Before deer hunters become engrossed with blaze orange and before city dwellers put away the yard and garden tools, it’s time to check the bird perches, baths, and feeders for another winter of feeding, watching, counting and photographing.
Yes, bird feeding knows few bounds, even in this fast paced world of work, eat, and play. COVID-19 woke those who stayed home to work that, hey, it’s birds, not squirrels, who were eating while we were away.
Summer’s drought has been blamed for numerous casualties, including fewer natural seed heads for American goldfinches to tear apart. Even those plants that are blowing in the wind, likely have fewer fruits on them, too.
“Because of fickle summer weather, native and natural plants birds typically feed on during autumn and early winter are not as prevalent, didn’t grow as tall, and overall are not as dependable a food source as some years,” said Bob Ross, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop on Old Sauk Road in Middleton.
Bob has noticed more birds at his bird baths, too, drinking and bathing.
Water can be provided year round by installing a heating unit. Bob added that birds rarely eat snow to get water in the winter, so they still need water.
With fewer wild, native sources, those who feed birds might consider planting a few shrubs or perennials for food sources in the years to come. These sources attract birds who then come a bit closer to a feeder with safflower, sunflower, or suet sources.
Many birds are timid feeders, grabbing a seed or fruit and leaving to eat the morsel in the protection of a shrub or brush pile. These eating and resting perches can be built each autumn or be more permanent by planting shrubs.
Some birds, such are black capped chickadees want a private place to eat and hide, according to Bob.
“Seed and fruit supplies are generally stable for the foreseeable future with some interesting solutions, too,” Bob says. “A shortage in white safflower was supplemented by golden safflower and birds have adapted to the change in many cases. Birds that depended on thistle seeds, including the America goldfinches, seem to have picked up on black oil sunflowers instead as a primary food.”
Older people who may have moved into apartments or condos and found feeding being frowned upon by owners have recommended no mess blends of feeds, which leave fewer shells. Sunflower heart instead of sunflower fruits is an example.
Folks who did their work at home during COVID seem to have stuck with feeding when they realized by looking out their windows while working at home that there are a variety of birds taking the bounty.
Even deer hunters, who recognized birds in their natural environment while in a stand, have decided to bring the woodpeckers in closer using suet.
Deer hunters have registered 34,822 deer, including 15,892 bucks. Parts of those totals came from archers (11,097 registrations) and crossbowers with 15,876 deer registered, of which 8,366 were bucks.
Mike Burns, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources field warden in Iowa County, said the funky weather seems to have influenced deer activity, as has an abundant red oak hard mast crop. “Iowa County stands out in the Southern Farmland having an antlerless Holiday Hunt ending Jan. 1, 2024 and NO extended archery season.
“Keep your high beams on,” recommends Doug Williams, at D W Sports Center in Portage County. “Notice the moon phases, too, now and during the gun deer season. The deer are moving in the fields and on the rural roads.”
And sometimes inside city stores!
Pheasant hunters have noticed the shorter vegetation when hunting wild pheasants and wonder whether thin cover provided less protection during recruitment for young birds in prairies.
Deer hunters are being advised about falling limbs and tree stand placement in dead ash trees. Mature trees can usually be identified by branching patterns, which mimic leaf placement in ash trees. Tree identification is best done during summer and fall, however leaf litter below a tree can help.
Evergreens, including pines, continue to lose older leaves. No, these trees are probably not dying but just dropping the older needles or in the case of ginkgo and tamaracks, losing all their leaves as other deciduous trees do.
Grab one last glimpse of autumn vegetation, now before the snow falls.
Contact Jerry Davis, a freelance writer, at sivadjam@mhtc.net or 608.924.1112.
