DEAR JOAN: I reside within the Eastmont Hills. Lately, I heard a loud scuffling noise coming from the second story deck in the back of my home. After I went to look, my deck was bedecked with a big group of birds that seemed like a sort of pigeon, though I had by no means seen them earlier than.
I obtained my chicken books and simply discovered they had been band-tailed pigeons. It was extra like an invasion than a go to. I counted 21 of them at one level floor feeding beneath the feeders, attempting to drink from the fountain and knocking it down within the course of.
There have been a lot extra on the deck and several other would swoop down from and exchange a couple of floor feeding. This went on for about 45 minutes.
They left and haven't returned. The regulars, such because the finches, had been sitting atop the bushes watching the present as nicely.
Melissa Hayes, Oakland
DEAR MELISSA: Band-tailed pigeons are a bit like giant households celebrating a birthday on the Olive Backyard — they arrive and forage in giant numbers.
The show you noticed of birds dropping all the way down to feed on the bottom is a part of their pure conduct. As they forage in an space, the birds on the rear will fly to the entrance in what is named a “rolling flock.” This steady movement signifies that all of the birds have equal entry to meals, and that a feeding floor will get fairly nicely picked clear.
The band-tailed pigeon is an everyday resident of the Pacific Coast and Bay Space. They reside wherever from sea stage as much as 1,000 ft in elevation. Additionally they journey lengthy distances seeking meals, flying a mean of three miles from their nesting websites to feeding areas, which is why they visited your yard, however didn’t stick round.
Their favourite meals are grain seeds, berries of all types and acorns. They've a particular fondness for acorns and, after eradicating the cap, swallow the acorn complete. You probably have oak bushes round you, the birds could possibly be again this fall.
DEAR JOAN: This may increasingly seem to be an odd query and a non-problem, however I'm curious. Final summer season within the San Jose space there have been so many yellowjackets that it was primarily harmful to attempt to eat lunch outdoors.
This 12 months there are nearly none of those yellow devils. The climate final 12 months and this 12 months was nearly the identical — some rain early within the season, then drought. What made the distinction?
Marshall Wilder, San Jose
DEAR MARSHALL: After I learn your letter, it made me understand that the yellowjackets which have buzzed round my home for the previous three years are lacking in motion, too.
It does appear that the yellowjacket inhabitants has declined this 12 months, based mostly on anecdotal proof, however populations at all times rise and fall largely relying on the climate. A gentle winter and spring permits the over-wintering queens to outlive and get the colonies going sturdy. Colder winters and chilly snaps within the spring can scale back the colony measurement.
Drought usually favors the wasps, so we might nonetheless see an upsurge in late summer season. For now, let’s get pleasure from our picnics.
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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