Backyard bird watching

[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.

[WoodyCT]

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.