Pull in bird feeders - sickness spreading among Western Washington birds

[happygrrrl]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

I've had maybe two run ins with the fly happygrrrl is talking about, idk what they are. Reminded me of a horsefly too with it's large size and loud buzz but it didn't bite. The one that was inside, waited until I went to bed and turned off the lights then repeatedly dive bombed me and tried to land on - or go into my ear. When I turned the lights on and tried to kill it, it hid and then came out and resumed it's assault when I turned the lights off and went back to bed. I ended up turning the light on and leaving the bathroom lights off and it flew in there, then I closed the door so it was trapped in there and killed it with one of those electric fly zapper tennis racket things.

Yep, same kind of fly. Ugh.

[MechAndy]

Where we are at in WA we don’t get very many insects but I have to keep the screen doors closed when the flies are in bloom.
They are not always here but when they are you know it.
I too have slapped the crap out of them only to see them get up again.
I have always called them horse flies.

At our California home (semi rural area with cattle 100 yards away and a creek on our land ) every now and then we get nailed with flies.
I think it is because of dead varmints and or regular animals that die near water.
Sure would be nice if we could nice if we could eradicate them with out hurting the environment.

We also get nailed with ants in CA sometimes during the droughts.
Hate them too.

In WA we get a weird ant problem.
They are just single ones that walk around like they are stoned.
They don’t seem to walk a straight line.
It’s like they are hunting.
Might see 15-20 in our large kitchen at times.
In Ca they march in lines of them like they are looking for water but I don’t really know.

We free range our chickens sometimes in California to do pest control.
I will be doing that up north when I am fully retired.

[Diana Holbrook]

I've been seeing some mixed messages about whether feeders should be held in still.... But I've been feeding mine here for a few days and have not yet seen any sick birds this time.







On the fly comment. Not sure what you all might be seeing. Maybe bot flies? Are you near farms?

[Diana Holbrook]

FWIW, since putting my bird feeders out, I have still seen only healthy birds, and I'm not seeing any of the Pine Siskens who were said to be the major carriers of this *outbreak*. At least locally right here.... I think they have either died or have gone back north. Our feeders are busy with Junco and jays and other little birds, all looking healthy and hungry this morning.

With all the snow and cold, my hummer was sure appreciative of some warm sugar water this morning!