Blue Birds

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

Can someone tell me what the normal season for blue birds to be around.I know they were here when I left in Aug., now no sign. In fact I see very few birds around of any kind, could be because I have not been here to fill the feeders.

[eah415]

I live just east of Wichita, Kans. and I saw five Bluebirds yesterday. I normally see bluebirds year round.

[daveh]

Delma, The Bluebirds that hatch out around my house usually don't migrate much unless it really gets cold and run out of food. My last hatch which was the third nest in this box fledged middle of Aug. and the 4 siblings are still guarding their home from sparrows. I'm just south and east of KC maybe 30 miles.

dave

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

It is my guess the blue birds ran out of food around the area, so hot and dry. Alot of my shrubbery died. Supposed to get rain tonight, of course I hope it arrives without storms. I had learned to appreciate the blue birds, after such poor luck in getting nesting martins. I had martins in two houses and would occasionally see them in the third house.

[daveh]

Delma, as dry as it has been here too, this was a great season for bluebirds and tree swallows. I had plenty of bugs, still do. I had 2 BB boxes with 3 clutches. 1 BB box with 2 clutches, 3 boxes with tree swallows and another box with 1 cluth of BBs.

dave

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

Thanks for the update news your way. I am recovering with right knee replacement so I will have plenty time to keep an eye open in case they come flying into my area. I have been surprised to not have other birds around. Before I left, several came often. So did the pesky squirrels. I had to take most feeders down.

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

No blue birds, but had a cardinal to visit today and also some little birds that I have not identified yet, They look almost like the little snow birds. Of course some sparrows came to visit also. Will not be too fussy at this point, so unlike my location to not have birds around. Our season was so unusual, maybe they had to migrate to live.

[jr 2]

don't hardly see any goldfinch at my feeders ,i had feeders filleded all summer;i think some go north,seen 40 at a time at my feeders and on the ground under feeders last winter

[bacato]

Delma - not a lot of birds at my feeder right now, I think birds are still eating on dried seeds and in migrations right now. The little snow birds you are seeing are more than likely dark eyed juncos, I've been seeing them for a few weeks now. Also, you should have bluebirds year round too - although, with the heat and drought conditions we both had this year, there probably isn't enough insects for bluebirds to feed on. I notice my bluebirds will eat suet regularly in the winter.
Brett (south of Little Rock, AR)

[~Ray~Gingerich]

I think this guy was using the house as a perch, didn't seem to be after the bb's, appeared to be looking for something in the grass.

[Jeff Robinson]

I have Bluebirds year-round here, although they've been pretty slim the past few weeks, still feeding on natural habitat. I found the trick to keep em coming the past couple winters - had up to 24 Bluebirds hanging around, feeding in my Bluebird "Bell-Feeder" and drinking from my birdbath last winter. WBU has a lot of good products for the winter Blue-Birder. Give the following a try and you might get similar results...of course, it helps to be in a location that that naturally draws Bluebirds:
- Birdbath heater: Inexpensive and plugged into an extension cord all winter, you'll possibly have the only nearby open water source when the Midwest temps plummet for weeks at a time. I've had as many as 22 Bluebirds at a time ringed around my birdbath when the temps outside were frigid.
- Hang a Bell-Feeder away from your other songbird feeders, and try WBU's "Birdacious Bugberry Blend" and "Birdacious Bugberry Blend Nuggets" mixed in the feeder. They seem to avoid the raisons, but the Chickadees and other songbirds scarf up most of what the Bluebirds don't eat
- Make sure you keep your Bell Feeder Top lowered enough that Starlings can't get in. You'll see Bluebirds at first struggle to get up underneath the lowered top, but they'll eventually figure it out. Keep that feeder replenished with fresh food every 2 - 3 days and your birdbath heated, and you stand a good chance of drawing an all-winter Bluebird Festival.

[Jeff Robinson]

Delma,

I've had a couple Bluebirds coming to my Bell-Feeder. VERY much slower this December over last year, but I attribute that to the much warmer and less-snowy winter so far, at least here in SW Missouri. Has it picked up for you?


Jeff

[msalcido]

We've had bluebirds all year. Today especially they were out, so many I couldn't keep track of the number.

Very exciting!