Numerous gardeners are reporting massive swarms of honeybees attracted to their hummingbird feeders. The bees are so thick and aggressive that they are driving the poor hummers away.

A shortage of nectar-producing flowers due to this summer's drought is causing the bees to scramble to find any type of high-carb substitute, such as the syrup in hummingbird feeders. Not only is this a problem for the hummers, but it can also pose a hazard to people as well.

One solution to the problem is to outwit the honeybees. Try moving the feeder to the other side of the house.

Bees are not very smart and are programmed to go to the same spot where the nectar was last seen.

If the food disappears, they will assume the food source is gone and may never find it in its new location. The hummers will barely notice that it was moved (they circle my house repeatedly if the feeder runs dry).

If that doesn't work, take the feeder down for a day or until you stop seeing bees looking for it. You'll see hummers looking for it, too, but they won't give up nearly as soon as the insects.

Some hummingbird feeders are advertised as being "bee-proof." These are feeders that have either bee guards over the opening or are designed to place the syrup out of their reach. Hummingbirds have long tongues and can easily reach syrup that is far out of reach of the bees.

If the bees can't get to it, they'll eventually lose interest and move somewhere else where they can definitely get a meal. I've seen these types of feeders at some of our smaller local pet centers, especially those that cater to wild birds.

Bees are attracted to the color yellow. Since many hummingbird feeders have yellow plastic "flowers" or other parts, try removing such parts or painting them red before hanging your feeder in the spring. Make sure that the feeder doesn't leak.

Also be sure to rinse the feeder off thoroughly after filling it, to wash away any spilled sugar.

If all else fails, set up an extra feeder in an open, sunny area, preferably away from where you are hoping to attract the hummingbirds. If there is a hive in a nearby woods, they may stop at the closer feeder and not go all the way up to the house.

Do not apply any type of insecticide around the feeders. We have a serious shortage of honeybees, and we don't want to kill any, even if they are annoying. The insecticides may also harm the hummingbirds.

As a reminder: Do not put honey, red food coloring or artificial sweetener into hummingbird feeders. Do not worry about leaving your hummingbird feeder up too long; the birds are smart enough to know when to migrate, and they will not be tricked into staying around because you have a feeder up.

Some time ago I wrote about the encroaching barred owl into the endangered spotted owl territory, and that deadly force is being considered to protect the spotted against the more aggressive barred.

I asked readers: Should we kill one species to protect another? The responses were split in half, but there was one response that was most thoughtful.

Nancy Hanna wrote that she and her husband, Eric Slagle, favored killing barred owls to protect a viable population of spotted owls.

“We have a similar concern about great blue herons. At the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, I used to count 80 or more great blue heron nests. Bald eagles wiped them out, eating eggs and killing chicks. This wonderful roost is no more, and the great blue heron population is greatly reduced.�

In west Olympia, a small roost existed on a hillside overlooking Puget Sound. Eagles are preying on the eggs and chicks and reducing the heron population, Hanna said. “We would be in favor of killing bald eagles in order to keep a viable great blue heron population (although there would be) interesting political ramifications. What do you think?�

Notice how Hanna put the opinion opportunity back in my lap, probably because I hadn’t offered one in that column.

In the broadest sense, we already kill deer, waterfowl, pheasants, lambs and cattle for our consumption. We kill animals for trophies, destroy other life forms by our sheer existence, kill mice and rats, and want coyotes and raccoons killed even though it’s our bad habits that keep attracting them to urban areas.

We also thin herds of various species so the other animals can live better lives, and remove or kill sea lions to protect salmon, which we also kill.

It would be hypocritical of me to argue that we shouldn’t kill eagles because we shouldn’t kill one species to protect another. We kill millions of animals every year for our benefit, and our species is not endangered.

An argument can be made that it is simply a survival-of-the-fittest situation. But we have helped make a disproportionate target of great blue heron roosts because our homes have spread across the land, destroying habitat for countless roosts.

I believe that it forces heron into fewer roosts, making eagle attacks more harmful than they would have been had there been more roosts spread over a wider territory.

So yes, I would support killing eagles to protect the great blue heron roost but only after every thoughtful and creative method has been has been exhausted; and only destroying our national symbol that attack the roosts during their most vulnerable times.

I’m glad to hear someone speaking for the great blue herons, or spotted owls, or any other species threatened because humans have totally changed the balance of nature in so many cases.

Political ramifications? Letters to the editor? Protests against killing the eagles? Lawsuits? Ya betcha.

Perhaps we should have taken Ben Franklin’s advice and made a different choice for our national symbol. I can’t imagine a hue and cry over killing a turkey.

Dandelions: Although she didn’t leave her name (readers: please leave your name), one woman wanted to share a story.

“We were really broke ... but my grandchildren had two guinea pigs. Every day I’d take a huge bucket and pick dandelion leaves all over the neighborhood. Those guinea pigs loved the dandelions. They ate dandelions before the pellets.�

So she was able to buy less commercial food and save money, as well as provide a pair of guinea pigs a culinary delight.

"Mystery bird" is kinda godwit-ish... but what do I know?!

Glossy Ibis at Portmarnock? Just north of Dublin... autumn migration has begun... tho what these Mediterranean birds are doing here now, I do not know. (I do not know much...) Had not heard of their presence til Donna told me!

Der, I forgot to answer....it's a Spotted Redshank.

Look at all the bands on this guy! Who is he? Easy one, even though I didn't know!

These are in Ireland Bobbie!

another "who am I?"

[(Bobbie, I think NOT) but it's a catchy word!]

 Duffer, I like it!  

Duffer may refer to:

    * Duffer (Narnia), invisible dwarves in the Chronicles of Narnia.
    * In Australian English, a cattle rustler.
    * an oaf
    * Related to the above, the word has been used in Australia as a description for dags.
    * In Chess terminology, a weak player.
    * A brand of clothing.
    * In Golf terminology, a below average player.
    * Duffer,an Italian rock-punk band.

Definition of DUFFER
1
a : a peddler especially of cheap flashy articles b : something counterfeit or worthless
2
: an incompetent, ineffectual, or clumsy person; especially :

(Bobbie, I think NOT) but it's a catchy word!  


OK then I'm a LOUD Duffer also! 

Team Peregrine: MAK,Suzanne,Don and Lisa

Osprey nest at Montezuma NWR

Eagle nest in Montezuma NWR

Spider webs in trees at Montezuma
They were everywhere
With the dew on them and the sun hitting them just right
It was an amazing sight to say the least

Red tail hawk while looking for Kodak falcon ( PPE-purple pigeon eater)

Thought for today:

You can't have everything...........where would you put it?

Have you heard of Hoarders?  

I can't watch that show. 

Neither can my husband, (it makes him Ill), I watch it cuz I just can't believe it! Makes me clean mine better.

Thought for today:

You can't have everything...........where would you put it?

Have you heard of Hoarders? 

Hey Bobbie...Yes, we did all of our watching within the boundaries of the Montezuma complex.  It is huge, though, and includes DEC, US Fish and Wildlife, and Audubon lands.  If you Google Montezuma Wildlife Refuge there should be a map of the big area.  You could also Google the Savannah Audubon Center for info.  I will check later to see if I can find some good sites for you and forward the links.

As for the Sandhill Cranes...they hang around the area pretty late.  Two years ago in November we went to the Mucklands (these are the fields where they grow potatoes) and saw about 40 Sandhills in the snow covered fields.  We actually drove down into the fields and got up close looks at them!!  Awesome!!  They stay here fairly late foraging in the disked up fields.  We always seem to get better looks at these guys in Oct/Nov/Dec.  

The Montezuma area will be alive with all sorts of waterfowl in November!  Late fall is a fabulous time for birds here.  We also generally see a Peregrine or two in the refuge.  The song birds will be gone, but all those arctic birds generally come down.

MAK, you are right, we should organize a get-together at the Refuge and show Bobbie the hot spots!  Don and I go there to bird every weekend we are able so we know the area well.  It is wonderful because you can actually see all the Bald Eagle nests once the leaves are off the trees! 

Suzanne

You guys would be cool to hang out with! Good for you, birders at their best. 

No Bobbie I didn't fall out but I sure was excited! Lisa and I high fived and all 4 of us were grinning from ear to ear! We surely had luck on our sides. Maybe while you're here we could organize a get together with the watchers and meet you.

Yeah do it! 

Is it an albino or do they come in all white too?

The White Peacock is frequently mistaken for an albino, but it is a colour variety of Indian Blue Peacock. Its white colour makes it looks really magnificent and elegant.

Wow Annie, how cool is that? Yeah they are noisy but such beautiful birds. Lucky you. That reminds me, I'll have to go and see if the White peacock I saw a few years ago, is still around. He was cool too.

Thanks, Donna - and yes, all is ok. My Dad (92 at Thanksgiving, bless that wonderful man!) lives with a sister, and she is off on a well-deserved break - a cruise down the Danube with a Gal Pal - get her! So I said I'd come home and "mind the store". Me and my trusty Little Mac will go anywhere, any time... Plus I get to see the Gang at Thanksgiving! WOO-HOO!!

So, you'll be a round for a month? That's a long time. Nice to spend Thanksgiving with family, especially when your from across the Ocean. Yikes, long flight. 

I will be home at the end of October and do not know where I might go for a spot of The Good Stuff... suggestions appreciated. Thanks again!

Slainte!

(Well, really, Bobbie! I found yesterday's post... how easy was THAT? Still... would appreciate any feedback re the above...)

Wow, your coming home again Bobbie? Twice in a year? Way to go. I'm sure you'll see plenty where ever you decide to venture out to. (hope everything is OK).

Posted over at CMNH...so sad for mom.


"It's confirmed. There's a new, unbanded adult female falcon here at the Rachel Carson State Office Building. No info. about previous female.
about 5 hours ago via web from Penbrook, PA"

and

"A large, unbanded young falcon has been around the ledge last couple of days. May be female. Keep watching. www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon.

Harrisburg. No sign of Mom. Lil Dad and a new female were seen together (and photographed) by ground observers this afternoon at the nest box.

The 2010 NJ bald eagle nesting has ended and the young eagles have left their nest areas and are heading out on their own.  This season there was a high of 94 eagle pairs being monitored.  Eighty-two of these pairs were active (laid eggs), 8 were territorial and it was unknown if and where 4 other pairs were nesting.  Thirteen new pairs of eagles were located this season. Good news, the NJ bald eagle population is increasing.

Forty-three nests were successful in producing 69 young, for a productivity rate of .84 young per active nest.  This is slightly below  the required range of 0.9-1.1 young per nest for population maintenance.  Unfortunately there were 32 nests which failed to produce young this season.  Many of the failures can be attributed to the severe winter and spring weather which coincided with the eagle nesting season. But every population has fluctuations so this one off season won’t effect the NJ eagle population in the long term.

More details will be available in the Annual Bald Eagle Project report which will be out by the end of the year.