GoldFinches

I think I saw a GoldFinch today, he was just starting to turn yellow.

My Suet Build

My Suet making attempt, recorded here for my reference.

• 2 cups of Crisco
• 1 cup of Peanut butter
• 2 cups of Sunflower Chips
• 1/2 cup of chopped Peanuts
• 1 cup of Cornmeal
• 1/4 cup of Honey
• 1/4 cup of Sugar

Heat to mix, cool to make blocks, by pouring into empty previous purchased Suet cakes plastic containers.

The previous batch was "double blind taste tested" by Tess and myself (we did not peek) and found to be OK, but a little gritty, But then, I found the 3-out-of-4 birds preferred my mix, when compared to store bought at the same feeder.

Note: I do not have easy access to real beef Suet, which may work better than Crisco in the summer time.

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Mason Bee Harvest

2019 Mason Bee Cocoon Harvest

Saturday Jenny, Jan and myself harvested our Mason Bee Cocoons.

Early last spring, we put out 250 Cocoons, we collected 1210 Cocoons this harvest, that is a production ratio of about 1:5 for the year (a bad year, was wanting a 1:10). The year before, I put out 25 Cocoons, and harvest the 250 (1:10) which were used this spring.

Photos shows: Cleaning, Sorting, Counting, and then Refrigerator Storage for next Spring. Males in one tub, females in the other (note: separation is not necessary). The white device in the last photo (lower right) is the Online Temperature and Humidity Monitors.

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Harvesting from Hutches

Sorting

Cleaning

Batch Groups

Sturing In the Wood Shavings

Males and Females
Ready for the Frig

Last year: 250T / 25 = 10/1 yield

Nov 2 2019:
J&J => 200M 350F = 540T
Jenny => 47M 37F = 84T
Eldon => 460M 206F = 666
This year: 1210T / 250 = 5/1 yield

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First Light Freeze of the Year

The first Light Freeze of the Year was Oct 10, 2019, which would have been my Dad's 98 Birthday.

During the previous week, several Flocks of Finches have visited my Feeding Station. There must have been at least 100 with in the flocks, I think mostly Goldfinches, with some Red Finches mixed in. Most, if not all, of them were Goldfinches, but most of the Gold was gone, they looked mostly Brown.  Unfortunately, I did not get any good photos.

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Goldfinches and Pileated Woodpecker

For the last few weeks more and more Goldfinches have gathered at my Feeding Station, about 30 have been counted. But the last few days I have not seen any.  I think they may have been gathering to fly South for the winter.

I have seen and heard Pileated Woodpeckers in the area but until a few days ago, they had not came to my Feeding Station.  But now, a Male comes by at least once a day.

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Squirrel at Bird Feeder

Today I saw the first Squirrel at the Bird Feeder.  I am not sure this is a good thing, maybe I will have to think about Squirrel defense.

First Squirrel

The Barn Swallow Family

I did not see any faces sticking out of the nest, I checked the nest. Yep, the Barn Swallow Family have left the nest.

Maybe next year we will see some of the back.

See: 

https://www.facebook.com/eldonb46/posts/10216958934757472

https://www.facebook.com/eldonb46/posts/10217238152697746

https://www.facebook.com/eldonb46/posts/10217351913141686

https://www.facebook.com/eldonb46/posts/10217449091131075

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