Subject: [Tweeters] King 5 News Tonight - Take down Hummingbird Feeders
Date: Sat Feb 13 09:53:15 PST 2021
From: THOMAS BENEDICT - benedict.t at comcast.net

I put a baking tray out with a couple handfuls of seeds. The juncos, towhees and sparrows love it. I also put out a tray of water. It may only last a couple hours before freezing though.

Tom Benedict
Seahurst, WA


> On 02/13/2021 8:59 AM Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net> wrote:

>

>

> I would add that all the people who took in their feeders should try to scatter a lot of seeds out on the ground in sheltered places. This deep snow is really stressful for ground-feeding birds, and they could use our help.

>

> Dennis Paulson

> Seattle

>

>

> > > On Feb 13, 2021, at 8:42 AM, Lonnie Somer < mombiwheeler at gmail.com mailto:mombiwheeler at gmail.com > wrote:

> > Hi Carolyn,

> >

> > I agree. I believe that the Anna's would not survive now without these food sources. When I put out my hummingbird feeder this morning (I took it in last night so that the nectar wouldn't freeze) a little before sunrise, I had 2 hummingbirds there within 5 minutes. They've been coming back every few minutes. Normally, there is an adolescent male fiercely guarding it (his name is Nigel; I believe that he's a reincarnated English soccer hooligan). He displayed absolutely no aggression this morning.

> >

> > Lonnie Somer

> > Seattle

> >

> > On Fri, Feb 12, 2021 at 10:42 PM Carolyn Heberlein < coheberlein at gmail.com mailto: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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