Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Time for a new poll!

As I write this during my lunch break, I'm hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. A high wind warning has been posted for many counties in southeast Ohio, northwest West Virginia and northeast Kentucky, and there's a very good chance we could lose power this evening (AGAIN, for the 2nd time this month). If it's not ice, it's wind! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the power stays on, but just in case, I'm putting this post "in the can" now and scheduling it to go live this evening.


Thanks to all of you who participated in my last poll "Why do you bird?" The poll is now closed, and the results are as follows:
  • To be/feel closer to nature: 5 votes (55.56%)
  • Because it's relaxing: 3 votes (33.33%)
  • To spend time alone: 0 votes
  • To spend time with family: 0 votes
  • To hone my observational skills: 0 votes
  • "Other": 1 vote (11.11%) (the explanation of this vote was "to honor them", which I thought was sweet)

I didn't participate in the poll myself, but I will tell you that my own response would have been "All of the above". I listed the answer options in the poll pretty much the way they rank in importance for me. My "Other" explanation would be "to contribute my data to science (i.e. Project Feederwatch)".


This week's poll is another bird-related query: "How many bird feeders do you maintain?" My answer falls in the 6-10 category, with 8 maintained year-round (2 cage suet feeders, 2 tube feeders, 1 hopper feeder, 1 platform feeder, 1 peanut feeder and 1 nyjer tube feeder), and a 9th feeder brought out in spring for the hummers. As always, the poll can be found over in the sidebar, just below the live feedercam. I hope you'll participate!

By the way, stay tuned for information about an interesting and unique birding-by-ear opportunity here in Ohio that will be coming up at the end of May. I'll post more details when I have them.

7 comments:

Shelley said...

I'm impressed how many bird feeders you have and maintain! (And of course I envy that feeder cam of yours!) The tufted titmouse was cute - looked like he was surveying the weather.

Kelly said...

Someone recently asked me how many feeders I have, so I took pics of all of them. I didn't realize I had so many. I fall in the 20 or more category (which might be obsessive, but I'm not going to worry about that now, it's winter!).

NW Nature Nut said...

PS. Mr Nut said I should count the pond. We keep hoping a heron will stop by. It is stocked with little goldfish. It could be our heron feeder!

Anonymous said...

We have 4 feeding stations. Each station consists of 7 feeders of differing types which hang/sit on a pole system from WBU.

So 21 feeders in all!

Very nice website.

RuthieJ said...

Hi Heather,
Sorry I missed your first poll. I just made my selection on this one (you probably already guessed that I'm in the 20+ category)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the wind doesn't do too much damage at your place and your electricity stays on.

Anonymous said...

Hi Heather, just found your blog today. Very cool! By the way, my dad lives in near Marietta, OH.

Heather said...

Shelley - Thanks. I keep wanting to add MORE feeders, but we only have so much room around our deck!

Kelly - Wow, 20+? That's a lot. I wouldn't call it obsessive at all, though. I think it's pretty cool.

NWNN - Absolutely you should count your pond. If you stock it with fish, then you're maintaining it, even if that heron hasn't stopped by yet.

MaineBirder - Wow, another backyard birder with lots of feeders. Very cool! Thanks for sharing, and thanks for stopping by! I'll stop by your site for a look around.

Ruthie - Yes, I would have guessed you in the 20+ category =wink=! The wind storm caused LOTS of tree damage around the county, but our power only went out for a few hours in the middle of the night, so we were lucky this time around.

Morgan - Hello, and thanks for stopping by! I will return the favor. We're about 50 minutes away from Marietta. Small world, eh?