Anyone still feeding birds?

[CameronBornAndBred]

My wife and I put up a bluebird-specific birdhouse, hoping to get some bluebirds to nest there. Some other type of bird did take up residence, which was ok, I guess.

After a while, my wife noticed that we hadn't seen any of those birds in quite some time. She went out and knocked on the side of the birdhouse; she saw something looking at her, but it wasn't a bird. She gingerly opened the birdhouse to reveal it's occupant: a southern flying squirrel!

Turns out flying squirrels like to eat bird eggs, baby birds, and sometimes even adult birds. So, our little "birdhouse" turned into a house of horror for a little family of birds, all efficiently turned into flying squirrel poop.

As you probably know, flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal. He was started awake by my wife's intrusion, and leapt out of the birdhouse, but only made it a few feet before he froze (apparently in fear) on the trunk of the tree. He stood there, completely still, for several minutes. There was a long trail of his urine going almost all the way to the ground from where he was hanging to the tree. So it seems that my wife literally scared the p#ss out of him. She came back inside and after about 10 or 15 minutes, he was no longer holding still on the tree trunk. Presumably he had gone back into the house he was squatting in after murdering the entire family that previously occupied it.

That's trippy. I found a flying squirrel in the "driveway" between ours and our neighbor's house. (Really just a grassy patch.) Poor lil' feller was dead..guessing it smacked into a window. Until I found it, I had no idea they even lived here.

Similar to your story, I noticed that my bluebird house two days ago was looking a bit ravaged. Literally. The metal plate that went around the circular opening had been ripped off, hanging now by only one nail. Bits of the mossy nest were outside. I opened it up, and found the only occupant, sadly, to be one deceased baby. I don't know what did all of that damage, but I'm leaning towards raccoon.

[aimo]

That's trippy. I found a flying squirrel in the "driveway" between ours and our neighbor's house. (Really just a grassy patch.) Poor lil' feller was dead..guessing it smacked into a window. Until I found it, I had no idea they even lived here.

Similar to your story, I noticed that my bluebird house two days ago was looking a bit ravaged. Literally. The metal plate that went around the circular opening had been ripped off, hanging now by only one nail. Bits of the mossy nest were outside. I opened it up, and found the only occupant, sadly, to be one deceased baby. I don't know what did all of that damage, but I'm leaning towards raccoon.

Snakes love birdhouses, too.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Snakes love birdhouses, too.

Yep. I've found skins in old houses before. But a snake won't rip a metal plate attached with four nails off a piece of wood. At least not outside of Hollywood.

[bundabergdevil]

Mystery bird illness has prompted calls to take down feeders in precautions

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021...sylvania-ohio/

[sagegrouse]

Mystery bird illness has prompted calls to take down feeders in precautions

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021...sylvania-ohio/

I'll try to get more info from birding circles, but this article contains no effing facts except that one fledgling American Robin had the disease (marked by puffy eyes and secretions) and died. There are 200-300 nesting species of wild birds in PA.

There was earlier warning about salmonella (I think) affecting Pine Siskins and House Finches in the West. Taking down bird fevers was judged to be an over-reaction then by field ornithologists.

[bundabergdevil]

I'll try to get more info from birding circles, but this article contains no effing facts except that one fledgling American Robin had the disease (marked by puffy eyes and secretions) and died. There are 200-300 nesting species of wild birds in PA.

There was earlier warning about salmonella (I think) affecting Pine Siskins and House Finches in the West. Taking down bird fevers was judged to be an over-reaction then by field ornithologists.

Here’s the alert from Pennsylvania’s wildlife agency, which contains better info, as well as Audubon. Whatever it is has caught the attention of state wildlife officials.

Excuse the dead links. Can never seem to hyperlink from mobile.

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Pages/AlertDetails.aspx


https://md.audubon.org/news/mysterious-illness-affects-birds-district-columbia-maryland-pennsylvania-virginia-and-west

[sagegrouse]

Here’s the alert from Pennsylvania’s wildlife agency, which contains better info, as well as Audubon. Whatever it is has caught the attention of state wildlife officials.

Excuse the dead links. Can never seem to hyperlink from mobile.

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Pages/AlertDetails.aspx


https://md.audubon.org/news/mysterio...ginia-and-west

Thanks: here's the meat of the article from Pa Wildlife:

Among these Pennsylvania [mortality] reports, they estimate that roughly 25-30% (approximately 500) are likely associated with the current songbird mortality event. To date, the songbird morbidity/mortality event appears to be targeting fledgling common grackles, blue jays, European starlings, and American robins. Affected songbirds are presenting with eye swelling and crusty discharge, along with neurological signs. While an exact cause has not been identified and diagnostics are ongoing, the following pathogens have been ruled out: Salmonella, Chlamydia, avian influenza virus, West Nile virus, Newcastle disease virus, herpesviruses, poxviruses, and Trichomonas parasites. There are no new developments on the diagnostics side, with multiple test results still pending at New Bolton Center and Penn State’s Animal Diagnostic Laboratory.

It could also be affecting other, more woodland species -- where the dead or sick birds are unlikely to be found. Robins, which nest around houses, and other thrushes do not normally eat bird seed.

[rsvman]

Hmmmm... getting rid of grackles and starlings??? Doesn't sound that bad to me.

[budwom]

new trees and shrubs that are growing in our Central Park since the great tree debacle of 2017 are bringing in waves of birds as berries, cherries etc being to ripen...nice to see...

[bundabergdevil]

I saw my first Scarlet Tanager today on a path I’ve walked hundreds of times. What a treat!

[DUKIECB]

I saw my first Scarlet Tanager today on a path I’ve walked hundreds of times. What a treat!

Beautiful bird. I occasionally see them at home but not often. I want to see a Summer Tanager to add to my life list but am still looking for that one

[aimo]

So, only a partly wild bird story:

Neighbors got chickens. One turned out to be a rooster. An especially obnoxious one. Rooster was crowing very early a few mornings ago, followed by a LOT of squawking hawks. The rooster got quiet for a while, then started crowing again. The neighbors let their chickens run loose for a little while each day. Have not heard Rochester the Rooster (my name for him, not theirs) the last two mornings. So, either the neighbors figured they should be considerate neighbors and relocate Rochester, or a hawk had him a nice little chicken snack.

[budwom]

Our local kestrel duo has produced a wee one for the third year in a row...maybe even more than one, but I now see three of them zipping around together.

[bundabergdevil]

Thanks: here's the meat of the article from Pa Wildlife:

It could also be affecting other, more woodland species -- where the dead or sick birds are unlikely to be found. Robins, which nest around houses, and other thrushes do not normally eat bird seed.

The state wildlife agency lifted the recommendation to take down feeders based on decreasing reports of the mortality event. Still not sure what it is/was though.

https://www.pennlive.com/life/2021/08/bird-feeding-moratorium-lifted-by-pennsylvania-game-commission-as-mystery-bird-disease-decreases.html

[cspan37421]

We have 2 birdhouses handing on a double-dip shepherd's crook outside our kitchen nook. Sometime's it is like nature's TV when we're eating. Anyway, we just had some tiny little birds (not sure what kind - wren like but not as bulbous) graduate from the nest in one of the houses; both had been used recently, so yesterday when working in the yard I went to empty out the houses.

The birdhouses are home-made out of scrap wood, and are your basic A-frame with entry hole and dowel out front. The bottom is sort of a "trap door" that is held in place during use with 2 "arms" of wood that pivot to hold it up from underneath. Trouble is, those little scraps of wood often eventually dry out, get brittle, and break. This was true when I was making them out of cedar fencing board (which gets crazy brittle not long after you get it home!) or even pressure-treated pine (my latest houses used pressure treated pine stair treads that were reclaimed from steps that went up to our backyard from the end of the driveway ... the stringers holding them up had rotted, but the treads were good. Thus producing a couple of the heaviest birdhouses around!)

Anyway even the pressure treated pine eventually dried out and cracked (with the grain of course) and broke off. Any suggestions for alternative "arms" to support the floor from below? I figure metal will rust out in about the same time as wood, and plastic gets brittle with age too. Aluminum won't rust, but the kind I'd have easy access to (cans) will have some sharp edges and/or not likely the strength to keep the floor of the house in place. The bottom of an aluminum can is strong, but again, not sure I want to cut it and put it in place there. Other ideas? Just replace the wood arm periodically with a fresh scrap piece?

[bundabergdevil]

Forgot to mention that my wife got me an owl box for my birthday. They nest early - as early as January - so I’ll be putting it up in fall. Have a section of good size pines that overlook my quiet back acre. Think that’s the best bet.

Excited. Skeptical that I’ll have success but excited.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Forgot to mention that my wife got me an owl box for my birthday. They nest early - as early as January - so I’ll be putting it up in fall. Have a section of good size pines that overlook my quiet back acre. Think that’s the best bet.

Excited. Skeptical that I’ll have success but excited.

My parents have an owl box. Have really enjoyed it for several years. Lots of great (telephoto) pics of younglings.

[bundabergdevil]

My parents have an owl box. Have really enjoyed it for several years. Lots of great (telephoto) pics of younglings.

What kind of owls have they had in it? Barred?

Did they get owls in it on their first season?

[-jk]

We have 2 birdhouses handing on a double-dip shepherd's crook outside our kitchen nook. Sometime's it is like nature's TV when we're eating. Anyway, we just had some tiny little birds (not sure what kind - wren like but not as bulbous) graduate from the nest in one of the houses; both had been used recently, so yesterday when working in the yard I went to empty out the houses.

The birdhouses are home-made out of scrap wood, and are your basic A-frame with entry hole and dowel out front. The bottom is sort of a "trap door" that is held in place during use with 2 "arms" of wood that pivot to hold it up from underneath. Trouble is, those little scraps of wood often eventually dry out, get brittle, and break. This was true when I was making them out of cedar fencing board (which gets crazy brittle not long after you get it home!) or even pressure-treated pine (my latest houses used pressure treated pine stair treads that were reclaimed from steps that went up to our backyard from the end of the driveway ... the stringers holding them up had rotted, but the treads were good. Thus producing a couple of the heaviest birdhouses around!)

Anyway even the pressure treated pine eventually dried out and cracked (with the grain of course) and broke off. Any suggestions for alternative "arms" to support the floor from below? I figure metal will rust out in about the same time as wood, and plastic gets brittle with age too. Aluminum won't rust, but the kind I'd have easy access to (cans) will have some sharp edges and/or not likely the strength to keep the floor of the house in place. The bottom of an aluminum can is strong, but again, not sure I want to cut it and put it in place there. Other ideas? Just replace the wood arm periodically with a fresh scrap piece?

How about a nail bent 90 degrees?

-jk

[cspan37421]

How about a nail bent 90 degrees?

-jk

That could work ... might need 2 or 4, else the base might still flip around the one nail and fall out.

Guess I didn't think of it b/c it would never have worked with the cedar plank - if you tried to bend it after hammering it in, it would definitely tear out the side. The pressure treated pine should be strong enough.

Thanks for the tip!