The bird-feeder attack: What took them down?

Written by Jack Sanders
Friday, 24 October 2008 10:23

“Deborah and I woke up this morning to this!” exclaimed Rob Kinnaird of Ridgefield, who sent along the photo that accompanies this column.
“In all my life here, I’ve never seen this happen. Admittedly the poles aren’t deep in the ground but those dark discs at the base are 50-pound barbell weights. No tracks, no mud or dirt or chewing on the feeders themselves. All the seed was still in them. There may have been some dirt on the poles but it was awfully hard to tell.
“I made new poles and went deeper with them today.”
Rob’s feeder poles were probably not well anchored, despite the 50-pound barbells, and this looks like the kind of damage several local animals could cause.
Bears are notorious for being attracted to bird feeders — they are seed and berry eaters. (If there is any suet involved, add yet another attractant.)
However, as many folks who feed birds know, raccoons are also attracted to bird feed. A raccoon can weigh up to 40 pounds, which would be easily enough to topple a pole-mounted feeder that was not securely fastened in the ground. A 50-pound weight at ground level would have little effect on preventing a mature raccoon from taking down a feeder pole that it was climbing up.
Another possibility is deer. Deer have been known to stand on their hind legs and hold onto a feeder with their front “feet” in an attempt to get at the food. If that were tried here, it could easily knock down a pole.
The interesting observation is the fact that the feeders were not damaged. Whatever knocked the feeders down either didn’t think much of the feed or was frightened by the fall. The latter seems likely.

Anchoring poles
The best way to mount pole feeders is to use an in-ground “socket” into which the pole is placed.
The socket acts as an anchor, holding the pole firmly in the ground and preventing most creatures — with the exception perhaps of a bear — from knocking over the array.
A good ground socket should be at least foot deep, although some companies say a five-foot pole needs only eight inches. Taller poles definitely need deeper anchors. Good ones have a flange at the top that adds support to the pole.
I use a type of anchor called a “twister.” You turn it into the ground like a screw. These will go up to 17 inches deep, which makes for a very secure fastener.
Anyone interested in the types of ground anchors available may search “bird feeder ground anchor” on Google.

Coming Up
“Falcon Fever,” special presentation by the author, Tim Gallagher — known as the person who sighted the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Thursday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m., Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272, greenwich.audubon.org
Selden Island, birding and exploring island in Connecticut River, Saturday, Oct. 25, 9 to noon, $40, Connecticut Audubon, 860-767-0660, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Allen’s Meadow Birds, many migrants, in Wilton, Sunday, Oct. 26, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., $20/$15, Connecticut Audubon, 860-767-0660, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, trip, Saturday, Nov. 1, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, Ted 203-869-5272, x230 to register, greenwich. audubon. org
Field Trip to Jamaica Bay, with John Askildsen, Saturday Nov. 1, Bedford Audubon, carpool from Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah at 7:30 a.m., This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 914-232-4806, bedfordaudubon.org.
Winter Birds and Project Feederwatch, how your family can be “citizen scientists” to help count winter birds at bird feeders in the backyard, Saturday, Nov. 8, 1:30 to 3 p.m., Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, 203-869-5272 RSVP to store at x221, greenwich. audubon. org
Falkland Island & Patagonian Birds, penguins, albatross and more, presented by Gary Palmer and Tom Baptist, Sunday, Nov. 9, 3:30 to 5 p.m., free, sponsored by the Quaker Ridge Bird Club, at Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, RSVP to 203-869-5272 x221 greenwich. audubon. org
Bird walks with Luke Tiller, mostly Saturdays at 8 a.m., $10 each; to register, www. sunrisebirding. com/ walks.htm; 203-981-9924, luke.tiller @ gmail.com.
First Sundays, birding at Greenwich Point with Meredith Sampson of Wild Wings, and other guides, meet at the second concession stand, 203-637-9822.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Jack Sanders. Send sightings or comments to: jackfsanders [at sign] yahoo.com, or to Bird Notes, Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT 06877; or call 203-438-1183, extension BIRD (2473), and leave a message with your report, spelling your first and last names and telling us your town. If you need help identifying a bird, try your local nature center. If you find an injured bird, call wildlife rehabilitator Darlene Wimbrow of Redding, 203-438-0618, Wildlife in Crisis of Weston, 203-544-9913, or Wild Wings of Greenwich, 203-637-9822. The columnist’s website is www. sandersbooks. com.

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