A blue jay perches on a log and grabs a peanut in New England, October.
There’s a viburnum bush outside my window at work that is bursting with red berries. I watch it carefully this time of year, as I’ve seen robins, cardinals, hermit thrushes and blue-headed vireos chowing down the berries in previous years.
Also in years past, as winter approaches and a few of the berries remain, I’ve seen white-throated sparrows enjoying the fruits.
This viburnum is just one of many examples of why birds are sometimes scarce at birdfeeders in the fall. One day, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays and mourning doves are visiting the feeders frequently, and, seemingly, the next day there is very little activity at the feeder.
Just as our gardens flourish and provide a bountiful harvest in late summer and fall, so does the rest of nature in New England. Berries ripen, flowers and grasses go to seed and insects remain numerous. Birds don’t need feeders in the fall as much as they do in other seasons.
Sure, some feeders will remain active, but others will experience a slowing down period. Once nature’s fall bounty is consumed or dies off in the cold, the birds will be back to the feeders. Birds will, however, still get a fair amount of their diet from natural sources, but the feeders provide a welcomed supplement to the fruits, seeds and insects that remain.
Birds that migrate are a mixed blessing for those who feed birds. They provide much-needed excitement in the spring when they return from their wintering grounds. It’s always a thrill when the first rose-breasted grosbeak, Baltimore oriole, gray catbird or ruby-throated hummingbird shows up at a feeder in April or May. But these same migrating birds also contribute to the fall slowdown, as they make their way out of the region once again.
It is fun, however, when a southward migrating bird makes a surprise stop at your feeder. The other day, a yellow-rumped warbler stopped by for a bite at my suet cake cage. I also recently saw a blue-headed vireo in a bush next to my feeding station. It was likely looking for berries, but I don’t think the fruits were quite ready. It’s also nice when kinglets flit among my flower garden looking for coneflower, black-eyed Susan or daisy seeds. Usually, I get ruby-crowned kinglets, but the occasional golden-crowned kinglet will show up as well.
“Where are all my feeder birds?” is a common question this time of year. It is most likely because they are finding food elsewhere. The trick is to be patient and continue to maintain the feeders through this slow period. Keep the feeders filled and clean so they are ready when the birds need them in late fall and winter. Birds will occasionally stop by during the fall to grab a seed or two. If they visit and there’s no food for them, there’s a chance they’ll seek out another feeding station and not return in the winter. That would make for a long winter – not for the birds, but for the person looking for the birds.
Feeding birds in the fall will not prevent them from migrating. Those that need to migrate will migrate; those that don’t won’t.
If you’re experiencing a slow time at your feeders, hang in there. The action will pick up again soon enough.
