So excited! Bluebird!

That's very exciting about your chickadees. We seem to have a clutch of 5 babies that are just now starting to receive their feathers. The parents have been very tolerant and allow us to get very close in order to look at the young. The chickadees we have in Connecticut seem to be very gutsy; the certainly don't appear to mind coming to the feeders despite having us very close by.

Yes, Judy, we have had bluebirds all year long at our sunflower kernel feeders. We were just as surprised as many people are. They aren't very frequent visitors, but certainly seem to enjoy a seed every now and again. They also seem to really enjoy our suet, though no matter what bluebirds still love their mealworms. I think that the seed is really just an extra supplement of oil and fat. The naturalists I've spoken with at the franchise agree.

As for our robin, we have had one sit on the deck and we swear that he was watching the passerine birds come and go on the tube feeders during a surprise early spring snowstorm. After doing that for some time, he began trying to get on the upside-down feeder, and then moved on to the tube feeder. He tried several times, then seemed able to get the sunflower kernels and has since returned several times. My mom contacted the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and submitted some photos which the lab says they will use in an adaptive bird behavior study they are conducting. We are really excited to have been able to help contribute some data.

Fascinating, Phil!!

I read a disturbing article in the Seattle, WA paper this morning - it advised that a disease caused by salmonella is rampant this year (in birds) and that people are making it worse by feeding the birds. It suggested taking the feeders down for three weeks (or even the whole summer). It said an alternative is to thoroughly clean them every single day. I have found several sick birds who died this year in the way they described - makes me sad to think I may have contributed to it. I cut down a bit this time of year anyway, but will do my best to keep the feeders clean. They indicated the main victims are Finches, Grosbeaks, and Pine Siskins. I do so enjoy feeding/watching the birds that I will just have to develop a new routine of cleaning them all the time. BTW, this is a local problem, not nationwide! They indicated it happens every three or four years, but that this year is exceptionally bad.

Murmur, here's a link on bird diseases: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/DiseasedBirds.htm
Also, one specific to house finch disease: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofi/index.html
There are photos of diseased birds on the latter page under the heading "What do birds with conjunctivitis look like?".
The distribution map of the house finch disease shows it's confined to the northeast so it wouldn't affect your part of the country.

Ron
Tioga, PA

Last year I saw a number of House Finch with that disease, it's very disturbing to see.

Haven't seen any so far this year.

Ron, thank you very much for the link - some very good information. What we have out here is different - the birds "fluff up" and just sit, you can come right up to them. They eventually die - very hard to see. I have only been putting thistle and suet out (and hummingbird nectar). I've not seen a sick bird now since the local newspaper article so I may put them out again in a week or so - I do so miss seeing them. BTW, the three who died in my yard were all Pine Siskins and from what many of us in the Pacific Northwest forum have observed, that is the bird most often affected.

Murmur, I thought the first link might be helpful
pelletory, I've been watching the house finches. I've seen some questionables, but none that are clearly diseased as in the Cornell photos.
The photo attached shows a little guy that has a fluffed up or scruffy look but his eyes appear to be clear.

As far as I know, the conjunctivitis so far seems to be species-exclusive to house finches. They are the only ones that seem to be getting the disease. The Wild Birds Unlimited naturalists recommend keeping your feeder clean and your seed fresh to help prevent transmission, but again, it seems to only affect house finches. Conjunctivitis is a disease the affects the conjunctiva, or eye membranes, of the birds. Typically sick birds do fluff up and look generally scruffy or ill, but the best way to gauge the infection is to look at their eyes. I know this because prior to opening up a WBU store, I worked as a veterinary technician for over two years.

I believe that the salmonella outbreak that Murmur is talking about is different than the house finches disease. They sound unrelated and Murmur did say that it is an isolated event. That's not unusual for it to be cyclical, either, as diseases tend to fluctuate based on population patterns and statistics.

If anyone has questions, I know that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website is very good about providing information. Good luck with your feeding!

WBU, thanks. I agree that given Murmur's West coast location, the conjunctivitis wouldn't apply out there.
Here's a link that has a lot of information on the disease: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/science-stories/past-stories/house-finch-disease/
The info listed under "Why might eastern House Finches have been the earliest victims of the disease?" details the suspected reasons for the disease may be inbreeding of the eastern population, that originated from released non-native Western species of the house finch.
This site also notes "a few reports of the disease have been confirmed in American Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Evening Grosbeaks, and Pine Grosbeaks, all members of the family Fringillidae."

I'm certainly NOT an ornothologist, but do bunches of searching and reading to learn. I just like to watch, photograph, and learn about birds.
Hope the info helps. I guess we've gotten a bit off topic from the original post, so I guess I'll shut up now.

No thats good now at least theres a lot of info and sites everyone can refer to.

Thank You!

Soulflier, that is very interesting. I didn't know that other species were confirmed with the disease. It makes sense that they would be other members of the same family. Birdsource.org is also reputed to be a well-informed site. I personally don't think that you can ever know enough of something, and I think that you're information is very helpful. I also don't think it's that far off topic as knowing about diseases that affect seed-eating birds is certainly something that we bird enthusiasts need to be aware of.

It is very true that knowledge is power, and anything we can do to help our feathered friends is great!

will these little bluebirds like to visit central nebraska?
we have a lot of humidity and sometimes a lot of wind
and sometimes a lot of heat and sometimes we have all three at the same time :(
but I would love to try and attract these little guys! I'm speaking of bluebirds -- finches we have

This message was edited Jun 20, 2007 3:50 PM

Wow, I'm not sure because your smack in the middle of the country,right?

I would Google Nebraska Birds ( or something to that affect) to see if they have them listed.

Maybe Nebraska Ornithology

They're Missouri's state bird... can't get much "smacker" in the middle of the country, and they're there en masse

Hi everyone!
I have a pair of bluebirds nesting and the babies were sticking their heads out today! It has been fun watching them check out the house, build the nest, hatch and feed the babies.
Both of the bluebirds eat seed from the feeder. I have sunflower meats (no shell mess :)) I see them at the seed feeder many times during the day.
I bought some mealworms from "Bird Watcher Supply" two weeks ago and the bluebirds won't touch them - they look at them but that is all. I went to BWS yesterday to ask why and was told that it takes two to four weeks before the birds will try to eat them. I have done this before and had no trouble - it was right away and it was true that keeping them supplied with mealworms was a job. I just don't understand why not this time??? Any thoughts?

Hi Lynne,What type of meal worm feeder are you using and where is it located in relation to the nestbox?

BTW, if you could get a pic of the BB's at the seed feeder I know some people here who would really appreciate it.

This message was edited Jun 29, 2007 10:39 PM

Count me as one of those who would love to see a pic!!!

Yes, me too!

Mr. Bluebird posed for me but I am using my cell phone camera so it is not the best - I'll keep trying for a better picture.

Lynne.... You're my little angel, right there in Waleska.

Wow, those are some beautiful pictures, what color those little birds have! Thanks for posting, I really enjoyed seeing them.

I have heard of some bluebirds in a town next to me, but it is a much more rural area than my home is in. I have heard you are more likely to see bluebirds near open fields or unpopulated areas.

I would like to know what a mealy worm feeder looks like, and do they come in a size that would keep the bigger birds out? And most importantly, do SQUIRRELS eat mealy worms? I have the fattest, healthiest squirrels on the planet, they first and foremost eat everything I put out, I am surprised when there is ever anything left for the birds. I am not about to put live food on their menu. Next thing you know, I will be making them Spanish Omlettes or broiling them a steak.

Thanks!

Jen there are all types of mealworm feeders, some do not work as well as others from preventing larger birds like starlings etc. from eating the worms Other feeders bluebirds tend to get pannicked while inside.

Besides an open dish or bowl this seems to be the favorite among most of the bluebirders I know. It is more expensive than other types.

http://www.tmbstudios.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BBNDMWF

Hi everyone!
The bluebirds living in my bluebird house have gone - But yesterday a female and male bluebird were at my feeders again and I got several pictures with the old fashion 35 mm camera. I am taking them to get developed today and will scan in any good photos I have. What I have noticed is bug eating birds when they are feeding little ones seem to fill up at the seed feeder to keep the little ones fed. I use shelled sun flower seed which seem to make everyone happy. (including me - no mess and no rattlesnakes (long story)).
Anyway, I never got anyone insterested in the meal worms. This so puzzles me because I have not had this happen in previous years. I had an open dish right next to the bird house and right next to the feeder where the birds were getting seeds. Also the chickadees didn't touch them either. Anyone have an idea why???

Lynne...
They're live mealworms, right? I ask because you can buy dried ones and the birds visiting my yard won't have a thing to do with them.
It will take a while for the birds to find them. If you have them in a bowl, set the bowl on something elevated, in an open space where they can see them when they're flying over to get to your other feeders, etc. Put about 10 or so out at a time until they find them. That way you're not wasting them until then.
I don't have mine near any other feeder ... closest one is a suet cake feeder about 20 feet away. Mine are in a blue platter thing that latches on to a pole. (see pic in previous post)
Once they do find them, you'll go through worms pretty fast.

In your other post, you asked about squirrels. No... as an added bonus, squirrels won't eat mealies. Although my hummingbird feeder was drained Saturday by a squirrel, so that could change!