Feeder facts & other bits

12 January 2008

Last week we nipped out to bird the Chateguay area and just about the first bird seen was a Tufted Titmouse. Readers of my blogs will know that the species eluded me during 2007 and my Big Year, never mind...

This weekend, well Saturday, I spent an hour at the pits seeing a fine adult Bald Eagle, an immature Northern Grey Shrike and a small movement through of Great Black-backed Gulls, all taking the pits year list to 12! I checked the lanes around St-Clet but the big thaw seems to have moved the Snowy Owls around a bit and none were seen.

At home and the Redpoll flocks continue to visit, this weekend containing two exilipes Hoary Redpolls. They are very nervous though, perhaps the Cooper's Hawk has been browsing again.

For those interested, and because I haven't photographed anything else, I thought I'd show my winter feeder arrangements. The keen eyed amongst you will note that I strapped dead twigs to the feeders, all the better for photography because, seriously, birds at feeders don't look natural. I also adapted the feeders using cable ties to increase the amount of feeders available, useful when 100 redpolls descend at once.

On my feeder by the house I have a washing up bowl with a hole cut in and slotted over the pole, sitting on the squirrel baffle (this is sounding like Blue Peter!). I fill it with Black Sunflower seeds which attract several species and keep the entertainment going all day. The close proximity of the feeder to the house does not seem to deter birds and watching Black-capped Chickadees making endless visits is infinitely more interesting than anything on Canadian TV, Corner Gas and The Simpsons excepted.