Backyard bird watching

[Raven]

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

[ProfessorM]

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

[thortum]

Originally Posted by Raven

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




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.

[redcrbbr]

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?

[basswipe]

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?

[justplugit]

Originally Posted by redcrbbr

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.

[Raven]

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.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by justplugit

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.

[justplugit]

Nice shot Rav. 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.

[zacs]

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

[ProfessorM]

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

[Chris in Mass]

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

[basswipe]

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.

[ProfessorM]

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.

[Chris in Mass]

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]

Originally Posted by Chris in Mass

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.

[nightprowler]

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

[Chris in Mass]

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.

[ProfessorM]

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/

[mekcotuit]

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.

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by Raven

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

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

Nope///not this time......Thats all him..

[Chris in Mass]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

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.

[basswipe]

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.

[vineyardblues]

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
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

[joe the plumber]

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

[ProfessorM]

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.

[Chris in Mass]

Damn, Been away all weekend!

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

[Tagger]

thats nice Jimmy ..

[basswipe]

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.

[basswipe]

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.