March 12, 2024

| Raccoon by Linda Jones |

For the eighth season in a row, Undertaking FeederWatch and our sponsor Wild Birds Limitless are rewarding registered FeederWatchers with the prospect to win prizes. Celestron has joined the enjoyable by providing one pair of binoculars to every knowledge entry contest winner as properly. After getting into counts into the FeederWatch web site, on the submission affirmation web page, contributors have the chance to share a narrative, reminiscence, or tip by clicking the “Enter to Win” button. We randomly choose two winners per immediate. Our fourth Information Entry Contest immediate this season was:

Together with birds, mammals can be common guests at chicken feeders. Inform us a few memorable mammal you will have seen at or round your feeders!

Congratulations to our winners, Kayla Niner and Michelle H.!

Kayla shared:

Essentially the most memorable mammal at my feeders was a raccoon! It got here by one morning simply as I used to be having breakfast, checked out the bottom underneath the peanut feeder, after which headed off for a drink from the pond (which is stored open with a bubbler for all of the neighborhood wildlife). I like seeing the curious and innovated raccoons cease by, even when they’ve walked off with my suet feeder earlier than!

Birds aren’t the one animals that respect the pure assets your yard supplies. Water sources similar to a pond or chicken tub can entice mammals who could also be on the lookout for a drink. In colder climates, a bubbler for a pond or a heater for a chicken tub can stop ice from forming on the water’s floor. If you happen to determine to implement a chicken tub, contemplate putting it close to shrubs, timber, or a brush pile to supply added safety from predators. Discover extra recommendations on the best way to panorama your yard and enhance your habitat on our Gardening for Birds web page.

Michelle shared:

I like watching the antics of squirrels and chipmunks on the feeders, however what takes the cake was seeing a flying squirrel in my tray feeder lately! It was such a delight to look at the little man chow down on the seed cake within the tray. It was one mammal that I knew I had in my yard, however I’d by no means seen it, since they’re so secretive. It’s the one type of squirrel I’d kindly welcome again to my feeders any time!

Opinions on squirrels fluctuate extensively with our FeederWatchers; some love squirrels, however others discover them a nuisance species. It may be humorous to look at a persistent squirrel finagle its option to your chicken meals, however could also be discouraging to see them eat volumes of seed. One option to deter pesky squirrels is to distract them by feeding peanuts or dried ears of corn in a location a long way out of your feeders. Others could also be prevented from reaching meals with baffles or squirrel-proof feeders. See extra recommendations on deterring undesirable feeder guests on our Feeding Birds web page.

Because of everybody who participated and shared their tales for this immediate – we want we may share your whole submissions! Learn the tales from previous winners on our weblog. E mail feederwatch@cornell.edu with questions. Keep tuned for after we announce our remaining knowledge entry contest winners of the season on April ninth, 2024.

Fascinated with changing into a FeederWatcher? Be a part of the enjoyable now!

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