We had a pair of Eastern Bluebirds in a box on our hillside. Then suddenly they weren’t showing up anymore. I checked the box yesterday and there was a bluebird nest with 4 incubated blue eggs in it. The same thing happened with our Tree Swallows. They claimed their box in the prairie, and when I checked it yesterday, there was a nest with an unincubated egg in it but the nest was invaded with ants. I don’t know when the ants showed up - before or after the swallows left.
We have the usual helicopter drop pellets over our marsh on the northwest end of Long Lake every summer. I’m wondering if the birds have been poisoned. Or if the severe weather events had anything to do with their departure. Where is Rachel Carson when we need her? Becky Field On Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 10:43 AM Sue Keator <chickadeede...@gmail.com> wrote: > I have the same number, 1 or 2, that I usually get during summer. They > visit about every day. I'm in Edina. A female or youngster was just here > and chase off a House Wren that got too close. > Sue Keator on Melody Lake > > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024, 7:34 PM Nancy Steinhauser <nancyhu...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > I have been recording hummingbird activity here for 28 years. No red > dye. > > Cleaning and refilling feeders every 2-3 days. I know the populations go > > up and down depending on what they're doing in their breeding and life > > cycle. But this year has been an anomaly. And the same with neighbors > and > > friends. A very scary anomaly. Everyone is bewildered up here. How can > > we all get the "normal" big, medium or low numbers arriving back in the > > Spring, and then have them all disappear? I'm watching 6 out my window > > now. A large number arrived in the Spring but there are very few left. > > And the recent uptick is fledglings. > > I'm asking about bird flu. Have ruby-throated's succumbed to bird flu? > > Does anyone keep track? > > Or - is there something else happening that's killing them? > > Thanks for all the info. > > > > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 10:49 AM Rebecca Field <rebeccafiel...@gmail.com > > > > wrote: > > > > > I would add that we should not put out sugar water with red dye in it. > > Just > > > sugar and water - 4 parts water to 1 part sugar, or 3 parts water to 1 > > part > > > sugar. Too high a ratio of sugar to water can damage their kidneys and > > > livers. The nectar should be changed every 1 to 4 days, depending on > the > > > weather conditions. > > > > > > Rebecca Field > > > > > > On Fri, Jul 19, 2024 at 10:37 AM marshall or janet howe/mcmillen < > > > howe.mcmil...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > There may be something unusual going on here, but don't forget that > > > > hummingbirds normally vacate feeders during the period when they are > > > > feeding young. At these times they are feeding almost exclusively on > > > > insects. When the young become independent, the numbers at feeders > > > > typically skyrocket. > > > > > > > > Marshall Howe > > > > > > > > ---- > > > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > social > > > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > > > > > ---- > > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social > > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > > ---- > > General information and guidelines for posting: > > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > ---- > General information and guidelines for posting: > https://moumn.org/listservice.html > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
