Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!ames!apple!chuq
From: chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: EXPERIMENT IN BIRD BEHAVIOR
Keywords: aliens at the feeder
Message-ID: <33608@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 31 Jul 89 22:23:35 GMT
References: <9120@chinet.chi.il.us>
Distribution: na
Organization: Life is just a Fantasy novel played for keeps
Lines: 47

>I have come to the conclusion over many years of feeding and  
>studying birds, in an urban environment, that indiscriminate  
>bird feeding is counter-productive. 

Hmm. I'm not sure I agree. My backyard is filled with finches, doves (a
small flock was nested in a tree behind the house when we moved in) and
various other species. I don't know why this is counter-productive, since my
purpose is to create an environment that I enjoy -- and the sounds of birds
happens to be quite enjoyable. I get my share of other species (a family of
Robins moved in a while back). 

>but making food  
>available for cardinals, blue jays and other desired species  
>has always been a problem here.  They are only occasional  
>visitors and as luck usually has it, the feeder was cleaned  
>out by the sparrows or squirrels and they go away with ill  
>feelings toward the habitat. 

You consider all those other birds problems and bluejays aren't? Lucky you.
My *biggest* problem are the Jays. They're *very* happy to walk up and take
as much as they can, burying in all over the neighborhood. I don't want to
hassle them their share, but they're the ones that are trying to convince
everything else in the neighborhood to leave...

It's gotten so bad that I *can't* leave food out for the squirrels. The
bluejays run them off and go bury it. I've got peanut plants growing in most
of my flower pots now. (Anyone have a good idea of how to build a feeder for
squirrels that will keep the bluejays out???? Talk about turning a problem
around).

If I were to consider *any* species undesirable, it's the blue jay. A dozen
finches on the feeder is cute, especially watching them scatter as the dove
lumbeers in for a landing. A blue jay screaming at the top of his lungs at
anything in a half-block radius gets tired....

>And would you be surprised to find out that all the  
>squirrels in my neighborhood seem to have a hearing problem? 

Squirrels are not stupid.... They *still* haven't gotten to my feeder (it
was put up to try to keep them away) but they're getting closer. 



Chuq Von Rospach      =|=     Editor,OtherRealms     =|=     Member SFWA/ASFA
         chuq@apple.com   =|=  CI$: 73317,635  =|=  AppleLink: CHUQ
      [This is myself speaking. No company can control my thoughts.]