Backyard bird watching

[PRBuzz]

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

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

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.

[spence]

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

[ProfessorM]

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.

[FishermanTim]

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.

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

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.

[Raven]

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.

[FishermanTim]

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.

[likwid]

Turkeys like black oil sunflower.

Just so you all know.

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by justplugit

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

[PRBuzz]

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.

[PRBuzz]

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

Bird Identification Tool - Scotts Miracle-Gro

From Scotts lawncare.

[FishermanTim]

...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!

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

...

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.

[Raven]

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

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

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.

[spence]

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

-spence

[Raven]

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

[saltfly]

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.

[Raven]

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



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

[PRBuzz]

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.

[Raven]

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

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

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.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[basswipe]

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

[basswipe]

Just spent 20mins looking for the Gdamn camera while a JET BLACK robin was drinking from my pond!!!

That's oh such more rare than an albino!The damn thing spent 20 mins at my pond as I tried as quitely to run like a maniac thru the house looking for the %$%$%$%$ing camera!

Camera wasn't where it was supposed to be!PISSED!!!!!!!

[Raven]

Originally Posted by basswipe

Just spent 20mins looking for the Gdamn camera while a JET BLACK robin was drinking from my pond!!!

That's oh such more rare than an albino!The damn thing spent 20 mins at my pond as I tried as quitely to run like a maniac thru the house looking for the %$%$%$%$ing camera!

Camera wasn't where it was supposed to be!PISSED!!!!!!!

the chances of him not returning are remote
so NOTE the time of DAY and pick the best place
to snap a picture beforehand...... and get set up

[Raven]

gee that woulda made you rich

if you got .0000001 cents per million that is....

check out this all black freak of Nature

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by Raven

gee that woulda made you rich

if you got .0000001 cents per million that is....

check out this all black freak of Nature

There's a black whitetail deer on Prudence Island...or there was.No one's seen it since it was first spotted several years back.

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by Raven

the chances of him not returning are remote
so NOTE the time of DAY and pick the best place
to snap a picture beforehand...... and get set up

Did so.Camera is at ready.Sitting and waiting.Laptop is at the back window.

At first I thought it was just a blackbird and then I looked closely and thought that "geez that kinda looks like a robin".Then it opened its mouth...it was a robin!Jet freakin black!

[PRBuzz]

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.