Date: 3/28/24 7:36 am From: DONALD GRUSSING Owner via Mnbird <mnbird...> Subject: Re: [Mnbird] Snow effect, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow
After decades of seeing juncos eating only off the ground in spite of plenty of foodstuffs in the feeders above them, some of the smarter ones learned to utilize bird feeders. Mensa is an organization some humans formed to honor high intelligence. Hence, I coined the phrase Mensa Juncos. I am grateful that a few have learned to exploit bird feeders. Especially since I am now 85, have vertigo caused by a brain injury in the balance portion of my brain. When it snowed I used to always clear the ground away below feeders for juncos to survive no matter how deep the snow.. Now the smart ones can get food directly from the feeders. And they sleep under my deck. And I don't have to worry about falling
As a footnote, three Mensa Female Turkeys (of the 30 in the neighborhood) are smart enough to go to the ground beneath two of my feeders after a snowfall and scratch away the snow exposing spilled grains for themselves, the squirrels and the few ground feeding juncos still hanging around.
Don Grussing
Minnetonka
On Wed, 27 Mar, 2024 at 12:24 PM, mary norman <marylouisenorman...> wrote:
To: miller johnson
Cc: <mnbird...>; <cdrussin...>
What does “mensa juncos” mean? I just call them juncos. Lots of them at our house near the Zoo! And, while I have your attention: I want to put out some raisins for the birds. Do they need to be soaked in water to plump them first?
Thanks!
Mary Norman
> On Mar 27, 2024, at 11:41 AM, Miller Johnson via Mnbird <mnbird...><mailto:<mnbird...>> wrote:
>
> My juncos have returned; they had left behind just a small troop to hold this location from invaders. Yesterday a Song Sparrow was doing all it could to survive: hanging at and eating from the suet cage, moving on to the sunflower feeder. Today, there was a Fox Sparrow hanging out with Juncos. I was expecting it to be the Song Sparrow, so I had to rub my eyes a couple times to make sure I was seeing right! The Song Sparrow came out from under my brush pile and joined the Fox Sparrow and Juncos.
>
> I like "Mensa Juncos." They really do have to be wily to survive our winters!
>
> Molly Jo Miller
> Inver Grove Hts
> Dakota Co
>
> PS We knew what you meant by Hairy Woodcocks! ;-)
> ________________________________________
> From: Mnbird <mnbird-bounces...><mailto:<mnbird-bounces...>> on behalf of DONALD GRUSSING Owner via Mnbird <mnbird...><mailto:<mnbird...>> > Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 10:08 AM
> To: <mnbird...><mailto:<mnbird...> > Subject: [Mnbird] Snow effect
>
> Many birds disappeared and have not returned. Gold Finches and House Finches are gone,
> Suet eaters are happy. Four Downy Woodpeckers in a crazy mating/territorial dance, Hairy Woodcocks just observing. Chickadees also in an energy burning war. Mensa Juncos sleeping under the deck, emerging to eat a feed mix, then returning to cover.
>
> Don Grussing
> Minnetonka
>
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