Earlier this year I reported that I would be adding new data collection and a science experiment to my home birding "hobby." As an inveterate number cruncher the idea of measuring exact bird food consumption was irresistable. January's data are in, and it's now clear to see that I have a lot of feeders and a lot of hungry birds.
Those little "top off the feeder" trips every morning conceal the full impact of just how much product goes out. Well, here it is, for the month of January 2011:
36.5 pounds of sunflower seed (
16.6 kilos for the benefit of my friends in Canada)
13.4 pounds of safflower seed (or, 6.1 kilos)
4.5 pounds of everything else -- suet and peanut butter (or, 2.0 kilos).
There were variations by week, as shown in the chart. The week of 1/22 to 1/28 is explained by my being home with the flu a few days and wanting feeders topped off frequently while I watched birds. I think.
The lesson: like one's household expenses, it may be helpful to keep track of what goes out the door. I'm definitely learning a great deal more about regulating food, especially in the pricier categories like safflower. And I'm sure learning how much those darn little piggies eat!
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