Data Entry Contest: Mammals at the Feeder!
For the tenth season in a row, Project FeederWatch and our sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited are rewarding registered FeederWatchers with the chance to win prizes. Celestron has joined the fun by offering one pair of binoculars to each data entry contest winner as well. After entering counts into the FeederWatch website, participants have the opportunity to share a story, memory, or tip by clicking the “Enter to Win” button on the Count Summary page. We randomly select two winners per prompt. Our second Data Entry contest prompt of the 39th season was:
Along with birds, mammals also regularly visit gardens and other green spaces. Tell us about a memorable mammal you have seen at your count site!
Congratulations to our winners, Margaret Martin and Leslie Morris!
Margaret shared,
When I first started watching and feeding birds, I didn’t like the fact that squirrels , especially the little red squirrels, were eating the seeds. But I have developed a love/hate relationship with the critters and sometimes they are cute to watch! I like when the squirrels drink from the heated bird bath. I like when the red squirrel curls up in the feeder cage to stay warm. And it was cute but super annoying when a raccoon emptied the whole feeder full of seeds while sitting on the deck- it dumped everything right down its throat. Of course, I moved the location of that feeder right after that.
Margaret’s entry encapsulates both ends of the spectrum of how FeederWatchers regard squirrels at their count site. Some FeederWatchers enjoy seeing squirrels at their feeders, and find their antics to be endlessly entertaining. Other FeederWatchers do everything in their power to prevent squirrels from taking food, and build elaborate systems to make sure the feeders are only accessible to our feathered friends. What kind of squirrel enthusiast are you? For our squirrel-averse FeederWatchers, check out our tips on deterring squirrels. Thank you for sharing your story, Margaret!
Leslie shared,
“The mysterious night visitor”
This fall I noticed that an underground wasp nest in a bare patch of dirt beside the house had been excavated, apparently by something with a good set of claws. I inspected the newly enlarged nest entrance and saw a few survivors crawling or buzzing in or out of what was once their secure home. A day or so later the hole was deeper and wider but this time I saw no survivors. Perhaps this was the work of either a bear or a raccoon. Either way I was grateful some critter had kindly saved me the trouble of dealing with the stinging menace hiding below ground.
A few days later near dusk, I could barely make out some creature near the edge of the front lawn a few yards from the bird feeders. Whatever it was kept low to the ground and was clumsily waddling and sniffing its way around. And then it seemed to be digging. Oh, of course! It must be after the tasty residents of the ant colony situated near the bird box. But what was it?
The fading light begrudgingly revealed a coat of black fur with white markings. This was no bear or raccoon — this was a skunk! So it seemed the stealthy night visitor had most likely been a skunk all along!
Previously the only skunks I had seen were dead ones along the road. So perhaps you can imagine how exciting it was to see a live, healthy, and hungry, skunk in person — but at a safe distance of course!
What a charming story of a skunk visiting your count site, Leslie! Although skunks often get a bad rap because of their pungent spray, they are incredible creatures and play an important role in our ecosystems. As told in Leslie’s story, skunks can actually be beneficial in gardens and around homes as they prey on insects, rodents, and other critters that eat plants and damage homes. Thank you for sharing your story, Leslie!
Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their stories for this prompt – we love reading your submissions! Read the stories from past winners on our blog. Email feederwatch@cornell.edu with questions.
Interested in becoming a FeederWatcher? Join the fun now!
2 comments on “Data Entry Contest: Mammals at the Feeder!”
We love our mammals! We joke about putting up a sign that says “Vermin Welcome”. But I will say like a mouse in the house, squirrels at the feeder become a bit of a love/hate relationship. We have mostly Eastern grey squirrels, but between squirrel proof feeders and “hot” mixtures our birds get plenty. But sometimes we do resort to window banging and body shaming, “you fat things”. Two mammal feeder stories: An empty cylinder feeder fell on the deck a few weeks ago, and one of Gang of Greys kept rolling it around the deck, hilarious! We do have at least one red squirrel, pretty cute, nom de plume, Red Granger. Red camps out under our big squirrel proof, black oil sunflower seed feeder, and keeps popping up from my boot print holes to grab any dropped seed….cuteness overload!
I have a squirrel baffle on my pole, but it is extremely fun to watch them try to leap from the nearest bush and totally miss. Even if they did happen to land on my primary feeder, it is a Squirrel Buster and shuts down if they make it that far. The mammals I have the hardest time deterring are the deer – my night raiders. I have even contacted Brome to see if they could develop a Deer Buster feeder. Those clever guys/gals have figured out how the tip the feeder just right so the seed just runs into their mouths. They usually wake me up in the middle of the night as the feeder bangs against the pole. I have had as many as 6 at a time. Of course, I could solve this problem by bringing in the feeder at night, but something about trudging through deep snow in the dark and bitter cold to do so has kept me from doing so. Quite frankly, I have resigned myself to the fact that the deer are scrounging for food right now as much as the birds. I can refill them in the morning for my feathered friends. But alas, I get to look forward to the deer eating my tulips down to the ground in the spring!