Cardinals and people have something in common.

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
My wife and I (well, mainly her) have a bird feeder in the back yard, which we keep seeds in for much of the winter and spring. Generally, we have an assortment of bird varieties including an occasional cardinal pair. But when it snows, we have as many as six or seven pairs of cardinals, which I can understand when there is snow on the ground. But today, it's snowing, but there's no accumulation and yet the cardinals are thronging the feeder. I guess it's similar to humans who run to the store for milk and bread whenever snow is in the forecast; the cardinals decide to go get sunflower seeds.
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
I guess it's similar to humans who run to the store for milk and bread whenever snow is in the forecast; the cardinals decide to go get sunflower seeds.
I only know "Southerners" to do that..
I laughed my arse off the first year I moved down here and noticed that happening at the grocery store.. Silly..

We needed to rent a UHaul to move into our house here in NC and it started snowing that day (not even a dusting on the ground)..
I walked into the UHaul store and was greeted with a "Sir we aren't renting UHauls today"..
I responded with "I'm from Chicago" and he proceeded to say "oh thats fine then" and filled out the papers and handed me the keys.. :cool:
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
When we put out bird feeders we get 400 lb blackbirds (better known as black bears) visiting. :D
Interesting you should say that. Yesterday, we had about 400 pounds of blackbirds (grackles, actually) in the yard. There must have been a couple of thousand of them.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,976
Interesting you should say that. Yesterday, we had about 400 pounds of blackbirds (grackles, actually) in the yard. There must have been a couple of thousand of them.
That must of been a sight!

One black bear at a time is plenty for me!
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
I only know "Southerners" to do that..
I laughed my arse off the first year I moved down here and noticed that happening at the grocery store.. Silly..
I agree. Most of the time, it is silly. However, I remember Valentine's day of 1994 when there was no electricity for over a week, trees were across the only road to/from my house, the road was covered with an inch and a half of glare ice, and there were no stores or gas stations open for several days. An extra loaf of bread and gallon of milk was quite welcome.
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
If you watched the video I posted earlier in this thread, you saw some Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. Each spring, they migrate from Central and South America through the southeast US on the way to their breeding grounds in the upper midwest US and Canada. The first one showed up at our feeder today, and there should be maybe a dozen or so pairs over the next three or four weeks. By June, there will no more to be seen here until next spring. I don't know why we never see them during their return trip in the fall.
 
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MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
Another such amazing migration, which will occur in a couple of months is the arrival of the Monarch butterfly, ranging as far away as 3000 mls.
Sometimes taking a couple of generations to get here in Canada.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
I wonder how many generations of Grosbeaks and Monarchs perished before the species "evolved" to the point of being able to find their way. ;)
 
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