While I know there are a lot of pressing political opinions to print, I feel this letter is important for all. Right now, a lot of birds are coming back to our yards and bird feeders … so nice to see. It’s also the case that tick season is coming up.

I did an experiment in my yard; I didn’t feed the summer birds for the last two summers (oh, maybe a pinch now and then). The tick population went down a good 90% both times. I walk on the lawn barefoot. No ticks! 

Previous summers, I threw handfuls of seed and filled my feeders full and couldn’t go out without getting ticks on me. All the stores are now full of thousands of dollars worth of birdseed: cakes, feeders, etc. One handful of birdseed can count up to over 50 seeds. That’s 50 ticks gone instead of seeds.

Aren’t insects what birds are supposed to eat? Think about this, please, and let the birds do their job. Yes, we love the birds but thousands of bird seeds eaten means thousands of insects not eaten. We can still see the birds, but fewer ticks. And, don’t forget that opossums’ favorite food is ticks. So, protect them too. Thanks and happy spring in Maine.

Suzanne DeBiase
Anson