Eat or die

[jbird]

As seems to be the case with 90% of the country, temps are badly below normal. For me, that means highs rarely getting above 0 and strong winds bringing the index way down in the -25 to -35 range. Very dificult survival conditions for wildlife. For the birds, it's eat or die. Food energy = boosted motabolism = warmth. This has led to an all out onslaught of my one and only feeder I have up during the winter. Even the most wary birds have chosen the desire to feed over the fear of my lens.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_9284_zps3e949f05.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_9284_zps3e949f05.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_9357_zps151acb59.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_9357_zps151acb59.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_9435_zps08c21998.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_9435_zps08c21998.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_9459_zps5687266b.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_9459_zps5687266b.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_9307_zpsd7d894bd.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_9307_zpsd7d894bd.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/JDS_9474_zps40aa0e0a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jbird35/media/JDS_9474_zps40aa0e0a.jpg.html)

[DLJeff]

Beautiful pics. We too have to refill the bird feeders every other day. We had an onslaught of robins since Oct. I'm hoping the cold temperatures have driven them farther south. Now we have mostly goldfinches, house finches, dark eyed juncos, gold crown sparrows, white crown sparrows, morning doves and spotted turtle doves, and we get the mountain chickadees rather than the chickadees you have. And scrub jays and northern flickers love to hang off the feeders and flick the seeds all over creation. And quail - I've counted as many as 22 quail rooting around beneath the feeders scrounging the seeds the jays and flickers tossed about. Have had a sharped-shinned hawk trying to snatch a songbird. Yesterday he had a junco trapped in a bush and the hawk was sitting on top looking downward at the junco. Pretty funny. Heard the great horned owl last night too.

I wonder what fluke of evolution caused the cardinals to propagate even though they are bright red and must stick out like a neon light to predators?

[jbird]

Doug, it sounds like you need to uncase your camera! We dont have quail cleaning up the mess, but rather turkeys. A huge flock of them visits a couple times a day. Its funny to see them come wading thru the snow. Almost look like a duck swimming on water. The flock lets the leader plow the trail and the rest follow single file. I get a huge kick out of letting my beagles out when the turkeys are busy scratching snow. They sneak up on em and all he!! breaks loose :)

[Larry S]

Jay,
Thanks for satisfying my cardinal "addiction." Some years ago on our annual steelheading trek to the Smith, the standing water
on most of the gravel bars had frozen solid. We lost count of the dead birds we saw while there.
Sun Diego had some lows in the 30's this week. My 4 hummingbird feeders have waiting lines!
Stay warm.
Larry S

[jbird]

Some years ago on our annual steelheading trek to the Smith, the standing water
on most of the gravel bars had frozen solid. We lost count of the dead birds we saw while there.


Wow, thats very sad! and strange! Birds should be able to withstand it. Wonder if there was some kind of toxin present?