Dear Birdsquatch: I want to put up some wood duck boxes in my large, wooded backyard. However the nearest body of water (a wooded pond in a county park) is more than a half-mile away from my property. Am I being foolish? Do I need to ask permission to put the boxes on the park property where the pond is?
—Dawn, Who is Desirous of Ducks
Lawton, Oklahoma
I want to give the birds some natural nesting material this spring. Can I put out the long gray hairs that were just cut from my head? I decided it was time to lose the mullet. I’m looking for enlightenment here. You’re so hairy I figured you’d know.
—Dandy Dan
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hulled sunflower seed (which means "without hulls") is often sold as sunflower chips, sunflower hearts, or no-mess sunflower seeds. It is very convenient, and attracts a wide variety of species to your feeder, but it is pricey compared with black-oil sunflower seeds in the shell. Or is it?
If you look at the contents of a birdseed mix, you might find sunflower seeds, cracked corn, or peanuts. Those are pretty well understood commodities. But you might also find millet or milo. What are they, and who eats them?
Redpolls spend the summer nesting in the forests of Alaska and northern Canada. As winter rolls around, you may spot redpolls visiting your feeders, especially if you live in the states along the Canadian border. About every two years, these foraging finches will irrupt farther south, extending their territory toward Interstate 40.
Stuck inside on a snowy day? Looking for an excuse to get some fresh air? Do it for the birds! If the snow on the ground is wet and heavy, bundle up, tug on your boots, grab a bag of birdseed, and head outside. Because this is an all-ages activity, enlist any young birders you might have in your home to join you.
Do you have a problem with forgetting where you placed your reading glasses, cell phone, or car keys? Chickadees can't afford that kind of memory lapse. Forgetting where they've stored their seeds can be a matter of life and death. Fortunately, these little birds' brains have adapted to ensure that they won't face a bout of lethal forgetfulness.
Dear Birdsquatch: Do you have any ideas on how to keep Nyjer/thistle seed dry when it rains or snows? Thanks.
—Martin S., Yorktown Heights, New York
