Re: fat birdies

Ron,
80% mortality?  Are your streets littered with dead robins? Such a shame.
You'd think they'd have better instincts than that.
Kitty


> [Original Message]
> From: rverow@infi.net <rverow@infi.net>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 1/23/2003 4:54:35 PM
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] 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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