Love that wild turkey - he's a real beauty! Is it my imagination or are they everywhere these days (in the Montreal area anyway)? Ever since covid lockdown when they were seen strutting down the middle of the road...they seem to have become braver!?
20+ years ago they were hardly seen at all north of the US border - then they settled into the townships and a decade ago Hudson area and now we have at least three groups in Baie-D'Urfé with more in the Arboretum and around. Climate change and a pretty robust nature.
Your (and RSPB's) points re when to feed and when not to are fine for non-desert areas. During a typical summer in the US desert southwest, summer, especially in drought years, can be 'food desert' time for birds and other wildlife. Here the better choice is to remove fats (they melt in the 90+ degree heat) and focus on seeds, nuts, jelly for orioles and sugar water for hummingbirds as flowers/nectar are limited. The sugar water and jelly need to be changed/cleaned daily or at least every other day to avoid spoilage.
Thanks - I have only ever visited (with delight) deserts and to be honest had not given them thought in this regard. Of course, there will be multiple best systems for different places ... my main point really was the knee jerk "take all feeders down now" advice that have seen multiple versions of since the RSPB came out with their advice.
Love that wild turkey - he's a real beauty! Is it my imagination or are they everywhere these days (in the Montreal area anyway)? Ever since covid lockdown when they were seen strutting down the middle of the road...they seem to have become braver!?
20+ years ago they were hardly seen at all north of the US border - then they settled into the townships and a decade ago Hudson area and now we have at least three groups in Baie-D'Urfé with more in the Arboretum and around. Climate change and a pretty robust nature.
Your (and RSPB's) points re when to feed and when not to are fine for non-desert areas. During a typical summer in the US desert southwest, summer, especially in drought years, can be 'food desert' time for birds and other wildlife. Here the better choice is to remove fats (they melt in the 90+ degree heat) and focus on seeds, nuts, jelly for orioles and sugar water for hummingbirds as flowers/nectar are limited. The sugar water and jelly need to be changed/cleaned daily or at least every other day to avoid spoilage.
Thanks - I have only ever visited (with delight) deserts and to be honest had not given them thought in this regard. Of course, there will be multiple best systems for different places ... my main point really was the knee jerk "take all feeders down now" advice that have seen multiple versions of since the RSPB came out with their advice.
agree completely! Blanket advice is rarely great.