I disagree with the advice to remove hummingbird feeders. It's bad advice, not carefully thought out.

To deprive Anna's Hummers of food at this point would be cruel, not to say fatal. We continue to maintain four feeders through the frigid weather.

Bob Sundstrom

Sent from my iPhone


> On Feb 12, 2021, at 10:45 PM, Carolyn Heberlein <coheberlein at gmail.com> wrote:

>

> 

> Hi Tweeters,

>

> I am just wondering what you all think about the story that I heard tonight on King 5 news about salmonella and taking down bird feeders and emptying bird baths. They said even hummingbird feeders should be taken down. Personally, I feel that my 2 pair of hummingbirds rely on the 5 feeders in my garden for winter sustenance. If I thought they could survive without the nectar then I would be happy to take them down.

>

> I've never seen any bird except Anna's at my hummingbird feeders. Maybe a Rufous sneaked in during the summer, but I missed it.

>

> A couple months ago, I saw Pine Siskins at my thistle seed feeder. When I heard that they had salmonella, I stopped filling it. I saw 2 sick siskins but no others.

>

> I still have my suet feeders up. Many bush tits visit them as well as bewicks wrens and townsend warblers - even the juncos!! And of course, sometimes northern flickers, stellar jays, and starlings.

>

> Also, in the wintery weather that we are getting this weekend, I empty my bird baths every night so that they don't freeze. Then I refill them in the morning.

>

> I would be willing to stop all of this for the health of the birds, except the hummingbird feeders. I feel like my lovely Anna's might die if I didn't provide them some sugar water.

>

> What say you all?

>

> Thank you, Carolyn

>

>

>

> --

> Carolyn Finder Heberlein / Nana, Fremont Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington

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