Feeder Friday, Where Are The Birds, Really??

Hairy Woodpecker, female at hulled sunflower.

We plan on devoting Fridays to blogging about bird feeders since that is where the majority of people who look at birds have their interest. The big thing on many people's minds right now is concern about where all the birds went. They are seeing way fewer birds at their feeders, including us.
Don't panic, there has been no major drop in feeder bird populations that we're aware of. This is an unusual year because there is SO MUCH wild food available, certainly here in New England. It's a bumper year for pine cones, also spruce and hemlock. Our Crab Apples are heavy with apples, which the robins are stripping off fast. The fields are full of weed seeds. So chickadees and others like titmice, nuthatches, etc. just don't need to come to feeders, there's food everywhere for them. We have Hairy Woodpeckers coming and some Blue Jays. Juncos and White-throated Sparrows have been here in numbers. We provided a big brush pile with millet sprinkled in front and these birds loved it. But most are migrating and will not stay here for the winter.
Mass. Audubon Society has gotten so many calls this fall about where are the birds, that they have a response on their website here.
Be patient, when much colder weather sets in, snow and ice come, and the wild food is more eaten, the birds will be back to your feeders. So keep feeders stocked and out now, just to remind them you're here and waiting.