[NatureNS] feeder birds

Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2017 12:38:49 -0300 (ADT)
From: "rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca" <rita.paul@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <9B9BE3FDB2924E9D8027CFF05537D428@Millard> <CAK7bWW0to1V6ChWOe0rUR=EfVTsL7tnTZ8JaWErbiAF45RY0fw@mail.gmail.com> <005101d29b2f$1b162510$51426f30$@ca>
Importance: Medium
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Here at our little feeder Donna Purple =
Finches are the second</span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">most common bird I see - after Gold Fin=
ches.</span>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;"><br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Red breasted Nuthatches come every once=
 in a while <br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">the White Breasted and Brown Creepers s=
tay in the trees.<br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">At home on PEI the old folks used to sa=
y the best time to travel<br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">by horse and sleigh on the ice was St P=
atricks day. This coming<br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Friday so the cold blast is no susprise=
 to me!<br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Enjoy the end of winter<br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <div>
   <span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Paul<br/></span>
  </div>=20
  <blockquote style=3D"padding-left: 10px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-co=
lor: blue; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; position: rela=
tive;" type=3D"cite">
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   <!-- [if gte mso 9]> -->
   <!-- <![endif] -->On March 12, 2017 at 9:49 AM Donna Crossland &#60;dcro=
ssland@eastlink.ca&#62; wrote:
   <br/>
   <br/>=20
   <div class=3D"WordSection1">=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">It really was a popul=
ar day yesterday at the feeders (and similar today).&#160; None of us, feat=
hered or otherwise, are accustomed to the sudden drop in temps and high win=
ds that were experienced since it=E2=80=99s been a pretty smooth coast for =
most of the winter.&#160; &#160;I dove into the woods to get out of the bit=
ing winds yesterday afternoon.&#160; It=E2=80=99s amazing what a difference=
 forests makes on a cold windy day.&#160; Glad I don=E2=80=99t live on the =
prairies.&#160; </span></p>=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">&#160;</span></p>=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">The sap sucker was ba=
ck at the suet feeder.&#160; He=E2=80=99s very predictable when the temp dr=
ops.&#160; For a while, my feeder area was very colorful with a male and fe=
male cardinal on the ground beneath, and the gorgeous red flashes of the ma=
le sapsucker feeding from the last bit of suet low to the ground.&#160; I m=
ade up a fresh batch of suet with black oil sunflower seeds mixed in (delic=
ious) and hung it out to ensure everyone had a rich caloric intake to get t=
hrough the cold afternoon and night ahead.&#160; I made a second batch this=
 AM, and the chickadees immediately began to vocalize the news of the new s=
uet being hung in a sheltered spot.</span></p>=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">&#160;</span></p>=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">Similar to Marg=E2=80=
=99s observations, there are no purple finches around, but I have gold finc=
hes a plenty.&#160; Considering what purple finches consume, I suspect the =
population will be extra low for a while, aside from its usual irregulariti=
es as a winter feeder visitor and its reported declines elsewhere from Hous=
e finch invasions.&#160; I was observing air photo imagery under DNR=E2=80=
=99s Harvest Plans Map Viewer a few days ago.&#160; It is clear that we are=
 flattening nearly all the remaining mature conifer forest in NS that would=
 have supplied much of the natural sources of seed.&#160; With 55 year harv=
est rotations set up on Crown land, it=E2=80=99s not certain what natural f=
ood supply will remain for the next while.&#160; Trees need time to mature =
before producing any significant quantity of seed.&#160; It=E2=80=99s a dir=
e situation we are creating for wildlife.&#160; Meanwhile, the =E2=80=9Cfie=
ld and roadside junco and goldfinch crews=E2=80=9D seem perfectly fine.&#16=
0; </span></p>=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">&#160;</span></p>=20
    <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39=
;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 11pt;">I=E2=80=99ve heard va=
lid and science-based criticisms against maintaining bird feeders&#160; thr=
ough the years, and how this can do more harm than good for birds.&#160; We=
 know the feeders can spread diseases if we don=E2=80=99t sanitize them, an=
d they can set birds up for easy predation.&#160; It=E2=80=99s perhaps most=
ly a selfish pleasure watching birds at feeders, I suppose, bringing nature=
 closer to us.&#160; But with the sudd