Surprise visitor to the feeders.

[SomethingsFishy24]

Was not expecting this big guy to be hanging off the suet, thought I would share as I got a few decent pics of the shy fella. Scared the crap out of me before I realized it was a Pileated wood pecker. Have seen them in deep woods before, not my back yard. Don't mind the lawn, it has been raining so it hadn't been mown yet.

Mourning dove in 2nd picture for size comparison.

 

[Rocky998]

Oh yah. We have them here to... They are HUGE!!

Pros: Got rid of all our carpenter bees

Cons: Destroyed our fence

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That’s a big boy!

My most common visitor to the suet cage are black cap chickadee’s.

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

Oh yah. We have them here to... They are HUGE!!

Pros: Got rid of all our carpenter bees

Cons: Destroyed our fence

Oy, not great. I have been bombed by a few carpenter's this year, we are watching our posts and it has cooled off a bit again so we putty the holes where they bore. I doubt this guy will dare linger on the posts because of the dogs, but we'll have to watch out for damage by that big beak.

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

That’s a big boy!

My most common visitor to the suet cage are black cap chickadee’s.
View attachment 158773

I love chickadees, we put the suet out for the sapsuckers and ladderbacks, did not think a pileated would come in. Also had Oreoles drop by, thats why there are now oranges on my hooks. I would never own a bird, I like to watch and feed them tho.

 

[Rocky998]

Yah... We are hoping to switch to metal posts so the carpenter bees don't come in and then the big wood peckers

Oy, not great. I have been bombed by a few carpenter's this year, we are watching our posts and it has cooled off a bit again so we putty the holes where they bore. I doubt this guy will dare linger on the posts because of the dogs, but we'll have to watch out for damage by that big beak.

 

[Back in the fold]

Is there anything to this story about bird flu and people should take down their feeders ?

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

Is there anything to this story about bird flu and people should take down their feeders ?

Illinois has put up a request to remove feeders. Songbirds and waterfowl are not as affected as raptors, and poultry has the highest rate of disease. This sucks, I might have to pull them until it blows over.

 

[Rocky998]

We just put our feeder up today actually...

 

[Colin_T]

Is there anything to this story about bird flu and people should take down their feeders ?

Is bird flu back?

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

Is bird flu back?

Apparently, and the first human case was reported in China in the last 24 hours. They are recommending to remove feeders until end of May. Songbirds are not high risk of transmission to other songbirds, but yard chickens.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I love chickadees, we put the suet out for the sapsuckers and ladderbacks, did not think a pileated would come in. Also had Oreoles drop by, thats why there are now oranges on my hooks. I would never own a bird, I like to watch and feed them tho.

I love orioles, wish they were native here.

 

[Colin_T]

aren't orioles those chocolate biscuits with cream in the middle, coz they were nice.

 

[Fishmanic]

I had a bird feeder but the sqirrels would empty it every night
I no longer have a bird feeder

 

[Rocky998]

We had a raccoon that would raid our feeders a year or two ago... We named her "Ms.Thing" and she would sit out there WITH us... We would eat breakfast and drink coffee and she would just have a handful of seeds and eat them... It was amazing watching how she got the food... I think I have a few pics but their on another device. We had to cover up the area she came through though... We let her come for a little hut we couldn't have her keep coming... She was adorable though! And we could get fairly close... I wouldn't walk up to her but we got about 6-10ft away at times...