[GypsySoul22]

We stuck a homemade feeder out over our back balcony the other day. I remarked to my husband that I have not seen many birds up here since moving. In NY we had far more (or they were just visible). Our yard here in the Fall was filled with chickadees but since the late Fall I haven't seen anything except the odd woodpecker (big!) or crows.

How can I get birds to use my feeder and will I see anything else here in Eastern VT apart from crows this winter?

[tkln]

Not sure how it is in your part of VT, but we've been told no bird feeders as it attracts the bears.

Perhaps some of them fly south???

[flu189]

I guess it just varies from location to location. We have quite a variety of birds and my two feeders are always busy. We have a mix of fields, varied forest cover, and water sources. Also, we don't have pets like outside dogs which probably influences the amount of bird and other wildlife we have present. As far as feeders go it is true they lure bears, but in season. Come late November to March you should be safe from bears raiding the feeders. On occassion bears will leave a den during the winter, but almost always it's related to a more human source of food, namely garbage improperly stored. Another factor for birds here versus more urban and suburban locales is that they have a much greater habitat here for natural shelter and food sources. Yesterday I was out snowshoeing and saw two Cardinals a quarter mile back in the woods where I have never seen them at the house.

[GypsySoul22]

I live in the Upper Valley...BEARS??? No, say it isn't so...I don't think (hope) we get bears here. I would think it is too populated.

We just put out the feeder and I know it takes a bit to attract them. I just think it is strange the 'lack' of animals in a rural area like this. In my NY backyard we had rabbits, snakes, the odd box turtle, lots of various birds.

[tkln]

Yeah, I've got tons of them down here by me as well, but we do see lots of birds up by our condo, so it might just be your area?

[vter]

We have lots of birds at our place too. Put out some Suet as well. Birds up here like sunflower seeds....we get "Meaties" at the local farm supply store. They are a bit more expensive....but the birds love it.

[flu189]

The reference to bears and regions is interesting. Currently Northern NJ of all places (and not just Sussex Co, but the burbs to NYC) has a pretty good spike in bear population and by being there you have a much better chance of seeing one than here in Vt. A good friend of mine lives in Simsbury, Ct outside of Hartford and despite being on a busy road he has seen bears in his yard and also raiding the dumpsters at the nearby shopping plaza in the middle of the day. Bears adapt very quickly to population areas and the prime reason is our own fault as we leave trash, pet food, bird seed, etc out there for them. Check out some pictures and videos of bears and you will some amazing acrobatic feats such as shimming along cables to get at feeders. An interesting two I saw this year were of a bear falling out of a tree onto a trampoline and of another one where a bear was checking out a hammock. Seeing a bear in the wild is great, but a short experience since they move very fast and don't want anything to do with you. This fall we had one at the end of my driveway and I wonder if it is denning somewhere on my land as we have some good potential sites.

[tkln]

I know this past winter, with all the extra snow in VT, Stowe had a lot of bears that were emerging from hibernation very hungry...I believe it was because there was still a lot of snow on the ground, so there were quite a few people finding them on their back porches, in the bird feeders or rummaging through the garbage...

[MRVphotog]

This past summer we have had more bear activity then I can ever remember. My neighbor looked out on her porch one evening and a bear was looking at her thru her screen door....

We put the feeders back up a few weeks ago and the usual traffic is happening. It helps to have some trees near the feeders as the birds like to roost on them as they take turns hitting the feeders.

My fav are the cardinals as they look so bright with the background of whiteness. Maybe the ones Flu saw will fly over the mountain and visit us

[Sherylcatmom]

The annual Rutland County Christmas Bird Count, the 34th, is set for Dec. 29. At the national level, this will mark the 108th count.
Christmas Bird Count on tap

Veteran conservation scientists form new wildlife study center
Veteran conservation scientists form new wildlife study center: Times Argus Online