wrote:

> On 5/15/2021 7:04 AM, Sheldon Martin wrote:
> > On Fri, 14 May 2021 18:31:25 -0400, jmcquown >
> > wrote:
> >
> >> On 5/14/2021 12:17 PM, Sheldon Martin wrote:
> >>> Tractor Supply Stores have a sale on Bird Feeding Stuffs... got 2 bird
> >>> seed feeders and seed, 2 hummingbird nector feeders and nector. I can
> >>> spend hours there looking.
> >>>
> >> I'd rather spend those hours looking at the *birds*.
> >
> > I do both. Winters here are long and hard so I stock up on seed at
> > sale time. > I used to make nector but it's cheap enough to buy it
> > ready made, and the brand I buy already contains the minerals and
> > vitamins for proper egg shell formation.
> >
> Hummingbirds get nutrition from many other sources. They eat a lot of
> small insects.
> >> During warm months I don't offer seed or suet; there are plenty of
> >> sources of food once the weather warms up. What keeps them coming
> >> around at all times of the year is the bird bath which is always filled
> >> with fresh water. I love watching them splish-splash around in the bath.
> >>
> >> It doesn't (often) get cold enough for the water to freeze in the bath
> >> where I live now but it did in west TN. I have a small heater for the
> >> bath I used then.
> >>
> >> Jill
> >
> > I use one of those plastic snow coasters as a bird bath, a small
> > heater is added during winter. During warm weather the birds prefer
> > the many ponds here, they especially like the shallow vernal ponds.
> >
> Yes, you have fresh water ponds. I live on one of a string of sea
> islands surrounded by salt marshes. Even the tidal creeks are mostly
> salt water. Yes, birds always find sources of fresh water but it's the
> the bird bath that keeps them coming to my patio year round.
>
> No seed out at this time of year. Just this morning I've seen tufted
> titmice, a mated pair of cardinals, Carolina chickadees all coming to
> take a sip and a dip in the bird bath.


Uh, why do you have to turn a pleasant avian conversation into a "contest" -- did your strap-on fall off again, Jill?