I'm devistated and a warning!

15 years ago

I can hardly type through these tears. I have a metal tube feeder that the Squirrels knock the top off. I could not find the top yesterday when I filled the feeder. I got distracted by a business call and forgot to go back out to look. This morning Mama Grosbeak is dead. Poor thing had rubbed her wings raw trying to escape the feeder. It must have hapened early this mornig because I did not hear any distress calls. I have had a Grosbeak cought in the feeder several times before wich is why I try to check the lid every day. Grosbeaks will dive head first into any tube feeder and get stuck so a word of caution. I will never forgive myself. Her baby should be fine as there are several other Grosbeaks out there but it is going to be lost for a while. SOB!

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Comments (10)

janie_may
15 years ago
OMG, that is so, so sad, Lisa.
terrene
15 years ago
Oh, how sad. Last year, I had left a 5 gallon bucket out behind the house, which naturally filled with water (a few inches) because last summer was so rainy. Hadn't really noticed it for a few days and then one day I looked in the bucket and a Carolina wren had drowned in the water. :( I was tortured by the thoughts of the poor little thing trying to get out and not being able to. I never leave buckets out anymore.

I try to be as responsible as I can so the birds that visit the yard can be safe, but guess it's impossible to be perfect.
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dzyg
15 years ago
So sorry about that Lisa! We mostly have platform feeders so never had a problem like that.

Donna
lisa11310
Original Author
15 years ago
I left Mom propped up on the ground in the branches near the feeder. My hope is that the baby/babies will find her and the Male or one of the other Females. The babies sound so fore lorn in the first place, It may be silly of me but I want the babies to see Mom is there but she just can't help them any more. These birds don't seem to be territorial so maybe one of the other Females with babies will let this/these babies tag along. They know where the feeders are and were just beginning to feed themselves, hadn't quite gotten the "hang" of hanging on the feeder yet. They know where the suit falls on the ground. They will not starve. I hope they have learned the survival lessons and that they are going to be cared for by the rest of the group during migration. I am beside myself with grief knowing how hard this bird struggled for it's life and that I could have prevented it. Tomorrow I will give her to the Turkey Vultures to feed their young.
lisa11310
Original Author
15 years ago
AMEN! I have been checking every time I hear babies out there and there is always an adult with them. Had I not found the dead bird I would not know one was missing. A couple babies have figured out the feeder today (hubby installed a latch). I am relieved that the babies are being cared for.
bbcathy
15 years ago
Oh Lisa my heart is breaking for you!!! We all have or will have something similar happen sometime. I know this doesn't make it any easier but I know you have helped them much more than you've ever hurt them. Glad to know baby is fine although I knew she would be. We know they get over these things much quicker than we do. Thank you for the warning. I have never heard of this and I know you have saved more birds because you told us this.
Cathy
woodlandgal
15 years ago
Lisa, I am so sorry to hear this! I know how badly you must feel. I found a young squirrel that had drowned in a tub of water I was collecting before I got a rainbarrel.
I had not thought of a bird getting caught in a tube feeder. Luckily mine have screw on tops. I used to use a globe feeder right in front of my kitchen window. Grosbeaks would pull off the cap and Goldfinches would get inside. I always saw them quick enough to get them out and now have quit using that feeder.
deanie1
15 years ago
Wow, Lisa, thank you so much for posting. I am sure you have saved many grosbeaks. I am sad for you but glad the babies appear to be surviving. Soemthing similar happened to me last month and it killed me.
vala55
15 years ago
I almost bought a feeder with a loose top yesterday and thought no, it wood just blow up and rain would get in. Now I have another reason to be glad. My tube feeders have very tight lids, it take two hands to pull them free.
Konrad___far_north
15 years ago
That's so sad, hope you're OK now...I'm sooo..sorry for you.
Hope you're not using this feeder anymore.

Konrad

I'm devistated and a warning!

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I'm devistated and a warning!

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