OP
sixdogs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2007
- Messages
- 13,177
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M7040, Kubota MX5100, Deere 790 TLB, Farmall Super C
We live on flat farm ground of the midwest. Before we got here there was nothing but corn and soybeans everywhere so we cut out a few acre home site and I planted maybe 500-600 tress. Most were shelter belts--spruce- along the perimeter but lots of cedars and the evergreen types. Some maples and oaks. As the season ends and into winter I have seen many old nests blown down so I know they had been around in the past. Too soon to tell this year.How are you doing for nesting sites? I have plenty of hummers because I have a lot of snags along a creek where woodpeckers excavate nesting sites. By familiarity and preference, birds will return to a location where they had a successful nesting the year before, or where they were born. My numbers built up over a few years. They fluctuate depending on winter kill, but by the end of summer I always have a nice population. Last year they went through a couple quarts a day, but we were in a terrible drought and the nearest water was three miles away. I kept a wading pool full for wildlife, and the hummers made use of it. Nectar is not all they drink. This year there is more natural food and the creek is still running, so nectar consumption is less than half.
The last two years were banner years ( see my earlier posts) with many hundreds of birds at our six or so feeders. There years has been a severe drop-off consistent with what others in parts of the midwest have reported. Out here there is either higher cyclical mortality or maybe bird flu.
We are resilient and faithful to the birds so we put up feeder, clean and refill every few days and will wait out the turn of events. There's always next year.