The economics of bird seed

Written by Jack Sanders
Friday, 26 September 2008 09:47

John McGinley of Wilton is more than a casual buyer of wild bird seed. He investigates the quality, function and prices closely. Since it’s the season for stocking up, John offers some observations.

“I’ve been reminded it’s time to buy bird seed for the winter again by the discount form sent by Connecticut Audubon in Fairfield,” John writes. “Members get about 25% off. Readers can call 203-259-6305 x109 for info.

“Now comes the question: What to buy?

“I have discovered the many available mixes of seed are not a good idea for several reasons. Mixes produce much waste; if there’s black oil sunflower seeds in the mix, the birds will kick almost everything out to get at the black oil. Yes, it will feed the squirrels below, but I’d rather spend the money on the birds.

“Money is another reason not to buy mixes: They’re expensive. You can buy the individual seeds and make your own mix much cheaper.

“What to buy? The most successful, least wasteful mix I have found for most of the common birds around Wilton is Lyric’s Cardinal mix, whose main ingredients are black oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, sunflower hearts. I also use Lyric’s woodpecker mix in a woodpecker feeder - no perch pegs - and Niger seeds in the Audubon feeder with metal perches.

“For my copy of Cardinal mix, I use two parts black oil, one part safflower, and one part sunflower hearts.

“Here are the economics: 100 pounds of Cardinal mix at retail costs about $165. From Connecticut Audubon, about $130, 21% off. My mix (100 pounds) at list costs about $107, from Audubon $76, or 33% off.

“The difference between 100 pounds of my mix bought from Audubon and 100 pounds of Cardinal mix bought in a store is - are you ready for this? - 46% cheaper ($165 to $89)!

“If you’re not an Audubon member, store bought, my mix is 35% cheaper than Cardinal mix ($165 to $106).”

Hungry hawk

Robert Clyne of Wilton had a hawk or two pay a visit.

“In my experience birds are usually skittish and will fly off when approached,” Robert reports. “So how to explain an incident of a fortnight ago when my wife, Maureen, was puttering around in a piece of garden at the wood line when she nearly fell over a raptor. Maureen froze. The bird was motionless. Maureen retreated to the deck and summoned me.

“We jointly observed the bird tearing away at its kill, a squirrel. Apparently, the instinct to fly away at Maureen’s approach unwittingly was trumped by the instinct to preserve his meal.

“A day later the same raptor or one very much like it, was discovered perched on the rail of our deck. The bird book (a Time-Life Publication) seems to I.D. the bird as a Red-shouldered Hawk, although we saw no red in it.”

A hawk spends a lot of time looking for prey. It is also not always guaranteed of success when it goes after a meal. One study found that mammal-eating raptors succeed only 20% of the time with their attacks. Consequently, when a hawk does catch a prey, such as the squirrel, it will tend to be protective of it. This is true of many kinds of predators - including mammals.

From Robert’s descriptions, this must have been a very hungry hawk to have Maureen nearly trip over it. Or it was a particularly tasty squirrel!

Coming Up

Live raptor presentation by Audubon Sharon, Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m., Western Connecticut Bird Club, Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Road, 203-426-3901

Fall Bird Migrants, hike, Saturday, Sept. 27, 7 to 8:45 a.m., Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272 RSVP to store at x221.

Raptor ID Made Easy, with Ken Mirman, Saturday, Sept. 27, 11 to noon, free, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272 RSVP to store at x221.

Hawk Watch at Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven, with Joan and Richard Becker. Saturday, October 4, Bedford Audubon, carpool from Bylane Farm at 9 a.m.; return around 3 p.m. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 914-232-4806, bedfordaudubon.org.

Fall Migration at Bear Mountain State Park, with Tait Johansson and Peter Becker, Saturday, Oct. 18, Bedford Audubon, carpool from Bylane Farm at 9 a.m. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 914-232-4806, bedfordaudubon.org.

Hook Mountain Hawk Watch, across the Hudson, includes half-mile hike, Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 to 2:30, Bring lunch, water bottle, hiking shoes, hat, and binoculars, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, Ted 203-869-5272, x230 to register.

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 Meadows 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.

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.

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.