Storm morn'n all Feed sites!

[Martin Berrigan]

First off at 5:20 a.m Dominion YTW,then onto Quidi Vidi jelly bowl for other YTW.Then I went to where the Least flycatcher and set at approximately 5:45 a.m a Jelly feeder and a mealworm feeder Tks so much to D.B for providing mealworm that was picked up this a.m on his Varanda,when a bird is deperate it's best time to try to convert them,the bird likes berries so might go for Jelly and smell the mealworms right to the side of Jelly feeder put alongside river where V.C's guided me,Tks V.C's.Then off to the spit,I set out piles of scratch and some live worms in the water along the edges I'm sure he'll forage and find food hopefully,be real nice to see feeder's,people go and find Ruff and throw down a bit of food.Then Lower Waterford,then to the Waterford Hospital where the two warbler's have been spotted the Pine and the Townsend.Kelly's Brook/Lower Rennies,and last but not least Legion where I retied the jelly bowl firmly.That was nine sites,overall it has been an easy winter and not as cold as one would think but I am exhausted.We really need another cage at Quidi vidi lake YTW site,it had a cage that it loved the suet and it's a store bought but he loves it so hopefully someone will put up a cage with that particular block of suet.All jelly bowls had a snow cone on top but everything is a go go a fogo.Gerard

[Martin Berrigan]

On Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 7:12:01 a.m. UTC-5, Martin Berrigan wrote:
> First off at 5:20 a.m Dominion YTW,then onto Quidi Vidi jelly bowl for other YTW.Then I went to where the Least flycatcher and set at approximately 5:45 a.m a Jelly feeder and a mealworm feeder Tks so much to D.B for providing mealworm that was picked up this a.m on his Varanda,when a bird is deperate it's best time to try to convert them,the bird likes berries so might go for Jelly and smell the mealworms right to the side of Jelly feeder put alongside river where V.C's guided me,Tks V.C's.Then off to the spit,I set out piles of scratch and some live worms in the water along the edges I'm sure he'll forage and find food hopefully,be real nice to see feeder's,people go and find Ruff and throw down a bit of food.Then Lower Waterford,then to the Waterford Hospital where the two warbler's have been spotted the Pine and the Townsend.Kelly's Brook/Lower Rennies,and last but not least Legion where I retied the jelly bowl firmly.That was nine sites,overall it has been an easy winter and not as cold as one would think but I am exhausted.We really need another cage at Quidi vidi lake YTW site,it had a cage that it loved the suet and it's a store bought but he loves it so hopefully someone will put up a cage with that particular block of suet.All jelly bowls had a snow cone on top but everything is a go go a fogo.Gerard

I forgot,I saw either a Goshawk or a Peregrine gun in on three pigeons while walking the Legion parking lot towards the Memorial,it went for one of the three and after tailing the pigeon all around the Memorial after four sharp turns where it looked as if the pigeon would be captured the Rock dove on a sharp left for life twarted the attack,the raptor had a squared tail as the bird moved on,surely the pointed wings and speed was in my thoughts more indicative of a falcon.The predator flew across the river whereas the pigeon flew close by,I looked at the bird closely,just another day out doing a predator,pigeon looked unfrayed,unbothered,this is the life they live,now where can I find some seed.Gerard

[Martin Berrigan]

The Ruff made it to Roll call this a.m,he likes food to be throw into the shallow water of the Virginia runout as he finds it much better to just stay in the water where it is much warmer for him so as of late I throw a lot of feed into the shallow water.I think the Ruff has a chance if other's made a effort today to try to put food into the runout shallow part where he roosts,and then along the edges and the bare rocky spots.V.C's has been doing very many many visits to the Ruff and if not for her tremendous efforts there would be no Ruff,so Please get out there today at the Virginia runout,throw a bag down,throw it into the shallow runout where it will sink and the Ruff will find it,all YTW sites are reinforced with softer suet in spots,Jelly full and cross your finger's.Together we can get the Ruff thru this terrible cold spurt.Gerard

[Martin Berrigan]

Well I just got back from Spit and Ruff looks ok,I refilled the Spit out of the wind to the back right of the runout.He was there I quickly,softly spread the food and skidattled.I will do it again at 4pm and be there at first light approximately 7:15 a.m,if he makes roll call which I fully expect the bird to do so.To the feeder's of the Ruff Thank-you so much,who knows in weather what is coming,but the 14 day forecast looks really good,he'll be stronger for the next cold spurt finger's crossed the Polar Vortex never shows up again.Gerard

[Howard Clase]

About 30 years ago a ruff successfully overwintered in St John's by pretending to be a pigeon. It lived with a pigeon flock that inhabited the Churchill Square - MUN area and, presumably, ate what they ate. For a while, it slept on a windowsill outside one of the biochem labs inside the science block, and when the spring thaw came it could be seen probing the patches of green grass that appeared around the university. An older book, not just a field guide lists plant seeds as part of a ruff's diet.

[Martin Berrigan]

On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 10:47:18 AM UTC-3:30, Howard Clase wrote:
> About 30 years ago a ruff successfully overwintered in St John's by pretending to be a pigeon. It lived with a pigeon flock that inhabited the Churchill Square - MUN area and, presumably, ate what they ate. For a while, it slept on a windowsill outside one of the biochem labs inside the science block, and when the spring thaw came it could be seen probing the patches of green grass that appeared around the university. An older book, not just a field guide lists plant seeds as part of a ruff's diet.

Yes,I have heard of the 1980's Ruff that Wintered over in the 1980's but not the story.Thanks Howard.This bird with cold feet trust me was on the brink but with my team-mates V.C's and C.M,both protector's of the Cape May and Chat he made Roll call this a.m,now I'll slow down my offerings and move in when weather is bad,of course I'll do a morn'n feed for him also.I heard he was with pigeons in the 80's so finger's crossed regular visits by bird feeders and ducks will get this Ruff thru.Cold days I'll watch out for him and storm days make sure warbler feed sites are clear and ready first light.Gerard

[Alvan Buckley]

https://ebird.org/checklist/S158444430

Here's a link with an excerpt and a black-and-white photo from American Birds of the 1983/1984 Ruff that over-wintered on MUN campus.

It was last seen on April 24th, 1984. Will be interesting to see how long this winters Ruff survives.