Feeder and bird seed changes
This morning, Cleon and I changed the bird feeders and what we are offering. We are now set up for winter. We did this today because even though we are still having warm temperatures during the day – in the mid-60’s to 70’s – we are starting to experience cooler nights. Our forecast: most of our low night time temperatures for the next about 10 days will average in the 40’s and we do have two nights predicted to be 33 and 28 degrees. That is getting nippy!
We are now offering a block of suet in the wire suet feeder. I also added the log feeder my dad made for me back in the 1980’s. This feeder holds a mix of of suet that I make. (My recipe is in the Articles.) We do not offer suet in the summer because I am concerned about the hot daytime temperatures we have in July and August – 100+ degree days are common. I am always afraid the suet will spoil.
Suet is important for birds in winter. It helps them add a layer of fat to insulate and keep them warmer on bitterly cold winter nights. And here in central Illinois, in January, we almost always have at least 2 weeks of temperatures below 0 at night and with a high of about 2-3 degrees during the day. That is cold! Suet will help the birds, who live here with us, survive. So in our yard, they can start building that layer of fat right now.
We are also starting to include white millet on the platform feeder and also on the ground underneath the feeders. We discontinued white millet in the spring because Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Red-winged Blackbirds love it and were dominating the feeders and pushing the smaller birds off or preventing them from landing. As soon as we stopped the millet in that feeder and only threw it on the ground, those blackbirds started feeding on the ground and the smaller birds were able to use the platform feeder once again.
We took down the black-oil sunflower seed tubular feeder, but will add more black-oiled sunflower seed to the platform feeder and also on the ground under the feeders. Cleon put the log feeder in its place.
Our winter residents are starting to arrive as well as some fall residents who are passing through – these birds often stay a few weeks and then move on. For the past few days, we have a flock of blackbirds high up in our treetops. They are roosting there in the afternoon and early evening. but not overnight.
We have lived here almost 20 years and these blackbirds are here every fall for about month. The flock varies in size from about 40 or so to about a hundred. Since they do not roost here overnight and only stay a month, I am always happy to see them – a sure sign that colder weather is coming. But I certainly understand people’s dismay with these flocks when thousands of blackbirds settle in a yard or neighborhood, calling to each other and defecating all night long. The blackbirds in our yard will generally come to the feeders and can go through a cake of suet almost faster than you can blink an eye. But since they are only here for about a month, I am OK with that. This flock is always primarily Common Grackles – and sometimes only grackles. But the flock can also (but not always) include European Starlings and Red-winged Blackbirds. Remember, when you are observing a flock, NEVER assume it is all one species. Try to look at every bird or group of birds. You may be amazed at who is traveling with who. Birds to look for in these flocks of blackbirds are American Robins, House Sparrows, and amazingly – at least in my opinion – Dickcissels. Plus any bird who is migrating and wants to travel in a flock. Blackbirds are gregarious by nature and in my observation, tolerate other species quite well. It seems their motto could be: The more, the merrier!
In our yard and around the feeders, we are starting to see a few more Downy Woodpeckers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. There is at least one Hairy Woodpecker. There are a few more Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Black-capped Chickadees. All these birds like suet. So hopefully over the next few weeks, you will start to see these birds and not just the occasional Mourning Dove and Blue Jay or if you have been up at dawn and watching, the pair of northern Cardinals and their one juvenile. Once November is here and colder daytime weather sets in, watch for Juncos, White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, American Tree Sparrows, Purple Finches. and the occasional Red-breasted Nuthatch. And our American Goldfinches should return.
Right now, we are experiencing extremely dry weather and we do have a no-burn order throughout our area. This is a rural county and many people – including those living in towns – burn leaves. So far, this year, that has not been allowed. It is dry and windy and our average humidity has been at about 15%. If any of you reading this have lived or traveled through the Midwest, you know our humidity is generally in the 80% range and in summer can be at 90 and even 100%. So this 15% humidity is exceptionally dry for us. I honestly thought I had to be in the desert to experience that low level of humidity for days at a time. We have drooping plants everywhere and no rain in sight.