An unvisited feeder isn't a commentary on your back yard, the birds are probably just had previous plans.
So, you’ve filled all of your birdfeeders with gourmet seed. But you have no birds. None. Zilch. This is a common observation, and frustration, in fall. Why? Well, there are a number of factors that could account for it. Local birds may have already migrated south, while migrants from further north have not yet arrived. Or, if this is the first time you have put up a feeder, it may take several months for your avian neighbors to find it. Remember that most small feeder birds prefer sunflower seed and like to have bushes or trees nearby for cover.
Some species we think of as year-round residents, such as chickadees, blue jays, and goldfinches, may actually migrate in some years. Occasionally, they move south, or to another area, in response to food supplies or weather cues. So the birds you see in summer may not be the same individuals you see in the winter. Other species, such as evening grosbeaks and redpolls are erratic visitors to New Hampshire. They breed further north and west and if food supplies there are good, they’ll stay there. So, we may see hundreds one year and none the next.
And if there are bumper crops of local berries and nuts, birds will often use these natural food sources and ignore feeders, especially during mild weather. But be patient, you are likely to have more customers when the weather gets foul. Local habitat changes, such as development, and the increasing availability of backyard feeders may also affect the number of birds at your diner.
So, if you have fewer feathered friends at your feeder, don't take it personally! If you fill it, they will come! Eventually!
