Show us ya birds !

[Peasgood]

3 minutes ago, Stubby said:

How , or why would someone make peanuts toxic ?  Not being hostile , genuinely want to know .

I think its a fungus that gets in them.

[nepia]

Yes, that's my impression; either a natural contaminant such as a poisonous fungus (think ergot in cereals) or a poor choice of chemical treatment post harvest for insects or fungus 

[ABtrees]

It is something called Aflatoxin.  It's not uncommon and there are generally fairly stringent tests for imports.  You guys are absolutely right it is produced by a fungus developing if the peanuts get wet (usually whilst they are still in their shells). It pretty nasty stuff and once in the food chain can be passed on.  

 

Here's your wiki link : Aflatoxin - Wikipedia

 

[nepia]

That's the one; I recognise the name now. Cheers

[Billhook]

do not think it was the peanuts a there are literally dozens of tits, hedge sparrows, robins, jays, blackbirds and squirrels on the feeders each day

I suspect the water bowl and me not cleaning it daily,  Many birds landing on it and pooping in it during the day.

Both the birds in the picture were found right next to it

[nepia]

We have loads of birds but don't clean out the water bowls often; perhaps three or four times a year. One holds a good gallon (remember them?) though

[silky fox]

This is one of our many neighbourhood Acorn Woodpeckers.They gather from the Coast live oaks and store them in graneries in tree trunks.This one (Woody) stores it's bounty in a large Canary Palm.They spend their day checking them.As the Acorns shrink they move them,turning or swapping them into smaller holes so they fit tightly and don't drop where blue jays might steal them.

[silky fox]

They only bury the acorns so far as any moisture would rot their food so no harm is done to the tree.And because the base of the frond once cut dries quickly almost like balsa wood they easily make homes inside them.

[silky fox]

A well protected home as i have found out when climbing them.Canary palm fronds are covered with long spikes at the base.

[silky fox]

Always wanted to upload video/sound/music to Arbtalk and am trying to start a Youtube channel so if this works it is a snippet of the call of the Acorn Woodpecker.