V18 N37

Bird Droppings
Dispatches from the nation’s birdwatching capital… by Seymore Thanu
You can learn a great deal about
birds by watching your feeders —
and enjoy hours of entertainment.
Different species have different
feeding techniques. House Finches
find an auspicious perch, cling and chow
down. Titmice practice a grab-and-go style
— grab a sunflower seed, fly off to a secluded
perch. Blackbirds like crowds, the more the
merrier. Blue Jays want the feeder all to themselves.
Upon arrival, they scream out a bogus
warning call that scatters the competition,
then gobble down seeds as fast as they can
before a jay higher up on the social ladder
displaces them. Woodpeckers are late risers.
Squirrels? They are guts wrapped in fur.
The furry-tailed tree rat can break a modest
seed budget through pure esophageal zeal.
Our trick is to have one sunflower feeder away
from others that squirrels can adopt as their
own. Or scatter decorative corn cob halves
beneath feeders. They grab a half and cart it
away before another squirrel can claim it.
There are a few finicky feeders who favor
food items that many backyard bird enthusiasts
forget to offer. Mockingbirds and robins
like raisins and fruit, Suet cakes are favored by
woodpeckers, nuthatches and Carolina Wren.
Don’t forget water — refill bird baths
when dry or frozen. Many birds bathe in cold
weather. The American Robin is a compulsive
bather and common winter resident. If you
have holly berries, you have robins. Feral
cats can be a challenge. Place feeders up four
feet and clear concealing cover from below.
Northern songbirds do not typically deal with
feline predators so have no innate defense.
Bird catching hawks are a part of the
package. Concentrate on small birds — attract
hawks that feed on them. You are not causing
the birds to be killed, only killed where you
will witness it. Your neighborhood Sharpshinned
Hawk is going to feed twice a day one
way or another. Try to keep feeders away from
glass windows and doors. Fleeing birds and
in-coming hawks strike glass with enough
force to cause death 50 percent of the time.
Screens help soften the impact, but window
decals of hawk silhouettes are not as effective.
Find other bird feeding tips from the
experts at Cape May Bird Observatory or go
to 701 East Lake Drive and watch the birds at
their feeders. It’s cheaper than buying your
own seed and staff can help with identification.
Test drive the latest in binoculars while
there. The holidays are coming and Cape
May Bird Observatory has a fine selection of
feeders for sale.
THE LOCALS
CAPE MAY’S PREMIERE TALK RADIO SHOW
Hosts John Cooke, Michael Clarke, Joe McLaughlin, Brady Schoenrock, Wendy Collins
and Ed McDonough cover all you need to know about Cape May and the area.
Now available as a podcast on Facebook, the Soundcloud app, iTunes and at harpoonsonthebay.com.
UNDERWRITTEN BY Cape Assist l Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, Cape May & N. Cape May l Exit Zero Filling Station l Coldwell Banker Sol Needles l Mad Batter l Harpoons on the Bay
SOUND & EDITING BY TOM HOGAN / INTERESTED IN HOSTING A LOCALS SHOW? WRITE TO EJMMATT16@GMAIL.COM
December 10, 2020 EXIT ZERO Page 47