Nothing on the surface of the bricks, but limestone (calcium carbonate) is the chief ingredient of mortar. There is also sand. Thanks to all who suggested answers!
On Monday, July 10, 2023 at 6:31:41 PM UTC-6 Courtney R wrote: > Are there possibly calcium deposits in or > on the bricks? I just read a relevant question in Sibley’s bird trivia > game today regarding why birds eat paint chips off of buildings, and > wonder if the same thing is happening here and that they are doing it to > obtain calcium. See below: > [image: image0.jpeg] > > > > Thank you, > Courtney (Lafayette, CO) > > *Courtney Rella, PhD* > *dr.ca...@gmail.com* > > On Jul 6, 2023, at 15:19, Steve B <stevebo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > I think Paula and Dave are right, but primarily the birds are consuming > grit, tiny bits of sand to help digest seeds and the chitinous shells of > insects. I've often seen hummingbirds go to ground, sometimes standing on > the surface of the sidewalk or gravel driveway to collect sand with their > tongues. I first saw this long ago at the hummingbird aviary at the Desert > Museum in Tucson where the closed environment makes it easy to see this > behavior throughout the day. > > Steve Bouricius > Peaceful Valley > > On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 4:32 PM Dave <daleat...@msn.com> wrote: > >> David et al, >> Paula might be right. Other possibilities are small ants, spider >> hatchlings, clover mites, other tiny arthropods. Let us know if you figure >> it out. >> >> Dave Leatherman >> Fort Collins (currently in Lamar) >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jul 4, 2023, at 9:35 AM, Paula Hansley <plha...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> >> What about getting little pieces of grit from the mortar or brick for >> their gizzards??? !!! >> >> Paula Hansley >> Louisville >> >> On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 9:04 AM dgulb...@gmail.com <dgulb...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Why would a Goldfinch cling to a brick wall for a minute and a half? >>> At 7 AM when I walked into my garden I was treated to a brilliant Amer. >>> Goldfinch male who flew directly from my Bachelor Button patch to the >>> side of my yellow-brick garage. The brick has an extremely rough >>> texture, >>> so it was easy to cling to. Although there were lots of "gnats" in the >>> air, >>> there weren't any near the wall, which is protected by a 3' overhang. I >>> expected >>> the bird to immediately move on, but he lingered and lingered, making >>> little >>> pecking movements at the brick and perhaps at the mortar. It came to >>> mind >>> that Amazon parrots peck up clay, but it seems unlikely that 80-year-old >>> mortar >>> would be digestible. Maybe a small spider or spider eggs? After the >>> bird left, >>> I examined the wall but could see absolutely nothing. If it was a small >>> spider, how >>> extraordinary that the bird saw it in the shade from 25 yards away. >>> P.S. to gardeners: Bachelor Buttons are incredibly easy to grow, and >>> they self-sow, >>> so there's almost no work involved in having a patch. Bees, including >>> some native >>> bees, love it, and American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches, and House >>> Finches >>> will come to it from time to time for the developing seeds. >>> David Gulbenkian, Crown Hill area, Jeffco >>> >>> -- >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to cob...@googlegroups.com >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >>> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >>> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >>> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to cobirds+u...@googlegroups.com. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/4cc2b5af-ef44-47ab-9669-cf7c3914ac86n%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/4cc2b5af-ef44-47ab-9669-cf7c3914ac86n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- >> Paula Hansley >> Petrographic Consultants International, Inc. >> Ph: 720-890-2628 <(720)%20890-2628> >> >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to cob...@googlegroups.com >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to cobirds+u...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHmCQtYbLJSOOBFfPcqCo0me-Lo5%2BW0UKw7WcS8rTeViFNMFwA%40mail.gmail.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHmCQtYbLJSOOBFfPcqCo0me-Lo5%2BW0UKw7WcS8rTeViFNMFwA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to cob...@googlegroups.com >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to cobirds+u...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/PH7PR12MB73543B5A45669DC95DFC5258C12EA%40PH7PR12MB7354.namprd12.prod.outlook.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/PH7PR12MB73543B5A45669DC95DFC5258C12EA%40PH7PR12MB7354.namprd12.prod.outlook.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to cob...@googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en > * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include > bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate > * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to cobirds+u...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CALMLSH8%2BDhUaghQcTboT0SPebL2gZNm%3D4P44_DXKAm2bm-nCuA%40mail.gmail.com > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CALMLSH8%2BDhUaghQcTboT0SPebL2gZNm%3D4P44_DXKAm2bm-nCuA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. 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