Garden

[Dazlin]

I've got 6 feeders in my back yard,  and finally a nice variety of birds have returned.   Only thing, swarms of huge flocks, like 50 to 100 cowbirds at one time totally devouring the entire feed supply within minutes.   I'm on a few acres with 2 horses, and have seen them periodically in large numbers fly in and out the trees.  Soooooo many, we've seen small branches actually snap off.  But never have they touched the bird seeds.  I also found 2 that were sick, and then found them dead.  We've been chasing them away, but they quickly come back.  Tomorrow I'm going to switch out the seeds to safflower, and maybe some peanuts.   Its said they dont like them, but the Cardinals and other birds like Finches and Bluejays will eat it.    I have mealworms on hand too, for the Bluejays, but I'll wait for that.   Gosh...I don't know what changed that's attracting them in such huge numbers...GRRRRRR 

[fthunt]

Don't know where you live but could this warmer winter make the birds think it's spring?

I get Grackles - Black Bird when spring does arrive.  ........feel like an old witch but have a metal tray (like comes with toaster oven) and I bang that puppy with a metal object.  At first song birds get frightened and leave; but they catch on that I dong the bong only when the big birds (Grackles) return to the feeders.  Eventually I teach those birds to stay away.

P.S. never known a bird that didn't like peanuts - perhaps a hummingbird

[blackhole99]

Maybe you should call the Game Commission in your area and report the sick and dead birds, could be some kind of sickness that could be harmful to humans.

[Dazlin]

I'm in Florida.

[silkyk]

Old timers handled this situation by hanging a dead crow/raven etc in the center of your garden where they can see it. DON'T kill a crow but you can buy these on Amazon and they do the trick. Those cowbirds see this and hit the road....er..... I mean air. Good luck!

Dead Crow Scare Decoy- Scare Crows Wiith The Dead Crow Bird Scarer 20"

[Dazlin]

@silkyk ...I would be afraid of that myself...dont think I could stand the site of it😖.

I switched to safflower seeds, and  some peanuts (pricey)...I'll give it a couple more days.  Only thing...now the Dove birds are loving these seeds...cant win🤷‍♀️

[NickNack]

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@Dazlin wrote:

@silkyk ...I would be afraid of that myself...dont think I could stand the site of it😖.

I switched to safflower seeds, and  some peanuts (pricey)...I'll give it a couple more days.  Only thing...now the Dove birds are loving these seeds...cant win🤷‍♀️

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@Dazlin   I love the Mourning Doves.  I love to hear them coo.  I don't mind having them eat my safflower seeds at all.

[luvmyteddy4]

I don't remember having birds in my bird house this early in the year. The wrens are very loud and already pregnant. I always see lots of birds but never in the bird house in the freezing winter.  

[sabatini]

@Dazlin , when I first moved to Arizona and began feeding birds, I had a favorite bird who visited daily. I didn't know what kind of bird she was, so just called her 'The Happy Bird'.

She'd spend ages just playing in a shallow bowl of water.

Then I discovered that she was a cowbird, so knew why she was so darn happy!

Cowbirds are awful!

They never build their own nests, but steal those of others, toss out eggs that are already in there, lay their own eggs to replace them, and let the nest's owner raise them!

Like lazy Maizie from Horton Hatches an Egg. 

[luvmyteddy4]

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@sabatini wrote:

@Dazlin , when I first moved to Arizona and began feeding birds, I had a favorite bird who visited daily. I didn't know what kind of bird she was, so just called her 'The Happy Bird'.

She'd spend ages just playing in a shallow bowl of water.

Then I discovered that she was a cowbird, so knew why she was so darn happy!

Cowbirds are awful!

They never build their own nests, but steal those of others, toss out eggs that are already in there, lay their own eggs to replace them, and let the nest's owner raise them!

Like lazy Maizie from Horton Hatches an Egg. 

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I just looked them up, wow they are mean birds. The article said they are fairly new to north america and coming into Florida and other southern states. I had never seen one.