We have loads of chickadees, we love them. Right now there are lots of nuthatches, bluejays and woodpeckers. I do put food out all winter, though mostly for the tiny red squirrels and the occassional sleepy chipmunk looking for a snack. I come from the land of huge gray squirrels, but even my mom likes these. And they only have so much territory. The bluejays can go to the next yard. I do wish a cardinal or two would visit. I'm working on getting the place covered w/critter friendly plants.

I haven’t had this experience (yet) because I haven’t embarked on my new gardening lifestyle. But, next spring will be a new day. I wonder if this damage occurs mostly in the spring, or if it is related to the birds raising young. Baby birds cannot eat seeds, and parents need to find insects or worms to feed their growing family. If insects are in short supply, maybe they resort to leaves. Are those of you who have had damage located in cities or suburbs, where there might be a limited supply of wild plants or insects? Maybe try planting a bed of sprouts for the birds and covering the real garden. They might also need the moisture from the leaves, if there isn’t a nearby source of water. Install a bird bath? Just my ponderings.

Wow she really is huge! I have been keeping my feeders full since our temps are horrific (PA). I feel so bad for the birds and bunnies. I don't know how they survive these temps. The little wrens take cover on my covered porch and stay under my covered patio table. The bunnies visit my feeder area at note and enjoy what's on the ground. I don't have a heated BB but hope to get one next year when I get my small side yard landscaped.

My gold finches mobbed the feeder 2 weeks ago and then all the snow melteda nd the small birds disappeared. I did note that a neighbor of mine who rarely fed birds put out feed during the Thanksgiving holiday and had several birds. Three days ago, all my birds disappeared which gave me concern for fear that something drastic happened to them. This afternoon, the weather was changing to colder and the small birds began to come back. About the sparrow: Approximately 10 years ago, a virus swept through the English sparrow population and nearly wiped them out in a region from the Mississippi River eastward and they have not recovered. They were the most populous bunch and a nuisance, but no more, Since that time, I have seen only one English Sparrow. Sometimes, when my birds suddenly leave during a popular feeding time, I have spied a hawk sitting high in a tree surveying the scene - this pretty much explains that absence. I do get concerned when my birds disappear for a day or more thinking they might have gotten into some bad feed or rat poison. I am convinced that something has happened in the environment because my bird visitors have fallen to half of what it was a week ago. Fifteen years ago, I did could spy on occasion gross beaks; Also red polls would frequent our feeder during the depth of cold waves. Gross beaks are grazers. They do not hang around one location. In winter, they flock together and will stop for a few minutes to do easy pickings and then move on. They rarely come back to the same place on the same day. Both gross beaks and red polls have disappeared. I have seen none for the past 5 years.