Re: fat birdies

Hello Pam, I live on the edge  of a large pine & cedar area & see Robins 
here all winter in Central Maine (temp today was a minus 5 this AM & now 
at 4:45PM  is 8 above) some days we see flocks of 50 to 75 birds. I 
think they stay in the large  conifers because of the available food 
there & despite what many think they really are quite shy. While many do 
seem to fly south, many more stay which is probably why the have a very 
high mortality rate in the winter -  approaches 80% (I think)

Also Marge, thanks for sticking up for the starlings who really eat tons 
of bad bugs/grubs/insects here in Maine.

Ron
zone 4/5

Pamela J. Evans wrote:

>Do robins fly South for the winter? We still have them, but y'all never
>mention them up North. We also get the goldfinches in winter duds. But
>they go back North in summer. I've seen them up in Claremore - very
>pretty in their summer/mating plumage.
>
>
>---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
>From: Aplfgcnys@aol.com
>Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
>Date:  Wed, 22 Jan 2003 22:37:08 EST
>
>  
>
>>In a message dated 01/22/2003 6:53:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
>>gardenqueen@gbronline.com writes:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>How do y'all up North keep your biries going in such abominable cold??  Just 
>>>curious.....
>>>
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>Always put seed out the night before so they will have something first thing 
>>in the morning if we should happen to sleep late (doesn't often happen.)  We 
>>feed only sunflower hearts, which all sorts of birds seem quite happy with.  
>>We also hang wire cages of a suet-peanut mix purchased from Duncraft, or my 
>>own peanutbutter-oatmeal-sunflower seed mix, which is their very favorite.  
>>We have to bring my home-made mix in when the @#$$%^ starlings arrive, 
>>because they can finish a cake of it in minutes.  
>>I worry about our birds in this cold - it's 8 degrees here right now and so 
>>windy the wind-chill must be 15 below - but the number of birds seems to 
>>increase rather than decrease.  I counted 7 tufted titmice visible at one 
>>time this morning, in addition to five downy woodpeckers, several chickadees 
>>and a couple of nuthatches.  We also have cardinals, blue jays, Carolina 
>>wrens, a regular flock of about 15 doves, red-bellied woodpeckers. 
>>white-throated sparrows, goldfinches and a few either purple or house finches 
>>(I'm not sure which) and one rufous-sided towhee who has been around all 
>>winter and visits the feeder regularly.  This is the first year I have seen 
>>him in the winter - usually just  in the spring.These are the regulars.  
>>Others stray in from time to time - saw a red-tailed hawk sitting in a tree 
>>the other day, but he flew away without doing any damage.  There is a large 
>>flock of crows that are based near here and come by a few times each day - 
>>and then those plagued starlings.  I keep telling myself that they're God's 
>>creatures too, and need something to eat just as much as the others, but 
>>they're so greedy and noisy.
>>Stay warm.  Auralie - Westchester County, NY - Z5
>>
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>>    
>>
>
>--
>Pam Evans
>Kemp TX/zone 8A
>
>
>--
>
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