Crows on the Ash Pile

 
Fingerlakes27
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue. Jan. 13, 2015 8:21 pm
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Russo
Coal Size/Type: Nut
Other Heating: None

Post by Fingerlakes27 » Sat. Feb. 21, 2015 1:37 pm

Just curious if this is a common thing I am an avid hunter and fisherman, I have been stuck in the house with the honey do list today and I have noticed upwards of 20 crows on my ash pile flying away with what looks to be some more solidified ash chunks, I do know they like shiny things and what not, what value would this burnt up coal be to them, unless they need the grit to eat like a turkey. Has anyone experienced this?


 
User avatar
Pancho
Member
Posts: 906
Joined: Sat. Feb. 01, 2014 4:00 pm
Location: Michigan
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood No. 8
Coal Size/Type: Stove
Other Heating: Jotul Firelight

Post by Pancho » Sat. Feb. 21, 2015 2:10 pm

Fingerlakes27 wrote:Just curious if this is a common thing I am an avid hunter and fisherman, I have been stuck in the house with the honey do list today and I have noticed upwards of 20 crows on my ash pile flying away with what looks to be some more solidified ash chunks, I do know they like shiny things and what not, what value would this burnt up coal be to them, unless they need the grit to eat like a turkey. Has anyone experienced this?
If it's recently dumped ash, perhaps they are using them as feet warmers. :P

I've never seen any critters fussin' around my ash pile.

 
waldo lemieux
Member
Posts: 2270
Joined: Sun. Sep. 30, 2012 8:20 pm
Location: Ithaca,NY

Post by waldo lemieux » Sat. Feb. 21, 2015 2:44 pm

They're not after the ash.... They're after the unburnt coal. I've seen em at Tractor supply trying to steal it but they cant get the bags open... :P

:bag:

 
User avatar
Ctyankee
Member
Posts: 111
Joined: Fri. Dec. 23, 2011 6:19 pm
Location: Danbury CT
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 503 insert
Coal Size/Type: nut and pea

Post by Ctyankee » Sat. Feb. 21, 2015 5:46 pm

I've seen robins on my ash. I believe they don't like to stand on snow so I figured they just looking for dirt and that's the closest thing to it.

 
User avatar
ONEDOLLAR
Verified Business Rep.
Posts: 1866
Joined: Thu. Dec. 01, 2011 6:09 pm
Location: Sooner Country Oklahoma
Hand Fed Coal Stove: 2014 Chubby Prototype
Coal Size/Type: Nut/Anthracite
Contact:

Post by ONEDOLLAR » Sat. Feb. 21, 2015 6:08 pm

If the ash is fresh I suspect the birds are taking a "dust bath". A fairly common behavior with birds. :D

 
User avatar
windyhill4.2
Member
Posts: 6072
Joined: Fri. Nov. 22, 2013 2:17 pm
Location: Jonestown,Pa.17038
Stoker Coal Boiler: 1960 EFM520 installed in truck box
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Crane 404 with variable blower
Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both

Post by windyhill4.2 » Sat. Feb. 21, 2015 8:38 pm

They are picking up the hardest pieces they can find to then drop on people or cars & then act like crows do caw,caw,ha,ha.

 
User avatar
davidmcbeth3
Member
Posts: 8505
Joined: Sun. Jun. 14, 2009 2:31 pm
Coal Size/Type: nut/pea/anthra

Post by davidmcbeth3 » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 1:38 am

They are picking out the coal for their little stoves.
Image


 
Lu47Dan
Member
Posts: 286
Joined: Wed. Jan. 29, 2014 1:42 pm
Location: N/W Pa. Meadville, Pa.
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Sears circulator air tight stove.
Other Heating: Crown 115,000 BTU oil fired boiler(house) Weil Mclain 150,000BTU oil fired boiler(Shop)

Post by Lu47Dan » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 10:14 am

Most likely they are after the grit in the coal ashes. Almost all birds need grit to process their food, and if the ground is covered in snow and ice than the easiest place to get that grit would be from the ash pile.
Dan.

 
User avatar
Sunny Boy
Member
Posts: 25567
Joined: Mon. Nov. 11, 2013 1:40 pm
Location: Central NY
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Anthracite Industrial, domestic hot water heater
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood range 208, # 6 base heater, 2 Modern Oak 118.
Coal Size/Type: Nuts !
Other Heating: Oil &electric plenum furnace

Post by Sunny Boy » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 10:20 am

I've had a family of crows living behind my place for many years.

They come almost daily to pick at the compost pile and left overs we put out for them. I've never seen them touch any of the coal ash, clinkers, or unburned pieces that my driveway is paved with, or thrown up on the fresh snow by the snow blower.

They might be using it to cover up food stocks. I've seen the crows eat and when they've had enough they go around hiding the remaining bits of food under leaves and twigs. With the leaves covered in snow maybe the coal chunks get used to cover up their extra food ???

Paul
Last edited by Sunny Boy on Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 10:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

 
User avatar
theo
Member
Posts: 2329
Joined: Tue. Feb. 10, 2009 3:46 pm
Location: 50 Mile North of Pittsburgh

Post by theo » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 10:23 am

Watch Em,,,, They will pick your eyeballs out when your not looking!!!!! :roll:

 
User avatar
Formulabruce
Member
Posts: 288
Joined: Sat. Feb. 02, 2013 8:02 pm
Location: in the "Shire" ( New Hamp -shire)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harmon Mark 1 Goldenfire
Coal Size/Type: BLASHAK Nut and Stove size
Other Heating: Blower from a gas furnace if I need to move air, no heat

Post by Formulabruce » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 2:19 pm

I use Coal slag ( yes from a bottom feed electric plant) and mix with icemelt to clean the ice in gutters etc. The black coal slag get warm QUICK in the sun and drops through making the ice into swiss cheese. I have black birds take the black pieces they find and I suspect its to get warmth from them and to help melt snow for water to drink. all my birds get to the eaves or any dropped coal to get some water..

 
User avatar
dlj
Member
Posts: 1273
Joined: Thu. Nov. 27, 2008 6:38 pm
Location: Monroe, NY
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Castings Resolute
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood Baseheater #6
Coal Size/Type: Stove coal
Other Heating: Oil Furnace, electric space heaters

Post by dlj » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 2:26 pm

I get a lot of Blue Jays on my ash pile. Haven't seen crows there though...

dj

 
User avatar
VigIIPeaBurner
Member
Posts: 2579
Joined: Fri. Jan. 11, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Pequest River Valley, Warren Co NJ
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Keystoker Koker(down)
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Vermont Casting Vigilant II 2310
Other Heating: #2 Oil Furnace

Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Sun. Feb. 22, 2015 8:21 pm

dlj wrote:I get a lot of Blue Jays on my ash pile. Haven't seen crows there though...

dj
Blue Jays and Crows are from the same Family. Makes sense they'd like similar things.

 
coalfan
Member
Posts: 1829
Joined: Tue. Mar. 12, 2013 3:00 pm
Location: NW ohio
Hand Fed Coal Stove: ds circultor1500 \chubby coal stove
Coal Size/Type: nut/ pea ant.some bit.
Other Heating: kerosene\cold nat. gas

Post by coalfan » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 8:17 am

they are known to whord all sorts of various things .winged packrats !!!! :D

 
User avatar
EarthWindandFire
Member
Posts: 1594
Joined: Sat. Dec. 18, 2010 12:02 pm
Location: Connecticut
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: Leisure Line Lil' Heater.
Other Heating: Oil Furnace and Kerosene Heaters.

Post by EarthWindandFire » Mon. Feb. 23, 2015 9:20 am

I've never had birds near the ash pile. However, my 200lb mastiff loves eating the coal I drop on the living room floor. :?


Post Reply

Return to “Hand Fired Coal Stoves & Furnaces Using Anthracite”