nice one CB. Only a simple Wren for me, I thought it was a mouse as it ran along the side of the house avoiding the downpour. Blackbirds utilising the flooded garden as an easy worm feast and the usual regulars trying to feed while it pours down, but as usual the Woodpigeons are bonkers, just sat there with their wings raised in the air letting the rain give them an easy wash.

Currently got 7 male Chaffinch and 2 female, so must keep looking for that Brambling that may mix in with them....

Off to the Philippines in a little over two weeks so will adopt some new gardens for a short while so as always will try to update my new garden birds while I am away. Photos will have to wait until I return.

 

[JeffMoh]

January last year we had our first Brown-headed Nuthatch in our yards. Then three more appeared and all four stayed for months. So I was disappointed this January when only one turned up. However, all is now well because my wife saw four together in our front yard yesterday.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[Bananafishbones]

Nice to see a pair of Bullfinch this morning, House sparrows are returning after being kicked out of their dwelling in the eaves of our house by a large colony of Tree Bumblebees. Not sure if they have moved back in yet but they are certainly inspecting it.

Wind has died down for the moment with only damage to a fence and a single feeder..... good result I think

 

[bongofury]

I had a couple of hours garden watching from dawn. It started with a Song Thrush singing, followed by a Blackbird singing. Goldfinches have been low on numbers recently so getting 6 today was a surprise.

Also a Redpoll, 7 Siskin, 5 LTTs, a pair of GSWs and, like BFB, a pair of Bullfinches.

In all, 18 species recorded.

 

[Bananafishbones]

I had a couple of hours garden watching from dawn. It started with a Song Thrush singing, followed by a Blackbird singing. Goldfinches have been low on numbers recently so getting 6 today was a surprise.

Also a Redpoll, 7 Siskin, 5 LTTs, a pair of GSWs and, like BFB, a pair of Bullfinches.

In all, 18 species recorded.

Not seen a Siskin anywhere all winter, gutted