Anybody here into it?

Jane has really turned me onto it.We have many feeders along with the fish pond so we have quite the little eco-system going.I've learned to identify many species.

The reason I post this now is that we've a very special visitor the last three days,a Cooper's or a Sharpshinned Hawk.We're not sure which yet.

The battery for the digital camera won't take a charge so I can't get a pic to post.Hopefully it comes in the mail today as I really want to get some pics of this hawk.

Cool stuff to say the least!

Yes I like watching them. We put feeders out but get 90% sparrows and pigeons [rock doves to you serious watchers]. Very relaxing when we get other birds. I'm checking out all their feathers for fly tying. :laugha:

Great fun, BW, having breakfeast and seeing the regulars come, and from time to time a rarey

. I get a Red Tailed Hawk who makes a good fly by at the feeders from time to time, but rarely connects as the feeders are set up near escape bushes. Cooper's are smaller and alot quicker.

Great fun, BW, having breakfeast and seeing the regulars come, and from time to time a rarey

. I get a Red Tailed Hawk who makes a good fly by at the feeders from time to time, but rarely connects as the feeders are set up near escape bushes. Cooper's are smaller and alot quicker.

Yes it is.Coffee while sitting on the stool by the back window and the binocs right there.It fills the void when I'm not fishing in the off season.

He(or she) didn't show today but we were out and about today and the activity kept the birds away.I really want to get some decent pics so we can figure out if its a Cooper's or a Sharpie.

the cooper hawk is most anxious to score a small bird to eat during a very windy storm approaching....and thats when to look for them.

so when the flurries start blowing sideways they are sure to appear.

My parrot would square off with him in the tree and shriek sometimes being chased around from tree to tree (in summer) with the cooper hawk 1 foot away from sinbad the parrot's tail feathers ...with him screaming bloody murder the whole time even though they were equal in size.

i go thru 50 pounds of black seed per month...but i have found i attract more birds offering suet than seed and i buy both types;
the natural beef suet thats white and pink and the suet cakes
you can buy at most stores although the cheapest source is the christmas tree shops at 79 cents each and never pay more than a buck each.

i like feeding the red belly wood peckers and of course the nuthatches and the downy woodpeckers too.
cardinals love safflower seed the most........

i have cardinals every day( two pair) ...and if you have thistle seed you'll get the purple finches and the gold finches by the dozen.

i attach boards to my deck railing with a lip on the edge so they have a landing perch but they favor the branches i screw down to the railing to land on the best.

Rav, have you reproduced that outragous feeding system you had on Pleasant Mountain on your new farm. :huh:

That was awesome. :btu:

I have 5 feeders outside my double window where my tying table is located.This year I put a heated bird bath in the yard and it's the nuts!The birds are loving it.It cost about $65 the heating element is inside and very easy to clean.

Rav, have you reproduced that outragous feeding system you had on Pleasant Mountain on your new farm. :huh:

That was awesome. :btu:

that was one of the first things i did..........

i will be growing allot of sunflower seed this season to be sure...

after that i'll be planting many types of berry's and growing vines

creating habitat , bird houses, bird condos , until i have so many wildlife biologists will be calling me... and then perhaps i'll have the perfect solution for bugs,,,ahhh ha ha ha - eatem up birdies lol :p

the cooper hawk is most anxious to score a small bird to eat during a very windy storm approaching....and thats when to look for them.

so when the flurries start blowing sideways they are sure to appear.

My parrot would square off with him in the tree and shriek sometimes being chased around from tree to tree (in summer) with the cooper hawk 1 foot away from sinbad the parrot's tail feathers ...with him screaming bloody murder the whole time even though they were equal in size.
i go thru 50 pounds of black seed per month...but i have found i attract more birds offering suet than seed and i buy both types;
the natural beef suet thats white and pink and the suet cakes
you can buy at most stores although the cheapest source is the christmas tree shops at 79 cents each and never pay more than a buck each.

i like feeding the red belly wood peckers and of course the nuthatches and the downy woodpeckers too.
cardinals love safflower seed the most........

i have cardinals every day( two pair) ...and if you have thistle seed you'll get the purple finches and the gold finches by the dozen.

i attach boards to my deck railing with a lip on the edge so they have a landing perch but they favor the branches i screw down to the railing to land on the best.

We go through a fair amount of seed ourselves.Jane has started to show me how to make homemade suet(bacon fat and peanut butter!)

We have three pairs of Cardinals I can certainly id by pair.We also get a Downy woodpecker too.Lotsa tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees.Nuthatches and blue-jays and of course sparrows,starlings,doves and finches.And other seasons bring a whole host of other birds which in Spring brings the damn grackles!

There really is nothing like seeing that hawk though.It really is awesome.

And lots of squirrels .. feed em 5mm lead! :lossinit:

And lots of squirrels .. feed em 5mm lead! :lossinit:

.177,.20,.22 or .25.As long as it comes from a quality pellet rifle!At least when that used to be doable.Grain fed squirrlies are nice but the neighbors might not like the "scene" so to speak.Not anymore.I've learned to live the buggers.The right food along with the right feeders,the birds and squirrels are fine.

I,m gaiving aball beweet beed feeders & birdhouses ;;


great time :;I,ll be selling most of my fishing gear >so I can spend more time checking these little peckers out :;

What has worked for me with squirrals & coons >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Is I have loaded the base of a couple of stands & make sure they are toooo far from a place that they can fly from > with axle greese >>> works awesome /they dob,t even attempt to get to them any longer :cheers:

Dave f18 musta snuck over to Clammers puter.... me thinks :bsod:

`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
this year i intend to encircle my long feeder in green chicken wire
forming a big tube.....
so only the smaller birds can get in

and then the 12 bluejays and flocks
of grackles and starlings will no longer have access except
for what the little one's drop... my preference is for birds that sing..
especially the wrens and the fox sparrow and song sparrow and or Finches

squirell's tend to bloody up the snow and make a huge mess
when you shoot them which i learned as a kid... :shocked:

i am going to buy an electric fence cow zapper
and shock the HELL out of them instead ..............
ZZZZZZZZZAPPP !!

Cooper's are smaller and alot quicker.


the thing about Cooper hawks....is their ability to cork screw thru
any type of cover
because of their wing design........ sand sharks of the air....

like a larger version of the barn swallow and due to their smaller wingspan they can maneuver between branches and still grab their intended target .

in Spring:
i'll be building several Owl boxes out back until i get a nesting pair... including one inside my barn (make six inch holes)

that and the bat boxes (anti mosquito plants) will help alleviate some of problems.

i'll be building several Owl boxes out back until i get a nesting pair...

I had a pet Screech Owl and a Crow at one time. Natural enemies, but they tolerated each other.


Kept the owl in a nice large cage and fed him, along with the crow who was free but never left the neighborhood, hamburger meat.

The crow became a real menace as he would find anything shiny,

along with picking clothes pins off the neighborhood clothes lines and drop them

in the gutter spouts. Neigbors weren't too happy. :doh:

When i left home i gave them both to the County Park where they had an aviary and the Screech Owl lived for at least 20 years.

Cool birds. :hihi:

We used to have 7 feeders at the back of the house. Have a wooded lot behind us.Had to fill them morning and afternoon. In the mornings all the tube feeders were on the ground-empty-from raccoon raids. We started to get rats"visiting" on a regular basis so we had to stop with the feeders. Think they came from an old school that was demo-ed in the area. We really miss the crew that used to congragate out there, squirrels included. Feel guilty about it but the wife won't tolerate the rodents with the bare tails. Read in some bird watching pamphlet that if you've got hawks/falcons showing up for a meal you've reached the pinnacle of backyard habitat.

I enjoy it. I also watch the flying squirrels at nite come to the feeders. A good 6 to 10 of them, but my neighbor had a logger come in and cut down all the large trees in her yard, a good 5 acres of them, so I have not seen any rocky's lately. To far for them to glide to my property. Kind of screwed up our little ecosystem

She is making more room for her pets

We had a real crowd at the feeders today.The snow really brings them in.

We're now sure its a Cooper's,but two.The kicker is both an adult and a juvenile.They took three shots at grabbing birds at the feeders over the past hour.Very cool to see!!!!!!

You want something to do when you can't fish?Put out feeders,a water source and get set of binoculars.I'm absolutely hooked on backyard birdwatching!!!

You must have been in the"TWILIGHT ZONE" when you took those pictures. 8/1/08 [Aug.1,08] hasn't arrived yet. :shocked: :eek:

WTF , never noticed. That being said I am in the twilite zone most of the time

You must have been in the"TWILIGHT ZONE" when you took those pictures. 8/1/08 [Aug.1,08] hasn't arrived yet. :shocked: :eek:

P. is always waaay ahead of us, waaay ahead. :hihi:

So far ahead I'm coming up behind yeah

then this means......


that Paul has come full circle


eeee gads... :lama:

In addition to cardinals, yellow finches, chickadees, slate colored junkos, tufted titmice, nuthatches, starlings, purple finches, sparrows, red headed woodperkers, common flickers and one turkey.
During the spring we await the return of the Baltimore/orchard orioles.
I've made a number of simple birdhouses over the years, and we have a number of returning birds from a number of generations over that same timeframe. We love listening to the birds and by keeping them fed during the winter, they return the favor by revouring mosquitos by the truckload. If you have the chance, watch the sparrows during the nesting season, and you'll see them fly back to the nest/birdhouse with their beaks loaded with bugs for their young.

especially when you tell them they are related to dinosaurs

i often marvel at the way nuthatches hide seeds

similar to the way squirrels hide acorns


this one nuthatch would tuck a sunflower seed up under the roof shingles at each cut in the shingle until every space was occupied
for leaner times.... fairly ingenious if ya ask me...

when i find these huge wood eating grubs
as i split wood...
i take them and put them right into the log feeder
out on the back deck

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/wood-grub.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/logfeederworm.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/load-the-log.jpg
I waited like 5 minutes thinking a woodpecker was gonna get happy
then a titmouse grabbed it (the worm) and flew off before i could snap a pic. lol
he was a little faster than the man with the camera today :)

Craig you drinking tequila again

I love watching Bird

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFx9ZBlBUuc

at least....you'll have a close source of manure for your garden

for horse manure i bury it in trenches so that its

around 8 to 12 inches beneath the topsoil

that way, the non broken down weed seeds from the hay

the horses eat.... won't be able to germinate

My problem is keeping the dog out of it. She loves road apples

when i find these huge wood eating grubs
as i split wood...
i take them and put them right into the log feeder
out on the back deck

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/wood-grub.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/logfeederworm.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/load-the-log.jpg
I waited like 5 minutes thinking a woodpecker was gonna get happy
then a titmouse grabbed it (the worm) and flew off before i could snap a pic. lol
he was a little faster than the man with the camera today :)

Love that feeder. Those grubs would make tasty looking morsels for fresh water fishing.

years ago i used to get a flock of evening grosbecks at the feeders. I havn't seen any in the past few years. any of you folks still get them?

Still haven't been quick enough to get a pic of the hawk.

I seem to be having a grackle invasion the last two weeks.Seems kinda early for grackles?

years ago i used to get a flock of evening grosbecks at the feeders. I havn't seen any in the past few years. any of you folks still get them?

Geez, i haven't seen grossbeaks in years. When i was a kid the rose breasted grossbeak was quite common. Did have a flock of cedar waxwings at the grabapple tree early last spring for a few days.
We have 9 Bald Eagles wintering over at the resivoir this year. Something to see them swoop down over the open water.:D

i havent seem for a long long time

perhaps allot of their favorite habitat has been converted to track homes...
or as you call them here, neighborhoods.... and if i remember correctly they are berry eaters.

Great fun, BW, having breakfeast and seeing the regulars come, and from time to time a rarey

.

i'd call this Indigo Bunting a rarey i think...

been trying to photograph one for many many years

and today was the day.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/indigoBunting.jpg

Nice shot Rav. :btu: That sure is a rarey, last time i saw one was at least 30 years ago. One i could never forget.

The other rarey i haven't seen since that time was a rose breasted grossbeak, another i'll never forget.

my favorite part of this thread is when Raven said titmouse. hehehehehe...

tufted titmouse even. Rav my friend in NH gets lots of those but I have never seen one in my neck of the woods

Bumping

My Mother and Grandmother have been feeding the birds since I can remember and I never thought much of it. They are way into it - multiple feeders, feeds, birdbaths, etc. As I get older and started to appreciate things like this, I got into it over the summer (this thread actually helped when I read it way back when). Now, I am absolutely hooked.

I have gone through at least 10 feeders by trial and error to keep down the Jays and Blackbirds. Man they will wipe you out of feed. I have a great combination now of two feeders and suet and have now logged most of the common birds - Chickadees, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Goldfinch, Sparrows, Morning Doves, Tufted Titmouse, Blackbirds, and White breasted Nuthatch (one of my favs). It wasn't until the suet was added until I started to get Downy Woodpeckers (my new fav). A recent addition as it started getting colder are the Junco's.

Now today, we got our first Cooper's Hawk. Like Raven said it's windy and it is hanging tight right in the tree line ready to make a move. The smaller birds are very wary, but they are swinging in and grabbing food.

Wish we could still see Raven's pic's. Would also like to see other set-ups as well. I'll get one of mine up soon. This has been loads of fun, and I'm getting the kids into it. Nothing like watching the Chickadees stacked 10 deep waiting their turn to swing in - Air Traffic Control's got nothing on them.

Thanks Mom, Gram, S-B.Com :btu:

Chris,

We had our 1st hawk last year.Still not sure if its a Cooper's or a Sharpie as I've come to find out that Sharpie's are actually more common locally.Either way fascinating to watch that bird do its thing.Have yet to see it this year.

This was taken this week. Had a bunch of them come by for the day.
Plus the Carolina Wrens are living under my open back porch overhang again. They just sit on a ceiling joist with their head buried in the side of the wall and must think i can't see them. They are right out in the open. They don't even stir when I reach outside the door to get wood for the stove. Every nite as it gets dark they fly to the porch to sleep. They do it all winter long and for the last 10 years probably. I can't think they would be the same pair but pretty weird they do it in the same spot year after year. They are like pets now. Birds still haven't found my other feeder yet. Very crowded this morning. Heated birdbath is in my future, maybe for xmas.

BassWipe - BTW - Thanks for starting this thread. Based what you are saying, mine may be a Sharp Shinned one as well. I just looked it up. They do look alike, with the Cooper being the bigger of the two. I have a long way to go before I could tell the difference. It hasn't taken a shot at a bird yet when I have been watching - they definitely have attitude - pretty cool.

BassWipe - BTW - Thanks for starting this thread. Based what you are saying, mine may be a Sharp Shinned one as well. I just looked it up. They do look alike, with the Cooper being the bigger of the two. I have a long way to go before I could tell the difference. It hasn't taken a shot at a bird yet when I have been watching - they definitely have attitude - pretty cool.

Ours is at 3 shots 1kill,as far as I know.The kill that I saw was actually a pigeon out in the road in front of our house.Definitely the same bird though.

We also have a fish pond in the yard too.The combo of feeders and pond make for some great watching.

http://birdquest.tv/Page3.html
anyone seen this? its pretty cool.

First sighting today for what I believe are Winter Wrens. Up to 13 different types of birds so far. Want to add some hummingbird action this spring.

This? Got several of these all year round. Probably my favorite I get. Very loud bird. They sleep under my back porch on a rafter all winter. 3 of them huddled together. Been doing it for years but not sure they are the same exact birds each year,.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmysmith/2908920923/

Carolina wrens - my favorite. 2 are living under the eaves of my garage now and enjoying the seed and suet. Lots of woodpeckers and cardinals....and another favorite though quite shy and mysterious - a Northern Flicker. Think there are two of them.

Dave f18 musta snuck over to Clammers puter.... me thinks :bsod:

[/COLOR][/B][/I]

Nope///not this time......Thats all him..:1poke:

This? Got several of these all year round. Probably my favorite I get. Very loud bird. They sleep under my back porch on a rafter all winter. 3 of them huddled together. Been doing it for years but not sure they are the same exact birds each year,.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmysmith/2908920923/

Yes. I was tossing up between the Winter and Carolina version. With your picture, now I'm more convinced of the latter. A lot of activity today.

The last two days have been spectacular for bird watching when I've had time to look.You name the bird we've had it in around our feeders.The suet feeders have been very active.

Gonna head out and replenish the seed feeders and then kick back and watch till game time.

I love the bird watching at my house. Your best bet is to get a NE bird
calender, they list and have pictures on every month :grins:
Just pin it up near the window and you will be able to ID them easy

After last weeks storm we lost the tops on all the trees and I can hear the Hawks cry. Now what ? will they rebuild or move?

VB

Has anyone gotten Purple Martins? I understand all must be right with the world to attract them,let alone have them return.

I have tried for years. Put up a martin house 15 years ago and never had any luck. House is still there but the sparrows use it every year now. You really need to be near a water source, pond, from what I understand. It will keep them around. The golf course less than a 1/4 mile away has them but they also have water and cranberry bogs.

Damn, Been away all weekend!

Raven, Any way to get some of your pictures in this thread back up?

thats nice Jimmy ..

Saw a rat around the feeders today.Followed his trail to under my pond bridge.

Been patiently waiting to get a shot at him but no luck so far.

Its that time of year again.

I was surprised the last two days as a large blue heron has showed up at my fishpond,usually they're gone by now.He ain't getting anything because of the net.

Getting all the usuals at the feeders now.No hawk yet though.

realize that when its 14 degrees out and there's absolutely NO :point: Liquid WATER


add some warm water to the bird bath

they'll eat snow yes....but it chills down their core temperature
SUET right now is more important than SEED !!!

1.00 a square now at walmart

save your meat juices and let them harden in a coffee can
until they can be frozen ....then low-reheat and strain out the meat
scraps and pour it into a mold.... and then re-chill

fat is fat to a freezing Bird.

Its that time of year again.

I was surprised the last two days as a large blue heron has showed up at my fishpond,usually they're gone by now.He ain't getting anything because of the net.

Getting all the usuals at the feeders now.No hawk yet though.Just had a sharpshin hawk on a branch in the yard.run for the camera,changed lenses to a 400 zoom.......gone.It was watching the feeders and the bath water[plugged that in yesterday].Had a Coopers Hawk take out a squirrel the other day right under one of the feeders 20' from the house....Missed that one too,Damn.

I'm going to try and keep my pond running all winter this year. Today I installed a water spigot in the cellar with it's own hose so I can add water in the winter if it gets low.

Funny how water won't freeze if it's moving much at all.

Needless to say, the birds really love this. And the stream/waterfall/pond looks really cool after a good snowstorm!

-spence

Had a ONE LEGGED Downy woodpecker at the window suet feeder yesterday!!!
Little guy holding on and pecking away.
WTH, how is he able to climb trees with one leg. Talk about adaptability.

years ago -> maybe 15 years ago i was living in an upstairs apartment and he'd come each day....to a kitchen bird feeding station....

he was literally un afraid of me...and practically let me touch him...
man i used to spoil that bird...:grins:

it was there i noticed how clever nut-hatches were...watching this
one smart bird take individual safflower seeds and tuck them up under the roof shingles one by one where there's a little notch for a future stash.

but..........................

i know it's cold when the woodpeckers ultimately cooperate!!
and share the same suet feeder....i have a 4 banger cube out there right, hanging via coat hanger on a landing rope that goes 40 feet out to a big ole Blue spruce.... a 2x4 is nailed to the deck rail supporting the rope and i have a bark board rough cut pine stick (still has pine bark) screwed to it... so the red bellied wood pecker is on one side and the huge downy
(looks like a mini penguin) is eating on the other side. :uhuh:

realize that when its 14 degrees out and there's absolutely NO :point: Liquid WATER


add some warm water to the bird bath

they'll eat snow yes....but it chills down their core temperature
SUET right now is more important than SEED !!!

1.00 a square now at walmart

save your meat juices and let them harden in a coffee can
until they can be frozen ....then low-reheat and strain out the meat
scraps and pour it into a mold.... and then re-chill

fat is fat to a freezing Bird.

The fishpond does have a de-icer.It doesn't really warm the water all that much,it just keeps a hole in the ice and keeps my pumps from freezing up.The birds are able to get to water where it spills over from the top pond to the lower.

Got peanutbutter suet out in a couple of feeders.Have had a Downy Woopecker visiting those.

I'm going to try and keep my pond running all winter this year. Today I installed a water spigot in the cellar with it's own hose so I can add water in the winter if it gets low.

Funny how water won't freeze if it's moving much at all.

Needless to say, the birds really love this. And the stream/waterfall/pond looks really cool after a good snowstorm!

-spence

I added a de-icer two years ago.Haven't lost a fish over the Winter since.When it gets truly cold the fish will get right up against it. They're pretty cheap and don't consume all that much juice.

I added a de-icer two years ago.Haven't lost a fish over the Winter since.When it gets truly cold the fish will get right up against it. They're pretty cheap and don't consume all that much juice.

I've got one of those floating heaters to keep a hole open, seems to work well.

My bigger problem is water loss as the stream and waterfall are prone to ice up from splashing...

-spence

The feeders were very busy right before dark.Its gonna get COLD!

One of my pond pump hoses froze.Its damn good policy to run two smaller pumps in your filter than one larger one.

My guess is that when I plugged my deicer it was to much for the circuit and tripped the GFI and the more shallow of the two buried hoses froze.Can't figure out why this didn't happen the last two Winters.
Nothing new has been intro'd to the circuit.

A re-route of the heater cord fixes the heat issue.Hopefully we get some warmer weather soon.

Glad I saw this post as it reminded me to show you what I saw on Monday. I was out winterizing my boat finally as the weather was nice and mild and I saw the extended forecast with the arctic temps this week so I was doing my thing and I heard a very distinct bird call that I know very well but haven't seen since spring. Matter of fact I was hearing several of them. I look up and there are about 20 Bluebirds sitting in a tree above me. They were looking at one of the houses I have set out and they were also rooting thru my compost pile with the fresh table scraps, fruits, in there. I ran in and got my camera and got some good shots. I have seen them before this time of year in very large flocks. They are probably heading south but hang around a lot longer than I would have thought and they also come up north much earlier than I once thought too.


In the 3rd pic you can see a male and a female. They just finished checking out the bluebird house. Just a male in 2nd pic.

Here are a few in my compost pile and one on the fence, looks to be a female and a male sitting on the house. Hopefully they are far south by now as these temps this week were pretty harsh.

December 15th thru Christmas i have seen flocks of them
one time at my feeders and they were after suet droppings
from the pecker heads. but it's always like ............a one day event.

Nice P. We don't have them anymore due to the lack of open space and hedge rows.
I built 4 Bluebird houses for my son when he built his house in the country
and they were all occupied within a month. :)

One of my pond pump hoses froze.Its damn good policy to run two smaller pumps in your filter than one larger one.

My guess is that when I plugged my deicer it was to much for the circuit and tripped the GFI and the more shallow of the two buried hoses froze.Can't figure out why this didn't happen the last two Winters.
Nothing new has been intro'd to the circuit.

A re-route of the heater cord fixes the heat issue.Hopefully we get some warmer weather soon.

Mine is still running, but I left my net over the pond which caused the entire thing to really ice up in this cold weather. Also, my heater died so I had to get another today before the storm.

Pump is still going. About 95% of the pond, stream and waterfall are covered with ice...but it's still cranking underneath...which is pretty cool.

When I unfroze the bad heater today a few fish swam up to say hello, the water underneath wasn't even that cold. Assuming a lot of snow will melt into it and chill the water down a lot this weekend.

-spence

Mine is still running, but I left my net over the pond which caused the entire thing to really ice up in this cold weather. Also, my heater died so I had to get another today before the storm.

Pump is still going. About 95% of the pond, stream and waterfall are covered with ice...but it's still cranking underneath...which is pretty cool.

When I unfroze the bad heater today a few fish swam up to say hello, the water underneath wasn't even that cold. Assuming a lot of snow will melt into it and chill the water down a lot this weekend.

-spence

My boys are still pretty active considering the amount of ice.The deicer and moving water are huge in that respect.Having two pumps was the best advice I was given.

Nice pics Prof.

Had a crap load of Chicadees today.They even hung out with me while I was screwing around with the pond.

This is a pic of the one legged woodpecker I took this morning.
Right leg is missing, I'm sure he is happy having the suet to eat.
Pic not that clear as i had to take it through the window.

hafta take better aim...only blew one leg off...sites on the pellet gun musta been off...

LOL, ya way off, i was shooting at a squirrel. :D

This is a pic of the one legged woodpecker I took this morning.
Right leg is missing, I'm sure he is happy having the suet to eat.
Pic not that clear as i had to take it through the window.

you should pop that suet outta the plastic tray because the softer
easier to eat side is on the bottom ....

and yeah that bird looks like it was born without it.:confused:

With all the rain and warm temps the other pump is no longer frozen.

Now that the rain is done the birds are back with a vengeance today.

you should pop that suet outta the plastic tray because the softer
easier to eat side is on the bottom ....



Rav, i only leave one side open as it prevents the sparrows from ploishing it off in a day.
The good guys know how to hang on the open side and it will last a week or more.

i don't have a single common Sparrow

i have several red finches
a couple of song sparrows
(with the white and black striped heads)
also known as fox sparrows
quite a few cardinals mostly female
a wolf pack of blue jays(man do they eat)
20 or so Juncos
two morning Doves
and a wild grey cat that wants to eat them

around fifteen wood Peckers-
Hairy, Downies and Red Bellies and Nut hatches

typically around 50 birds live on my deck
i have 1/2 round bark Quonset hut's shelters
taken from logs i burn as they peel and or fall off

the 4x4 cube of suet sits over an old bird house
with a slanted roof that catches the "droppings"
from the suet so the Juncos land there with GLEE

the house itself prolly an old bluebird design......
is stuffed with seed which when seed gets real low
entices only the most intelligent of the crew
to stick their head in the hole and feast away. :)

but my best idea is the thinly cut slab wood
screwed to the uprights attached to the railing
that gives the pecker heads a landing pad
where they line up for their turn at the suet.

the bark is what they love because its perfect traction!
one thin strip of bark (about 2 inches wide)
i have screwed to
the outside of the slider to the deck so i can
watch the smaller downies from just 16 inches away.

the Barn cat who's almost as fat as Garfield now
has a grand time watching the Action for hours on end.

A pack of Starlings invaded today. I don't usually get these. Very cool looking - winter plumage. After reading up on them, it sounds as though they are pretty common.

they are a non native species common to England,
but when an ornithologist here in the states accidentally
had four of them "he was studying" escape in 1954 they
multiplied .........and now ..........
Flocks blanket Texas so thick
they literally block out
all satellite transmissions.

Are there any equivalent websites like this one for birding that are focused on the Northeast? Anyone subscribe to a good birding magazine?

Are there any equivalent websites like this one for birding that are focused on the Northeast? Anyone subscribe to a good birding magazine?

Searched Google (what else) for Birding in New England and came up with these reference sites, useful but not a bulletin-type board:

Common Birds of New England (http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Birds_Kamm_Kuss/Pages/PAGE_HOME.html)


Birding in Massachusetts (http://www.virtualbirder.com/vbirder/realbirds/rbas/MA.html)

Are there any equivalent websites like this one for birding that are focused on the Northeast? Anyone subscribe to a good birding magazine?

Chris, contact The Birdwatchers General Store in Orleans Ma., they will
have any publication you want. They have a web site too.

Rav, basically the same with the English sparrows we have. They used to be a ground bird eating the cheaper millet etc. but graduated to sunflower, niger and suet lately. They are worthless competing with all the good guys you have.
They are ugly, come in flocks, squawk, fight and eat you out of house and home.
:(

Oh BTW- spring is close behind :doh: we had a lost flock of Robins in the crabapple tree this AM. :)

the house sparrow was introduced here in the good ole USA via NYC and central park when 50 pairs were released in the 1800's. I hate them because they take the nesting spots from the native species.

the house sparrow was introduced here in the good ole USA via NYC and central park when 50 pairs were released in the 1800's. I hate them because they take the nesting spots from the native species.

along with robins

ROBINS

EAT all of my worms.... i want to make robin kabobs. :grins:

~
wild bird's unlimited has a pretty good bird magazine in their stores
and the last months issue is there usually free....glossy photos

great place for seed that's better quality than walmart crap...

but agway usually has the best prices....

Good info guys - Thanks all for the responses. Here is a discussion forum that I signed up for. Looks promising.

BirdForum - The Net's Largest Birding Community, Dedicated To Wild Birds (http://www.birdforum.net/forum.php)

Looks like the same engine as this site. About 90K members and the categories look well organized. There is even a state by state category.

Are there any equivalent websites like this one for birding that are focused on the Northeast? Anyone subscribe to a good birding magazine?

First thing I'd do is get a copy of a good (i.e. classic) field guide like this one...get a used one, they already have mojo :)

Amazon.com: Peterson Field Guide(R) to Eastern Birds: Fourth Edition (Peterson Field Guides) (9780395266199): Roger Tory Peterson: Books (http://www.amazon.com/Peterson-Field-Guide-Eastern-Birds/dp/039526619X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262441920&sr=8-3)

-spence

First thing I'd do is get a copy of a good (i.e. classic) field guide like this one...get a used one, they already have mojo :)



-spence

I have a copy of Peterson Eastern Birds with very little mojo, still looks brand new that I'd be willing to part with. I have several field guides which currently get very little use. I see that Amazon list new @$55. I'll part with mine for $40 (shipped) or $35 picked up/hand transferred.

Does anyone do life lists? When I last updated, I was at about 220 species. Use to watch birds much more when young (HS/college) than now but I do have feeders active and just checked: 8 different species at feeders in preparation for the storm.

you can have all the feeders you want but
you need to do some broadcast seeding also where you can.....

the birds respond to their environment too
so increase their FUN any way possible...

they like "sheltered spots" especially in this snowy weather

that's why i mentioned the Quonset huts made from pine bark.


for example:
just now after going out food shopping we noticed a sign
for FREE Christmas trees ....that did not sell b4 Christmas
and i grabbed two and tossed them into the back of my car

they are now out on the deck in my little Bird play ground
and instantly the birds Love hopping around under them.:buds:

Funny you say that Raven. Just took my xmas tree down and propped it up in the woods near the feeders. It's like a mini playground before they hit the feeders.

The guide I'm using now is Kaufman's Field Guide to Birds of North America - pretty decent. I'm always looking - I'm a sucker for guide books.

Audubon Field guides

Audubon Field guides

Got the Audubon Birds and Rep/Amphib, too. I think the Peterson is better.

Cold is really bringing the birds to the feeders today. Saw my 1st Red-Bellied WP (female) since putting out the suet about a week ago. Funny name for a bird that has no red at all on the belly! More appropriate would be a Redneck WP?

Bad news: starlings are zeroing in!

Bad news: starlings are zeroing in!

I find they spook pretty easy with a bang on the window
or a little starling/blackbird chase. :D
Man can they eat suet. :(

Feeder's are already jamming today.

Made a log suet feeder for the woodpeckers and added it to the station. Now it is the wait game. Made it like this (Duncraft), but with poplar.

saw a bunch of bluebirds this morning around the boxes again. i have heard they will bundle together in boxes in the winter cold nites. That may have been the case. They should be south as I would if I had wings

if we buy a roasted chicken somewhere like say Bj's for five bucks

the black plastic tray goes out there with the left overs

and they devour it like Piranha :uhuh:

My parents have a small army of woodpeckers coming to their suet feeder. Dog keeps the squirrels away. :hihi:

We just got a birdfeeder down here where I am now (Southampton LI) about 2 weeks ago and the birds have found it.
Had a Cardinal pair out there yesterday and the usual hundred thousand chikadees that have found it.

tufted titmouse is my most abundant, and a lot of cardinals too. Really missing the few Carolina Wrens we usually always have but have been absent this year, although they were around a lot this summer as they woke me up often. Squirrels have been scarce the last few years must be the coyotes.

Got the wrens over here! Titties = chicks but all outnumbered by common house sparrows. Got 3 regular Cardinals, boy are they territorial.

...Squirrels have been scarce the last few years must be the coyotes.

I think you got a point there. Squirrels have been scarce my way too. Coyotes were so close last night they woke us up. We typically hear them when we are up, but they never have woken us up -Freaky

I think you got a point there. Squirrels have been scarce my way too. Coyotes were so close last night they woke us up. We typically hear them when we are up, but they never have woken us up -Freaky

The real wackos are hunting them for food now? :rotf2:

Did anyone watch the Nature special on hummingbirds? Just finished on WGBH2, should show again. Great footage and several new learnings.

We've had lots of Wrens and Titmice here.The Downies have been absent around the suet feeders.

Haven't seen my Sharpie(hawk) yet this year.

The stupid Blue Heron is STILL hanging around!

maybe the presentation isnt right..........
for the smaller downies as i have both kinds
the bigger Harries cuz they have a brownish tuft of hair
between the beak and their head
it acts as a shock absorber when they rat ta tat tat
on a tree drilling it for bugs

i find they want a long profile to land ,survey, and approach
as they are very cautious with much bobbing and weaving to
make sure nothing has changed since their last visit.

the wife's been buying suet at Job lot about 7 cakes per week
so that their is several options available.
they seem to have a pretty good selection there
and the Nutties (i callem) nuthatches
and the smaller downies like the peanut suet...

nuthatches are quite fond of the smaller spanish peanuts
and like Cardinals favor safflower seed which looks
like a hulled sunflower seed except they are white.

Today the birds were (almost) the food: visit by a sharp-shined hawk!

Right now at dusk about 20 mourning doves doing their best at cleaning up the ground.

Playing with my VadoHD camera spying on the birds. First attempt nice shot of some mourning doves. Weird, the birds seem to know they are being filmed!

Doves.flv video by PRBuzz - Photobucket (http://s772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/PRBuzz/?action=view&current=Doves.flv)

Cool Cam. Shame you couldn't get some cards in the shot. I'd tak a Junco. Friggin Doves - Always in the way :D

Cool Cam. Shame you couldn't get some cards in the shot. I'd tak a Junco. Friggin Doves - Always in the way :D

Doves were first. Got Cards, Junkos, and at end of day a Song Sparrow. Here's the song sparrow.

http://s772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/PRBuzz/?action=view&current=SongSparrow-1.flv

Nice. You mostly ground feeding?

Nice. You mostly ground feeding?

I've got feeders but also spread mucho seed (premium mix: mullet, sunflower, and safflower plus thistle) on the ground.

Haven't heard yet the forecast of the groundhog, but the birds say Spring is near: large flocks of robins seen over the weekend and today the house finches have returned.

Don't let the robins fool you - there's always a bunch of them that stick around all winter, congregating in wooded or swampy areas. They'll come out and forage when the weather is decent and head back to the swamp when it gets nasty again. I don't know what they've been finding to eat in my backyard, but it sure can't be worms. The ground's hard as a rock. Guess they live on seeds, dried berries, etc. until it thaws.

Haven't heard yet the forecast of the groundhog, but the birds say Spring is near: large flocks of robins seen over the weekend and today the house finches have returned.

Mr Cardinal is making his 'Hey Babe calls too', gotta get all the new birdhouses up this weekend.

bitter sweet.... in the spring

those big narley vines that strangle trees
and make bright orangy -red berries
then they fly around and s h i t bitter sweet seeds
everywhere starting the whole process again for
future generations of robins.

Spring is surely around the corner: saw the 1st "TBuzz" soaring overhead .
Not sure why but we called them Turkey Buzzards vs. vultures in NJ. I think they are my 5,678th distant cousin, 5 times removed on the evolutionary family scale. No I am not related to "O"!

problem is ...the weather temps.... at least in my area
are flat lining.... wash dc is gonna get creamed on saturday
with deep snow ... and we'll see around six inches.

suet is .88/cake at Ocean State this week

i am just about out.....i even stuff two halfs of a cake
into the old bluebird house to thwart the JAYS (wolf pack)
for the little guys...

Great day at the feeder. Working from home today and gotta great view of the back yard and woods. A couple of additions to the site. Suet log feeder has been great. Nutty feedings have gone way up with this addition, with multiple peckers able to feed at once. Also, I have been throwing dry meal worms in two feeding cups the last few weeks. Titmouse (or mice?) were the only ones partaking until today. Got my first pair of Bluebirds ever - I was so pumped. Then an hour later behind the feeders on the edge of the woods, 7 deer come into view and decide to hang out awhile.

problem is ...the weather temps.... at least in my area
are flat lining.... wash dc is gonna get creamed on saturday
with deep snow ... and we'll see around six inches.

This is for FAIRFAX VA
This Afternoon: Snow. High near 32. East wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow and areas of blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 28. Blustery, with a northeast wind between 13 and 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 16 to 22 inches possible.

Saturday: Snow and areas of blowing snow. High near 29. Blustery, with a north wind between 17 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.


I am glad I left yesterday, not snowin alot right now down there though.

Titmouse (or mice?) were the only ones partaking until today.


Titmouse if your viewing one
Titmice if your viewing more than one

I forecast snow by the appearance of Juncos on the ground feeder.

No Juncos this morning, and even though forecasted, not a flake. :doh:

heck no
they flew up from Maryland to get out of the Blizzard

but ->while Braving the Jacuzzi yesterday
thinking about your lack of NUTTIES

this nuthatch is eating the fresh suet i put in the cube
so i started a Nut hatch sound .....err err err
and he 's lookin all around everywhere
ok who :point: SAID that !

and their eye sight and accuracy literally amazed me
because he dropped the teeniest little piece of suet
onto a christmas tree branch i have out there
and instantly he pecked it right back up in a half blink
of an eye like it was the easiest thing to ever do.

i was..... thinking , if only i could still see that well.
:doh:

Ya Rav nuthatches, at least i have one this winter without having
seen one since last spring.
Their eye sight amazes me along with that of owls, hawks, eagles and sea gulls.
Amazing how there will be working gulls so far out you can only see them
with field glasses and suddenly the gulls leave the beach to join them.
Prolly a combo of eyesight and hearing?

Getting every type of bird lately.No hawks yet.

N/E wind,flurries,suet cakes=Blue Birds.They don't seem to come around unless there's a storm a-brewin.4 Males 2 Females.

[QUOTE=justplugit;
Prolly a combo of eyesight and hearing?
[/QUOTE]

They work together and announce food sources...
and the dinner bell gets rung...

many times i have noticed when filling feeders
how the calls go out alerting others to the new cache.
~ when out in Cal....

one day i hiked way up into the mountains with a backpack
...my lunch and a quality twenty pound bag of bird seed
of a mixed variety
and carefully selected a spot... of smooth rocks and trees...
and not a single bird to be seen or heard anywhere.

the perfect conditions........

i carefully placed it in every crevice imaginable especially in trees
and then spread the rest out in the open in a circle then i ate my lunch
and took a short nap... and hour and a half passed and nothing was seen or heard.

Then one small Bird happened by...
and rather than just eat....it flew up higher in a tree and started calling
and that brought more birds and then more birds called....

soon there was more than fifty...of many different species
and they were having a ball and i listened as each type made there dinner bell call
bringing in more of the same.

I've been doing this type of experiments for my whole life.

Kewl stuff, Rav. :btu: But I still wonder how the gulls can see or hear
birds on bait 1/2 mile or further out. :huh:

well Eagles can see at around 1.5 miles so a gull seeing a half to 3/4 mile isn't so hard to believe
...but i'll never forget the day when i heard voices from a mile away... (of course i have exceptional hearing) they were coming from the opposite shore which was about a mile across so sound travels fairly easy across the water.

They work together and announce food sources...
and the dinner bell gets rung...

many times i have noticed when filling feeders
how the calls go out alerting others to the new cache.
~ when out in Cal....

one day i hiked way up into the mountains with a backpack
...my lunch and a quality twenty pound bag of bird seed
of a mixed variety
and carefully selected a spot... of smooth rocks and trees...
and not a single bird to be seen or heard anywhere.

the perfect conditions........

i carefully placed it in every crevice imaginable especially in trees
and then spread the rest out in the open in a circle then i ate my lunch
and took a short nap... and hour and a half passed and nothing was seen or heard.

Then one small Bird happened by...
and rather than just eat....it flew up higher in a tree and started calling
and that brought more birds and then more birds called....

soon there was more than fifty...of many different species
and they were having a ball and i listened as each type made there dinner bell call
bringing in more of the same.

I've been doing this type of experiments for my whole life.

what about the mushroom experiments

what about the mushroom experiments

Birds don't eat them....but the red squirells dry them on top of the pine branch bows...

one per hundred pounds body weight

Birds don't eat them....but the red squirells dry them on top of the pine branch bows...

one per hundred pounds body weight

your'e consumption?

Backyard annual bird count: anyone do this?

Welcome to GBBC — Great Backyard Bird Count (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/)

Very interesting/useful site. You can even get a listing of YOUR local birds to use as a resource.

i have many feeders and i always
broad cast it too
into the trees - into the christmas trees...

so the feeder shy birds can browse
the ground...

everything is a dozen or two...

that changes tho
based on quality of seed purchased.

your'e consumption?

2.25-3 same as Reindeer :grins:

New birdhouses go up tomorrow. It's time

i have discovered that birds prefer two things

(now that your done building them ) :rotf2:

one is two entrances ...or an escape hole out the back

and two.... the bottom on the house has to be curved

not flat.... harder to make -> YES... I know...

had bluebirds in the tree above my house yesterday

I have a group that is wintering in one of the courtyards at my school. They visit my feeders in the adjacent courtyard every day. Males are starting to get a little brighter it appears.

Saw a Northern Harrier the other day!

Anyone have any insight on Wood Duck boxes? I want to put one in a swamply little pond behind school with my kids. Was thinking of drilling through the ice and driving a cedar post down into the muck to mount it on. Would it be better to mount it on a tree? Thx.

I have a group that is wintering in one of the courtyards at my school. They visit my feeders in the adjacent courtyard every day. Males are starting to get a little brighter it appears.

Saw a Northern Harrier the other day!

Anyone have any insight on Wood Duck boxes? I want to put one in a swamply little pond behind school with my kids. Was thinking of drilling through the ice and driving a cedar post down into the muck to mount it on. Would it be better to mount it on a tree? Thx.

Wood ducks prefer it high up in a tree at around 15 feet up
saw a flick on the wood duck man.....that's all he does

quote:
he floor should be 10 x 10 inches wide, with a frontal depth of cavity at 21 inches. The height of the entry holes should run 16 inches with a diameter of 4 inches. If the box is close to the water’s edge it should be around 5 feet above it, or if over land, allow a height of around 15 feet.

Finally had a hawk show up yesterday!

Everytime I try to get a pic he takes off right before I can snap it.

Everytime I try to get a pic he takes off right before I can snap it.

I swear they KNOW when you filming/picture taking! I put out an HD video to capture them and don't they stay just outside the field of view. I go re-adjust and the birds move again upon return to the area that I had previously pointed.

If you leave it long enough for them to get accustomed to it I bet you can get some good pics.

My bluebirds outside my classroom window were really shy and would bolt when my students moved around the room. A month later the kids crowd the windows when the BBs come to the feeder, which is only 10' from the window, and the blues just ignore them.

Any idea what kind of hawk it is? Sharp Shinned and Coopers like to dine near feeders. Northern Harriers will come in as well. These 3 are tough to distinguish, so be super observant of the tail feathers and head.

Most likely Sharp Shinned. I've got one that dines.

Camera battery at one sitting is only good for about 45 min. due to the cold. Warm weather good for 2 hrs.

got a good size red tailed hawk sitting in big tree next door from my home waiting on squirrels going to my bird feeders.

Sharp shined just dined on what looked like a junko. Video cam was out but not looking in right direction.

Anyone else ever see one like this? She made it through her 1st winter, probably blended in!

Wonderbread...

Snow Cardinal....his dad must be a snowy owl? Molting to summer colors...

Just moved and finally have a place to put out some bird feeders. I want to get the feeders out soon in hopes that as they migrate back, some birds will take residence in the trees around us.

Suggestions on feeders and seed that they like the most?

Just moved and finally have a place to put out some bird feeders. I want to get the feeders out soon in hopes that as they migrate back, some birds will take residence in the trees around us.

Suggestions on feeders and seed that they like the most?

Go to Ocean State Job and pick up some single tube, squirrel proof feeders, a bag of black oil sun flower, a bag of thistle and a bag of premium mix. Couple suet cakes and holders, too.

I spread seed liberally on the ground besides the tubes. The junkos/finches really like the thistle but I've had mixed luck with thistle tube feeders so put on the ground.

Go to Ocean State Job and pick up some single tube, squirrel proof feeders, a bag of black oil sun flower, a bag of thistle and a bag of premium mix. Couple suet cakes and holders, too.

I spread seed liberally on the ground besides the tubes. The junkos/finches really like the thistle but I've had mixed luck with thistle tube feeders so put on the ground.

Sounds good. Thanks!

Make up a few birdhouses, JD. Most important is dimensions,
size of entrance hole and height you hang depending on the
species you want to keep around.

Anyone else ever see one like this? She made it through her 1st winter, probably blended in!

I showed these photo to a friend of mine who is a professor of biology at UMaine and her specialty is birds. (she travels world over studying different kinds) here is what she said:

wow! no, actually, I think it is a male...the bills seems too red to be a female. It may be a 'mosaic' of male and female parts (gynandromorph!)- a genetic/developmental condition where parts of the body develop one way or the other. Usually if birds have white feathers where they should'nt, they tend to have much more of it than this bird! And the non-white parts look like a mix of male and female. Where were photos taken?? good spotting on the photographers part!

Mek, thanks for the 411. Come to think of it, it was whiter and more female looking up to a couple of weeks ago.

Johnny, Ocean State is a good place for cheep seed (and those 'squirrel proof' feeders are $10 a pop, good deal), but watch out for thistle. As a kid my mom had thistle feeders and some of the seed took. Stepping barefoot on a thistle is not something you'll forget. I mix black sunflower with millet, Ocean State is/was somewhere around $20 for 50 lbs of black sun.

For your suet, the best holders are those lobster trap bait bags that litter the beach. I've got a stash, want me to drop some by Dan's? I'm headed down this week (and only 3 weekends until I open the cottage and get my feeders there going!)

Mike what have you been feeding that bird. I hope its part of your genetic research to rid of us those f****** seals. Its really cool to see freaks of nature, plus get a picture.

I wouldn't be too concerned about any seed taking hold unless they fall into an area where the birds can't get to it.
I agree with tube feeders (squirrel-proof if possible) and suet feeders.
As for seeds, I only put out two kinds. Black oil sunflower seeds for the larger birds and thistle for the smaller.
I would stay away from the "seed mixes" because those contain weed seeds. No,, the company isn't trying to put one over on you, it's just that one of the seeds included in these blends is millet, which is a weed in these parts.

I get a variety of suet mixes to see what they like best, but they like EVERYTHING, so it doesn't really matter.

A few more things to consider:
If you plan on putting up a few birdhouses, don't put them in the same tree as the feeders. Birds won't nest where they feed.
They may start a nest, but will abandon it once the area gets crowded with birds traffic.
As the weather gets warmer, you can also put out fresh fruit for the birds. Apple and orange halves speared on a small branch will do.
It works well for orioles when they arrive in a month or so.

One last suggestion would be to think about water, either a drinking or bathing setup. If you have a man-made pond, you would already know that birds NEED water as much as food.
Even a small bowl will do for thirty birds.

Good luck!

Here is my resident hawk. He hangs around all winter.

had a good size flight or redwings with a couple of grackles mixed in at the feeders this morning. may have one or two stragglers during the winter, a sign of spring to me when they start showing up in numbers.

I wouldn't be too concerned about any seed taking hold unless they fall into an area where the birds can't get to it.
I agree with tube feeders (squirrel-proof if possible) and suet feeders.
As for seeds, I only put out two kinds. Black oil sunflower seeds for the larger birds and thistle for the smaller.
I would stay away from the "seed mixes" because those contain weed seeds. No,, the company isn't trying to put one over on you, it's just that one of the seeds included in these blends is millet, which is a weed in these parts.

I get a variety of suet mixes to see what they like best, but they like EVERYTHING, so it doesn't really matter.

A few more things to consider:
If you plan on putting up a few birdhouses, don't put them in the same tree as the feeders. Birds won't nest where they feed.
They may start a nest, but will abandon it once the area gets crowded with birds traffic.
As the weather gets warmer, you can also put out fresh fruit for the birds. Apple and orange halves speared on a small branch will do.
It works well for orioles when they arrive in a month or so.

One last suggestion would be to think about water, either a drinking or bathing setup. If you have a man-made pond, you would already know that birds NEED water as much as food.
Even a small bowl will do for thirty birds.

Good luck!

Wow! Awesome tips. Thank you and everyone for the advice.

With the weather creeping a bit warmer, I think I'm going to head out to the shop this week and build some bird houses. We only have one or two trees in the yard and they're in the far back corner. Going to head to Home Depot and see what I can fasten up with steel poles to hold the feeders.

I'd like to put some water out for them but I'm concerned about standing water and mosquitoes.

One thing to be aware of when building birdhouses:
Every birdhouse can be plundered by other birds.
What I mean is that even if you build the house with the right size opening, if the house is left unoccupied it will be ransacked by the neighborhood equivilent of the local "gang".
Sparrows are my primary residents due to their bug-catching ability.
(If you get a mating pair in one of your houses, watch them after the young have hatched. They will fly back time and time again with beaks loaded with a multitude of local insects (mostly mosquitos).

Starlings like the challenge of widening the opening, but they don't stay in one spot for long, so soon many more species may check out the house because the opening is large enough for them to enter.

Last but not least are the squirrels. They will try to get at the sunflower seeds and the suet if they can.
They also will try and get into the birdhouses if they are big enough for them. (Note that they LIKE LOTS of insulation, so they will stuff everything including the kitchen sink into a house they have their eyes on.

Still, they are managable and shouldn't deter you in any way.

Starlings like the challenge of widening the opening, but they don't stay in one spot for long, so soon many more species may check out the house because the opening is large enough for them to enter.

(

FT, i found a good trick in prventing the "outlaws" from making the hole larger.
Epoxy a fender washer, drilled out to the the right size, over the opening.

Wow! Awesome tips. Thank you and everyone for the advice.

With the weather creeping a bit warmer, I think I'm going to head out to the shop this week and build some bird houses. We only have one or two trees in the yard and they're in the far back corner. Going to head to Home Depot and see what I can fasten up with steel poles to hold the feeders.

I'd like to put some water out for them but I'm concerned about standing water and mosquitoes.

Fences posts

One thing to be aware of when building birdhouses:
Every birdhouse can be plundered by other birds.
What I mean is that even if you build the house with the right size opening, if the house is left unoccupied it will be ransacked by the neighborhood equivilent of the local "gang".
Sparrows are my primary residents due to their bug-catching ability.
(If you get a mating pair in one of your houses, watch them after the young have hatched. They will fly back time and time again with beaks loaded with a multitude of local insects (mostly mosquitos).

Starlings like the challenge of widening the opening, but they don't stay in one spot for long, so soon many more species may check out the house because the opening is large enough for them to enter.

Last but not least are the squirrels. They will try to get at the sunflower seeds and the suet if they can.
They also will try and get into the birdhouses if they are big enough for them. (Note that they LIKE LOTS of insulation, so they will stuff everything including the kitchen sink into a house they have their eyes on.

Still, they are managable and shouldn't deter you in any way.

I've double layered some of my entrance holes to keep the vermints out
The best thing seems to be to clean it out as soon as you can after the young have left.

:)

Got some better pics of him and his dusky friends.

Old Grandad!!

He spent a solid 3 hours by the feeder during the snowstorm yesterday.

i didn't have birds in this shot.... because it was a camera test having just installed new batteries

but here is what i did ...i added an upright post to the deck railing
so i could screw on a piece of "pine slab with Bark" on it...

the Woodies love going up this.....(same as a tree to them)

i added an old bird house which is full of "shelled" sunflower seed....so its protected from the elements and its fun seeing the smaller birds going in an out....

i added old christmas trees...(free) too for shelter and i toss a few handfulls of seed into them...

have to get more suet today because they wiped it out already

Love this thread!

I alway notice birds where ever I am. Have most of the birds around that have been mentioned (never see blue birds though). I do get a flock of wax wings for a few hours in the fall (clean out the cherries from an ornamental tree), and also there are always a few phoebies around during the summer (back and forth to their nests all day).

A few years ago I got to go with my Uncle to tag the peregrines that live on top of the Fleet building in Prov. Awesome experience. We acted as "spotters" for my Uncle. The adult female would fly away and about 2 seconds later would be flying back at full speed (very fast, 180+ mph) in an attempt to claw his head and back. We'd call out, my Uncle would duck, and the falcon's claws would either miss or scrape off the top of his hard hat or jacket! The larger male just stood there watching and not caring. Very cool to see. He was heading to the Newport bridge after that but I didn't have it in me to climb out there!

He also tags the bald eagles that live in scituate, RI. every year. DEM rows him out to the island, he climbs a huge pine tree loaded with poison ivy vines and sits INSIDE the nest while he tags. The eagles just fly around and don't bother him while he is doing this. He's an interesting guy with a great job. These are the only two pics I have of him. He waited 18 yrs for a moose tag and drew one this past fall (he already said he will never do it again). The other is a 40+ inch bass landed on an 8wght. fly rod from the surf in Maine. The third picture is of a red-breasted hawk, the only one I have ever seen.

We're getting a woodpecker(downy) at out suet feeders.The house finches of the season have showed too.

The one thing I'm not looking forward to are thousands of grackles that roost in the huge pines in my neighbor's yard.They start EARLY and are very loud!

Northern Flicker today at the feeder (Red Spot on the back of the head - Yellow Shafted I beleive). First one I have spotted. Soft ground and wind slowly pushed over iron pole so feeders are at about ground level. Not sure if this is what attracted it or not. It's great when a newbie shows up.

Suet cakes disappearing rapidly with the starlings/grackles now having returned.

or observation...............

if you scroll up to my post where it says "get creative"
on the title

the picture attached shows an old birdhouse
that i had filled with black sunflower seed first
and then i cut a suet cake in half and shoved it in there
hoping to foil the wolf pack of bluejays and provide some
suet for the other birds during the blizzrd conditions that
were soon to follow. Having long been disatisfied with the cages
for putting out suet cakes because during the rainy weather
they eventually start getting covered in black mold...

this single act...(experiment) has made me re-think how
i'll provide suet in the future from here on out.

Every type of wood pecker,
nuthatch, and small bird has either leaned in or ventured inside to
get some suet cake that was completely out of the weather
and has outlasted the hanging cages by a long shot.

Raven, you get many Northern Flickers? I was reading that they prefer insects out of the ground.

I've lost most of my flickers to friggin robins not wooded enough.
i used to see them grubbin it in my front yard.

I've got one (some?) that frequent throughout spring/summer....they are welcome to as many grubs as one can eat! Not very wooded around here but keep seeing them. 1st of the season was a week or so ago.

i did have their nesting box taken over by a saw whet owl, that was very cool. 3" hole is very prone to inflitration

Raven, you get many Northern Flickers? I was reading that they prefer insects out of the ground.

not at this location...

an apparent lack of lawn grubs i'd imagine
but at my last one there was always two pairs of them
and they always worked this one particular spot

My neighbor who was the owner of the land there
asked me "hey Rav....what the hell makes all these holes?"
he was completely puzzled

YELLOW SHAFTED FLICKERS
i told him
you have a grub infestation :btu:

not at this location...

an apparent lack of lawn grubs i'd imagine
but at my last one there was always two pairs of them
and they always worked this one particular spot

My neighbor who was the owner of the land there
asked me "hey Rav....what the hell makes all these holes?"
he was completely puzzled

YELLOW SHAFTED FLICKERS
i told him
you have a grub infestation :btu:

Too funny. Their beaks look like they could do some damage. I'll have to be careful what I wish for.

I've got one (some?) that frequent throughout spring/summer....they are welcome to as many grubs as one can eat! Not very wooded around here but keep seeing them. 1st of the season was a week or so ago.

I've lost most of my flickers to friggin robins not wooded enough.
i used to see them grubbin it in my front yard.

Cool looking bird. I'll take'm over robins if I have to have grubs :hihi:

their call is heard from a mile away its so loud

one summer,,,i had them eating suet droppings

at the feeder zone on the ground....

having a row of those push in the ground
sheeper herder shaped black iron posts

BTW: I treat heavily to prevent grubs in the lawn but can't get every one. I do have a very good crop of night crawlers that should be appearing any day.......

BTW: I treat heavily to prevent grubs in the lawn but can't get every one. I do have a very good crop of night crawlers that should be appearing any day.......

my personal record for pulling them
was 320 in one hour

Flock of Bluebirds in the yard this morning.The only time they're around is when the weather is Nasty.3:1 males v females.

With 6+" rain and more falling, I think I hear the chickadees saying: "I wish I were a Bufflehead"?

Where are you guys placing your feeders? I'd like to put mine near or on the deck, but am concerned about the squirrels.

The squirrels will find and get to a feeder no matter where you put them! I do have one on a metal pole about 2-3 ft off the deck area.

i have a piece of aluminum square stock tubing that i will

use for the big one thats 8' tall ----

otherwise you need a good squirrel dog to
send them on their way.

Where are you guys placing your feeders? I'd like to put mine near or on the deck, but am concerned about the squirrels.

If your feeder is around your railing height or lower, I would moved it at least 6' away from the railing. If Squirrels are making suicide leaps at that length, keep moving. You'll know quickly. Just experiment and buy a squirrel baffle so they won't get you from below either.

dust that seed with some cayene pepper- works too

when it isn't raining... birds are immune to it

5 bluejays and a common grackle decided to show up today.

The resident red bellied woodpecker sent them packing off the feeder.

Grackles aren't a problem here (anymore... they were coming in in droves)

We've got a couple hawks that have decided my yard is a good place to get lunch.

Bluejays, finches, woodpeckers don't seem to be bothered by the hawks though?

Where are you guys placing your feeders? I'd like to put mine near or on the deck, but am concerned about the squirrels.

Get a bow, and look up the mepps squirrel tail program. :hihi:

What a horrible Spring for the birds.But then again our household is in complete disarray after the last week and the feeders really haven't been a priority.

Lotsa grackles sh!!ting on everything and of course robins but until we get are sh!t taken care of those are all I expect.

Hang in there BW. This to shall pass.

i was rather Astonished to LEARN....

i was taking apart a bird house i had set up for
chickadees i had in there last year to clean it out

so i could re -use it ......at my new place...
anxiously wanting to see the type of nest they make

and what did i find... nothing but greenish yellow moss
the kind that grows on streamside rocks...

no grass or small sticks like a typical birds nest
it was as soft as a tempurpedic bed too.

Certain birds prefer certain materials for nests.
I put out pieces of string, clumps of drier lint, cotton balls or anything that could be used to line a nest/birdhouse.
They will take whatever they can find.

As for Common Flickers, they are primarliy insect (ants) eaters.
Then again, ANY bird will eat suet during the winter because they ALL need fat/protein in their diet.

During the spring you should try sticking apple and/or orange halves in the same area where your feeders are. I stick mine on tree branches. These will attact the fruit eating birds. For me, it means Baltimore Orioles.

Nothing like hearing them fighting/squawking over nesting territory, an seeing those bright orange kamikazi's whizzing around the neighborhood. They are loud and fast, plain and simple.

there's nectar feeders for Oriels too
all good tips TIM

I am gonna try that

i've had more Birds (or sucess) come to my feeders that had suet
in them than just different types of seed.

Even Oriels... and Bluebirds will eat the droppings....

i have a wood pecker tree now meaning they have already started drilling it where the inner wood is soft so i take my suet cake and smear it or MASH it right in there ...especially any small crevice or hole.
this is the equivalent of them finding a wood grub, a highly soft after prize.

I also re attached my old bluebird house there and screwed it on right where a limb had been sawn off years ago.
it is full of black oiled sunflower seed and suet cakes i sawed in half
with a long serated knife and then i shoved them in there.

Soon i will have every concievable wood pecker , nut hatch,
tuffed titmouse , brown creeper ect. coming around.

I had a chickadee yesterday four feet from my face
just happier than can be because of all the seed i just put out.

He's goin: CHICK a dee dee to me... so i'd say it right back to him
"in my best impersonation" trying mainly to have the timing off the "notes exact" as i have practiced this for years.

this made him even friendlier and it was blowing his mind and
he was reacting in such a cool way as if to say "wow" this guy (human)
is talking to me in my language :uhuh: ...and he'd kind of jump on
the grape vine there and grab at it with his beak.

It was fun to watch his/her reaction. "I know when they know" and i'll settle for nothing less than them eating out of my hand someday.

I bought ten packs of Russian Mamoth sunflower seed and i will
grow a forest of them where right now its just a narley tangle
of vines then i'll dry the huge heads for winter. Plus i bought
the red variety for the different color.

Right After the birds......
yank out the striped seeds out of the seed heads the holes left behind make the most perfect place to put "hulled" sunflower seed
which is a bit pricier.

it's a bit tricky to dry them so they'll stay flat
and and not get moldy on the back side

so this year i'll make a large clamp style wood frame specifically for that purpous and find a dry place in the green house
to speed up that process.

One reason i get into this is because...you can be having the MOST crappiest day where everything possible seems to be going wrong :wall: and your JUST mad as hell in General...

and then one of these Happy ,totally cheerful little birds make it all melt all away in a single moment and you forget all about it.:uhuh:

Wish the sun was shining for these pictures! Yellow shafted flickers. Got 2 pictures in flight trying to show the yellow shafts. Note in the last picture with the telephone pole there are 2 Hairy woodpeckers probing for a meal on the pole, the flicker is lower right quad.

The Red belly Wood peckers already found the suet
i smeared into their drill holes and are now going to be
a regular customers aound here.

Also when i was working upstairs on moving boxes i can see
on the suet below the Larger Downies eating plus goldfinches
have found the small feeder outside the bathroom window.

So Everything! is going according to plan :btu:

nic pics Phil just the same

No more suet for me until Winter, the starlings and grackles eat a block a day!

No more suet for me until Winter, the starlings and grackles eat a block a day!


nope i run suet until it wants to melt then i throw it into a shopping bag and chill it up for rainy days...

i will be building several more bluebird house style feeders to
insert half blocks into it because it lasts longer.

Wish the sun was shining for these pictures! Yellow shafted flickers. Got 2 in flight trying to show the yellow shafts. Note in the last picture with the telephone pole there are 2 Hairy woodpeckers probing for a meal on the pole, the flicker is lower right quad.

nice, I miss them

good get

Just had my first ever witnessed red winged blackbird visit the yard...

Just had my first ever witnessed red winged blackbird visit the yard...

Can never forget their call. When i would go to my uncle's farm
they would sit on the cattails down near the stream at dusk and sing, pumper- neal.
The red on their wings is brillant against the black body.

That song brings back some great memories of much simpler days. :)

We don't get many around here...

But one day.

I was cycling in south Tiverton. And happened upon a field with at least a hundred red wing blackbirds all on the ground in a field.

Very strange sighting. There must have been some odd food source that presented an opportunity.

-spence

Really noticed the birds today. I was working on my boats today and I have a pair of Bluebirds in a box 10 feet away. The male was coming and going from the box all day with insects and my close proximity didn't seem to bother him. The cat siting on top of the box pissed him off but a rock chased my daughters cat off. I also had an Oriole in tree above me all day and also had a Carolina Wren swing by for a while too. I luv those Wrens but they do tend to be pretty loud early in the morning. Oh yeah the mosquitoes were pretty bad as the sun went down.

I was fishing in Canton yesterday in my kayak, and one errant cast of a topwater plastic shad (black & white) landed in a dead tree branch at the waters edge. A pair of chickadees in the adjoining tree must have thought it was another bird, because they kept flying over to it and chirping up a storm, trying to drive it away.
Once I retrieved my lure, they quieted right down.

I also had an Oriole in tree above me all day and also had a Carolina Wren swing by for a while too.

Oh man P. how i miss the orioles. With all the Elm trees just about gone and
my neighbor taking down her linden tree, I haven't seen one in years. :(

cow birds are the dumbest or boldest birds i've ever seen
been hanging around lately (i aM NOT a fan of them)

they are black with a brown head

i hung out all the bird houses and a few are getting regular visits
even a double handled basket over a branch and a half coconut got hung...

i inverted the lids on my rubber made trash cans to make improvised bird baths and they are being used allot.

Cowbirds are a destructive bird. They will lay their eggs in other birds nests and their eggs hatch first, which allows the chicks to push out the other chicks and eggs and get the nest to itself.
In some wooded areas they are helping wipe out the native bluebird populations by having the bluebirds raise cowbird chicks, thus reducing the number of bluebirds every time they nest.

I love watching the birds when they are "courting" a potential mate, and also when they are feeding their fledglings.

Turkeys like black oil sunflower.

Just so you all know.

Oh man P. how i miss the orioles. With all the Elm trees just about gone and
my neighbor taking down her linden tree, I haven't seen one in years. :(

Hey Dave. That sucker is still there. I can here him right now as I type. Also got my usual few catbirds too. One that has taken up residence has got quite a few cool calls. They are right behind the mocking bird in the amount of calls they can do. I some times find myself yelling at the catbird to shut the heck up as they go on forever one call after another and gets on my nerves sometimes:)

My oriole pair is back, hear them but haven't yet seen them. Want to get a photo. I've had them nesting in the back as long as I can remember. I have not launched a search for their characteristic basket nest.

Good area resource (just type in zip code) and see nice pictures of your local birds:

Bird Identification Tool - Scotts Miracle-Gro (http://www.scotts.com/smg/solve/problemSolver/birdfinder.jsp?startWizard=bird_wizard&navId=11400024&parentId=100006&navId=11400024&parentId=100006)

From Scotts lawncare.

...or get a pair of binoculars and spend some time watching your back yard. If you put out different types of birdfood, in different feeding stations, you will attract a vast variety of birds to your yard.
Remember that not all birds eat the same food and eat in the same manner.
While some birds like woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees, orioles, and nuthatches eat ONLY in the tree at a hanging food station (seed, suet or fruit) others like jays, cardinals, mourning doves, juncos, grackles and starlings are primarily ground feeders that feed on dropped seed, suet, fruit and also insects.
There are some that feed at both levels, depending on what they are looking for and is available.

Don't forget a birdbath, or some source of water for drinking and bathing. One thing that will constantly draw birds to your yard is a steady supply of water.

Get out there and start watching!

...

Don't forget a birdbath, or some source of water for drinking and bathing. One thing that will constantly draw birds to your yard is a steady supply of water.

Get out there and start watching!

They also like the sound of moving or dripping water.
If you put the bath under a tree and rig a small drip irrigation
hose above the bath and let it drip, they will come.

They also like flying thru a spray on hot days, but that uses a lot of water.

because the wind storm here is massive
today....

but it's time to make the Humming bird mix
and set out the 5 feeders on my front porch

Don't forget a birdbath, or some source of water for drinking and bathing. One thing that will constantly draw birds to your yard is a steady supply of water.

Get out there and start watching!

Absolutely.My fish ponds are my main attractant during the warmer months.We generally don't even fill the feeders after this time of year other than the Hummer and Oriole feeders.

If anyone is considering a birdbath make sure its big and deep enough to put some type of small pump/circulator in.Otherwise its just another source of standing water that you'd have to change every day to avoid 'squitos.

I put a small pool just above my waterfall and the birds love it.

-spence

Just spotted my first Hummer of the year!

What a cool bird.He hung out for awhile too.Jane and I very much enjoyed watching it.

Just spotted my first Hummer of the year!

What a cool bird.He hung out for awhile too.Jane and I very much enjoyed watching it.

Nice. My nectar/sugar water feeders went up last Friday. Haven't seen one yet. They might freeze tonight!

best humming bird feeders are at walmart because they completely
come apart for washing out the lil black bugs and GUNK
that clog them up and they're inexpensive

tonight it goes down to 32 degrees here
tomorrow i hang five hummer feeders on my front porch

1st hummer showed up on the 8th.Right on time.I have lobster bait bags that washed up on the beach filled with dog hair.The hummer was interested in the hair and not the feeders.Each morning they take the hair for about 30 mins. then don't them the rest of the day.

Because the CEDAR log bird house i put up
is now claimed by a wren who's singing like crazy

it looked like it was made on a lathe, the
way it was hollowed out inside then it has this
cool rice paddy hat of copper or metal

i'm out in the back yard watching this "to fast to film wren"

this is his new Home

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/WRENhouse.jpg

and these little dudes were blue eggs last week or so
they'll be tweetin for worms soon

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/robin-babies.jpg

Nice. My nectar/sugar water feeders went up last Friday. Haven't seen one yet. They might freeze tonight!

It was just back now.I'm assuming its the same bird.

step1 -> buy a freakin COCO nut LOL

2. puncture coconut on black holes (there's 3 and drain c-nut milk)

3.when empty :point: hold coconut in right hand with the three holes
at a 90 degree angle from palm and SMACK it on concrete
to make the semi- clean spiral crack

or cut it with your freakin ban saw.... i don't have one

power tools ruin the meat... i think

4. carefully run a sharp knife on the inside and make roads
to pry out with a butter knife.... a dangerous JOB
don't try this at home LMAO

5 . drill holes in shell

6. hang in a pine tree....fill with seed...
make sure drain holes are at bottom to prevent it from
holding water or seed will go moldy on ya

7. take picture :grins:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c66/ravenob1/coconut.png
and yes ....i do have way to much time on my hands :rotf2:

For only the 2nd time since I've been in my house (25yrs) had a bird kamakazee into my front picture window, too bad it was yellow shafted flicker. Scared my daughter to death since she was sitting right by the window.

so i installed a bracket for hanging plants outside
and put a bird feeder on it
that
the other birds prevented the mirror image scenario
from happening

For only the 2nd time since I've been in my house (25yrs) had a bird kamakazee into my front picture window, too bad it was yellow shafted flicker. Scared my daughter to death since she was sitting right by the window.

guess it really got the shaft this time. :hihi:
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Had a Cedar Waxwing this morning,been quite some time since I've seen one.Very cool looking bird indeed.

Hummingbird feeding station. Got these small nectar holders at Lowes, each hold about 4oz each. Recently seeing activity at the feeder for the female ruby throated but haven't yet seen the male.

you guys are really disgusting

Hummingbird feeding station. Got these small nectar holders at Lowes, each hold about 4oz each. Recently seeing activity at the feeder for the female ruby throated but haven't yet seen the male.

you don't need the red stuff - 4 part water 1 part white sugar.
it's best to have several seperated as they always seem to buzz each other, I never get more than 1 at a time at a feeder. Males are around I have them, you'll get them, Raven probably has some ideas too

well, when ya put them all in a row
the males plays aviator and chases off all rivals

put them on four corners of the house
and you feed more different birds

because the male can't be every where at once
and picks One (basically) as a favorite
that has the best perch up high in the tree.

I decided to build a walk in bird feeder
where i can be working on food production......
and be sitting there enjoying the show

i intend to have very small holes, 1" or so mesh
for wrens, chickadee's ...you know..
the little guys to get the "caviar" i call it
choice blend of seed just for the ultra tame ones

i have many, many Russian mammoths to be planted :confused:

you don't need the red stuff - 4 part water 1 part white sugar.
it's best to have several seperated as they always seem to buzz each other, I never get more than 1 at a time at a feeder. Males are around I have them, you'll get them, Raven probably has some ideas too

+1.Red not needed.

Another great Summer attractant is a buttetfly tree and a thistle seed feeder.We get tons of birds including a Sharpie that likes to feed on those at the feeders!