Feeding the Birds??

I wonder where some of those biologists are from. Cant be up here getting paid. For you would think they would be smart enough from all that college to understand the migration of raptors from the northern range, "before" they tell you not to feed your birds because of the predators..

PS Now with the food out, I have 1 rooster and 3 hens show up. I did not know there was 3 hens.
 
jsdriggs said:
Here in Idaho we have hawks that stay all year. We've had a brutal February with tons of snow, and I see hawks all the time. Not sure what species they are. Also our bald and golden eagles go no where as well. I also have a family of great horned owls living near my place. I love hearing them talking at night. One of the best sounds in the wild if you ask me.
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Ours stay too, or at best they'll just move onto another area "down the street" where the wildlife has moved into for better cover, food, etc.

A gentlemen stopped by my shop yesterday to let me know some of FC's bald eagles have arrived down the street from my shop. Word is, they're so big they can fly off with one of those "green" cars:D
 
I haven't seen a hawk here for a long time, just way to cold.
Eagles a plenty, I see them everyday.

MN DNR is made up of new generation (shake and Bake) Types.

They used to feed deer and pheasants during the tough Winters.
No $$$ left to feed game species now days.
The, What is it? 3/8 of one percent sales tax voters approved couple years ago.
Adds MILLIONS of $ to the DNR budget.

Non game is a huge beneficiary, Pheasants and deer now days as far as MN DNR, are of little concern. Maybe none. :(

Bottom line, DNR Hates to use the money and time to feed, so, They have to tell the public, it doesn't work to artificially feed pheasants.
Just Nutz. :(
 
There are several Eagle(Baldy's) nests in the area. Every year they are in them with young. Been by some nearly every day. Nothing. They wont be back for a month or so yet. The very few that remain in MN in the winter do so near a place that will sustain them. A few rivers or warm water discharge areas that remain open water. Not very many. Some also will stay because of injury, and are not strong enough to make the trek south. I have never seen them stay in the vast regions here that do not have what they mostly sustain themselves with, water. Very little threat again to feeding pheasants in rural MN.:thumbsup: There is a huge flight of them that come through the Alexandria lakes area every year along with all the nesting pairs. Rarely when they hit home turf, will you see them far from water. They live off fish, and in tough times wounded ducks, geese etc they have gone after. Real bad times on the way through, you will see one on a road kill. And only when late in getting out of here.
 
Crow Wing River flows along the Northern edge of our property. A dam right there backs up about 4 feet of water. Spilling warmer water below. Usually this is open about 4 miles below on normal Winters. Mallards, Trumpeters and Canada Geese Winter there. This year the river is now open about a mile.
The snow is to deep for me to explore but the Eagles are feeding on Winter kill just below the dam. (township road goes over the dam) Eagles are always year around residents below the dam. WE have two active eagle nests on our property. Probably lay the eggs about the first of May.
A couple more weeks of -0 nights will probable do in the Waterfowl.
I can't believe some have made it this long.
 
A pic taken on our property in Jan a couple years ago four miles below the dam.
The river here flows for miles though wild county. No roads no cabins. Almost all private property so it wil no doubt be developed when I'm done with it. :(
What do I do with it? Take walks, hunt, study wildlife and pay taxes, LOTS of taxes.


 
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Pic taken in Dec.
Birds were still happy at that time.
 
I see this guy almost everyday. We have a lot of barn pigeons feeding in the cattle yards.
Eagles get pretty good at grabbing pigeons out of the air.
Always hunt from the air, never from the trees.
After he gets a kill he'll go sit in a large Cottonwood for hours. Same thing with the Red Tail hawks always hunting from up above then diving fast to the flying pigeons. Great fun to watch, never get tired of it.
Fun stuff. :cheers:
 
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Yep if you have that you will keep one around. There are a few places like that through out the state. We have some water with some birds too but no Eagles stayed. waterfowl is their 2nd most popular food, especially now. He picked a bummer winter to stay. But he wont venture too far, and wont eat a single pheasant all winter.:thumbsup::coolpics:
 
I hope someday to get a pic of a Eagle at the point of attack/impact. He came down and missed this attack. Hes got things scattered in every direction.

Eagles are little threat to pheasants anytime. Waterfowl are much easier prey.

My Brother, Niece and I watched a eagle attack a group of turkeys last Fall. Turkeys flew, the Eagle from high above hit a large turkey in flight, knocked it down and repeated the attack until he had it killed.

I've seen hawks get young turkeys quite often, this is the only Eagle Killed turkey I've seen.
 
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