Backyard bird watching

[Raven]

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.

[2na]

suet is .88/cake at Ocean State this week

[Raven]

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...

[Chris in Mass]

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.

[striperman36]

Originally Posted by Raven

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.

[PRBuzz]

Backyard annual bird count: anyone do this?

Welcome to GBBC — Great Backyard Bird Count

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

[Raven]

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.

[ProfessorM]

had bluebirds in the tree above my house yesterday

[WoodyCT]

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.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by WoodyCT

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.

[basswipe]

Finally had a hawk show up yesterday!

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

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by basswipe

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.

[PRBuzz]

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.

[HESH2]

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

[PRBuzz]

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

[2na]

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

[Chris in Mass]

Wonderbread...

[mekcotuit]

Originally Posted by 2na

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!

[2na]

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!)

[Big D]

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.

[PRBuzz]

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

[JohnnyD]

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?

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by JohnnyD

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.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

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!

[justplugit]

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.

[Chris in Mass]

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.

[PRBuzz]

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

[Raven]

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.

[Chris in Mass]

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

[striperman36]

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