# Chickadees - Where Are They



## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Anybody else notice a lack of chickadees this season? Every year since about 1990 I have hung a feeder on my deer blind in the banana belt of the UP and usually I am inundated with the friendly little noisy birds almost immediately, a couple times I was even "attacked" while putting it up the first time. About every other day I usually have to refill it with almost a coffee can full of sunflower seeds. This year I hung the feeder and filled it on the 13th and on the opening afternoon I had one lonely chickadee. He showed up three or four times and then was gone. The most birds I ever saw were two. Around noon on the 19th I took the feeder down and had to dump over half the seeds out. 

I did have the usual nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and a red bellied woodpecker (rare for my area) show up a couple times each but the chickadees were about absent. That happened only one other time and I believe that was about 2011 or 2012. 

Anyhow, back in the EUP, over 200 miles from deer camp, I up my feed in the usual spot outside the window. It has been up over a week and although we have seen chickadees a couple of times they are about absent here too. The seeds in the feeder have not gone down at all. Most years we have so many little entertainers it needs filling every other day right from the get-go.

Other than West Nile, I can think of no other explanation. Other theories/ideas? FM


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

Could there be a more abundant preferred food source elsewhere? I've seen them on my hunts but I'm about as far away from you and still in the same state as possible.


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## PWood (Aug 6, 2004)

Still seeing quite a few in Manistee Co.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Forest Meister said:


> Anybody else notice a lack of chickadees this season? Every year since about 1990 I have hung a feeder on my deer blind in the banana belt of the UP and usually I am inundated with the friendly little noisy birds almost immediately, a couple times I was even "attacked" while putting it up the first time. About every other day I usually have to refill it with almost a coffee can full of sunflower seeds. This year I hung the feeder and filled it on the 13th and on the opening afternoon I had one lonely chickadee. He showed up three or four times and then was gone. The most birds I ever saw were two. Around noon on the 19th I took the feeder down and had to dump over half the seeds out.
> 
> I did have the usual nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and a red bellied woodpecker (rare for my area) show up a couple times each but the chickadees were about absent. That happened only one other time and I believe that was about 2011 or 2012.
> 
> ...


They are being fed deer camp flies right now. If I open my windows from the top they fly out feeding the black cap chickadees. I do have to be careful how far I open the windows. Sometimes there are unintended consequences.


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

A flock came through last week. Though I don't feed them.

We have not really had a calm day in a while.
With the lower temps they are not fans of much time exposed to cold winds.
Hopefully with a low wind and some sun ,more will wander through.


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

Forest Meister said:


> Anybody else notice a lack of chickadees this season? Every year since about 1990 I have hung a feeder on my deer blind in the banana belt of the UP and usually I am inundated with the friendly little noisy birds almost immediately, a couple times I was even "attacked" while putting it up the first time. About every other day I usually have to refill it with almost a coffee can full of sunflower seeds. This year I hung the feeder and filled it on the 13th and on the opening afternoon I had one lonely chickadee. He showed up three or four times and then was gone. The most birds I ever saw were two. Around noon on the 19th I took the feeder down and had to dump over half the seeds out.
> 
> I did have the usual nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and a red bellied woodpecker (rare for my area) show up a couple times each but the chickadees were about absent. That happened only one other time and I believe that was about 2011 or 2012.
> 
> ...


I’m central UP about 5 miles north of Trenary.
It is the most common bird by far that I see daily. We have scads of them at our seed and suet feeders on back deck.
We live in fairly wooded area in the country.
We have nuthatches also but we haven’t seen near as many compared to the chickadees.
I’m also seeing more jays this year and have been suprised to see a few cardinals recently, which is a bird we rarely see here.


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## ebijack (Apr 20, 2009)

We typically have quite a few chickadees. Not as many this year. But we are also not seeing as many nuthatches. We hear them, but they are not feeding here. Same with the finches. Not many at all compared to prior years.
This year we have at least 4 families of Downey's (usually 2 families), A pair of the Red Belly. Lots of (more) Cardinals than normal.
Something I have never seen before are the few Coopers hawks we have. They are now hunting in packs. We have counted from 11 to 17 flying in wide formations. Pretty cool to see a few fall out of formation and dive at prey. One almost missed a pigeon and hit the top of our wooden fence.
I'm not sure if this is a juvenile Coppers hawk or a American Kestral falcon. He was on my fence watching one of my bird feeders. Saw me and took off into a neighbors tree. He was the size of a Falcon. Not the larger Hawks.


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

I never realized there were Falcons here in the UP.....
I recently saw one that I was able to get a photo of.
I’m no bird expert but this one looked to be pretty old....


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## cedarlkDJ (Sep 2, 2002)

zzcop302 said:


> I never realized there were Falcons here in the UP.....
> I recently saw one that I was able to get a photo of.
> I’m no bird expert but this one looked to be pretty old....
> 
> ...


When they get too old, they can't fly anymore.....


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## eucman (Jan 24, 2009)

Forest Meister said:


> Anybody else notice a lack of chickadees this season? Every year since about 1990 I have hung a feeder on my deer blind in the banana belt of the UP and usually I am inundated with the friendly little noisy birds almost immediately, a couple times I was even "attacked" while putting it up the first time. About every other day I usually have to refill it with almost a coffee can full of sunflower seeds. This year I hung the feeder and filled it on the 13th and on the opening afternoon I had one lonely chickadee. He showed up three or four times and then was gone. The most birds I ever saw were two. Around noon on the 19th I took the feeder down and had to dump over half the seeds out.
> 
> I did have the usual nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and a red bellied woodpecker (rare for my area) show up a couple times each but the chickadees were about absent. That happened only one other time and I believe that was about 2011 or 2012.
> 
> ...





Forest Meister said:


> Anybody else notice a lack of chickadees this season? Every year since about 1990 I have hung a feeder on my deer blind in the banana belt of the UP and usually I am inundated with the friendly little noisy birds almost immediately, a couple times I was even "attacked" while putting it up the first time. About every other day I usually have to refill it with almost a coffee can full of sunflower seeds. This year I hung the feeder and filled it on the 13th and on the opening afternoon I had one lonely chickadee. He showed up three or four times and then was gone. The most birds I ever saw were two. Around noon on the 19th I took the feeder down and had to dump over half the seeds out.
> 
> I did have the usual nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and a red bellied woodpecker (rare for my area) show up a couple times each but the chickadees were about absent. That happened only one other time and I believe that was about 2011 or 2012.
> 
> ...


I have noticed a few less; I’v definitely noticed less tree sparrows here in S.E. Mich.


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## antlerhunter (Oct 26, 2014)

Forest Meister said:


> Anybody else notice a lack of chickadees this season? Every year since about 1990 I have hung a feeder on my deer blind in the banana belt of the UP and usually I am inundated with the friendly little noisy birds almost immediately, a couple times I was even "attacked" while putting it up the first time. About every other day I usually have to refill it with almost a coffee can full of sunflower seeds. This year I hung the feeder and filled it on the 13th and on the opening afternoon I had one lonely chickadee. He showed up three or four times and then was gone. The most birds I ever saw were two. Around noon on the 19th I took the feeder down and had to dump over half the seeds out.
> 
> I did have the usual nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and a red bellied woodpecker (rare for my area) show up a couple times each but the chickadees were about absent. That happened only one other time and I believe that was about 2011 or 2012.
> 
> ...


I haven't seen any at our feeders this winter. Like others, have Cardinals,Nuthatches,and a few Blue Jays.Haven't seen the Downy woodpeckers we usually get yet this winter.


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## SND (Dec 19, 2004)

Plenty of chickadees, nuthatches, titmouse and juncos this winter in central MI. Also hairy, Downey and even a couple pilated woodpeckers. Not one cardinal however ...


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## mbirdsley (Jan 12, 2012)

I had some chickadees checking me out from a foot away in Eastern southern gratiot. One time deer hunting I had one land on my shot gun bead checking me out. Hung out for a minute and took off.


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## antlerhunter (Oct 26, 2014)

mbirdsley said:


> I had some chickadees checking me out from a foot away in Eastern southern gratiot. One time deer hunting I had one land on my shot gun bead checking me out. Hung out for a minute and took off.


I have seen on photography forums where people have sat with a handful of seed , hand extended, and the chickadees perch on their hand/gloves feeding. Always wanted to try it.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

I have had them land on my wool coat a couple of times. When they first land it kind of akes your heart beat a little faster. One sat on my shoulder for a couple minutes chripinng up a storm. We put our feeder out last week and the first 2 days nothing then the thrid day we had one now we hahe about a dozen way down from last year only one nuthatch and some finches


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## pigeonhunter03 (Jul 7, 2016)

when I take a walk I see quite a few but for some reason they dont like coming to my feeders


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## antlerhunter (Oct 26, 2014)

Scout 2 said:


> I have had them land on my wool coat a couple of times. When they first land it kind of akes your heart beat a little faster. One sat on my shoulder for a couple minutes chripinng up a storm. We put our feeder out last week and the first 2 days nothing then the thrid day we had one now we hahe about a dozen way down from last year only one nuthatch and some finches


That is cool . I have had them land on my boots while deer hunting.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

I brought some wood in the house last weekend & scared a bunch of chickadees out of my stack of wood. that's where they are, crapping in my wood pile


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

jimbo said:


> I brought some wood in the house last weekend & scared a bunch of chickadees out of my stack of wood. that's where they are, crapping in my wood pile


Keep your eyes peeled. They might be small but they are crafty, they are obviously up to no good! FM


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## Paddle (Mar 26, 2016)

I have noticed no shortage down here in the Irish Hills!


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