Tough winter for birds

[Too Many Projects]

We've had record snowfall this season and it's still 2 ft deep in most places. We have a lot of turkeys around and a couple weeks ago, these 4 wandered out of the woods across the street and into our front yard. We have a flowering crab tree 20 ft from the house and they have been here before looking for berries that had dropped. This time one got adventurous and flew up and was gobbling the berries right off the tree. The other three looked on with interest, but none flew up to join.


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2 days ago, they came back, after another 4" of snow fell. The one flew up right away and another followed shortly after.


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Eventually a third got brave and flew up too, but one was very hesitant go try it. She kept walking around it for a few minutes more.

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We called her the "Barb" bird,as my wife is quite hesitant to try new things too...:grin: FINALLY, she couldn't stand to watch the others gobbling berries and took the leap...:cool2:

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[tom406]

I’ve been wondering how many wild animals are going to die of starvation and exposure with some of these almost unprecedented snow dumps and extended severe cold snaps. A tough situation for sure.

[Billohio]

Wow thanks for sharing. They must be hungry

[Lynn]

You do what you gotta do. Right? That's how the strong survive.

[Crush]

You do what you gotta do. Right? That's how the strong survive.

The cycle of life!

[3X24SPD]

I have the same scene outside my office window most every day.
Similar trees too- they fly up and eat the berries.
My office windows are mirrored- they walk right up inches from my face.
Definitely not undernourished

[dykstra]

How can something so ugly taste so good?:dunno:

[Too Many Projects]

How can something so ugly taste so good?:dunno:
We are eating the ones genetically modified and raised in huge farms just for that. The wild ones do taste a bit more gamey, but are still quite good.
Another month or so and those 4 Tom's will be fighting each other over the hens.

Our hens will come around with 12 chicks each in June. They are very cute to watch follow their mothers around, but it's sad to watch their numbers diminish over the next few months as they become food for Coyotes and other predators.
We have 5 bird feeders in the back yard and are supporting about 100 birds, including finches, chickadees, junco's, all 4 common woodpeckers, 3 pair of cardinals and any others passing thru on their migration north about this time of year. We keep a heated water bowl for them on the porch railing all winter and it is always busy too.
Come May, we will put out 5 more for the hummingbirds, Baltimore Oriels and Bluebirds who come back.

[CamaroNOS]

You have a BIG birdie heart, they must really like your destination.

Paul

[Bill Pritchard]

Sounds like all the birds count as another of your "Too Many Projects" :haha:

[Vern B]

Some chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation have corn to feed turkeys over the
Winter. If there’s a local chapter might want to see if they participate in the program. There’s no cost for the corn.

[Too Many Projects]

Sounds like all the birds count as another of your "Too Many Projects" :haha:
There's no shortage of things for me to do...:grin:


As for the free corn, the turkeys would have to fight the deer for it. The does and their yearlings are herded up in groups of ten, pawing the ground for food. They have the limbs on all our Junipers trimmed up 6ft of the ground now. Be easier to mow under them...:cool2: