Data Entry Contest: Mammals at the Feeder!

For the ninth 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, on the submission confirmation page, participants have the opportunity to share a story, memory, or tip by clicking the “Enter to Win” button. Two winners will be selected at random per prompt. Our third Data Entry Contest prompt of the 38th season was:

Along with birds, mammals can also be regular visitors at bird feeders. Tell us about a memorable mammal you may have seen at or around your feeders!

Congratulations to our winners, Joan Sutliff and Alida Bockino!

Joan shared:

One night, I flipped on the outside light to see if it was snowing (as forecasted) and I happened to catch a flying squirrel midflight! It glided from an oak tree in the front yard all the way around to the side of the house, towards the feeder, a little off on the landing. I have a feeling it will start emptying out my feeders. If you’ve never seen one, they are super cute with their big eyes.

The name “flying squirrel” is a misnomer – they use skin membranes to glide, rather than fly like a bird. Flying squirrels are typically nocturnal, meaning it would be very difficult to count them for FeederWatch (we don’t allow counting after dark), but nonetheless, they can be a much more exciting sight than the typical gray or red squirrel. If you have squirrel visitors that are less welcome, you may be able to prevent them from reaching bird food with baffles or squirrel-proof feeders. See more tips on deterring unwanted feeder visitors on our Feeding Birds page.

Alida shared:

I have had many mammals around my feeders – squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, dogs, cats, deer and even elk.  The largest was a magnificent Bull Elk. He settled in near the feeder pole and nibbled on sunflower seeds on the ground. He never messed with the tube feeders, never damaged anything, and after a while, the birds came back as he just watched them. He spent several hours resting there and eventually wandered off and ate some fruit on my neighbor’s trees.

Birds aren’t the only ones that appreciate what your yard provides! Resources in your habitat such as native plants and water sources can benefit the birds and other wildlife by providing food, shelter, and more. Find tips on how to landscape your yard and improve your habitat on our Gardening for Birds page.

Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their stories for this prompt – we wish we could share all of your submissions! Email feederwatch@cornell.edu with questions, and read the stories from past winners on our blog. Stay tuned for when we announce the next winners of our next data entry contest on March 11th, 2025.

Interested in becoming a FeederWatcher? Join the fun now!