Mid-Atlantic Gardening: HAPPENINGS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC FORUMPart #2, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
OH my!!!!

Miss a day in checking out all the watched Threads--and now i am overwhelmed as to
what to reply to in this one......Will try!

I am 100% certain that by now i SHOULD have birds fighting over the perches
in my big, 3-tube feeder. They always have.
Here it is mid-January--and i have barely seen the seed levels dropping in the tubes.
Something is wrong! Since it is the same feeder I put out every year--in the same location--
do not know what else would keep them away except that they do not like the seed I have filled it with.
And yes! I do wash out the feeder at the end of the year--really--just hose it out real good.

My feeder is not visible from above--as it hangs under my patio roof. But--every winter--they find it,
regardless, and chow down. IF ever--the Blackbirds find it--and they come in clouds--
the feeder will be emptied out in a couple of days. I hate them!

Since my small back yard has 2 big maples in it--any hawks flying above do not really see
any of the birds. I have seen a few Mourning Doves snatched up--as they are ground feeders
and slow to take flight. Don't know what kind of hawks circle all over here....

Doc--I do not feed my birds during summer. I have read that feeding birds during the summer
is, kind of, enabling them NOT to fend on their own. Getting too dependent on seed.

I stop feeding birds about the same time I have planted out all my seedlings and plants.
I start feeding them again in fall after all the leaves have fallen and I have no more raking
to worry about. The wind blows the leaves all over----seed would be obliterated.
When I clean up my patio floor--I will put out the feeder.

I do set up 3 containers of water during the growing season--one a real, concrete
bird bath--the other two just large plastic saucers of water on the ground.
These help out the smaller critters as well. The saucers stay out all winter--and only help
if the water is not frozen. Since I shut off mu hoses--I cannot re-fill them.

I COULD work out an experiment---------Buy a bag of that $16 Wagner's Bird Seed at HD and see just
how many more birds come to my feeder. That would be proof positive that Ace's Bird seed is junk!
Not enough GOOD seed--and too much filler....

OK! Gotta check on my other watched Threads....
Good night---Gita

Here is a pic of my bird feeder last February--when we had all that snow....
This was taken out through my LR window....Not much to see--but it is completely
under the patio roof, never gets wet--and the squirrels cannot get to it.....