Bird Watchers

[Unforgiven]

My feeders are close to my window, it gets really loud some days! The dogs pretty much don't bother the birds but they do love a good squirrel chase.

LOL, I have a large spruce in my front yard (75' tall) and the birds shuttle back and forth between that and the feeders. Well, the Christmas tree in the picture window has confused a few and I've had a couple of 'whams.'

 

[lunatic59]

And I'm sure those same birds have left their 'comments' on your truck ... right after you've washed it.

 

[Unforgiven]

And I'm sure those same birds have left their 'comments' on your truck ... right after you've washed it.

Actually, worse. Some of the woodpeckers have decided they would like to nest in my eaves as the food is so close. Since there are no holes they attempted to make their own. I had to add some shiny spinny stuff to discourage that.

 

[no one]

When I am driving, I often flip the bird. Does that count?

(At least from the other driver's perspective)

 

[Unforgiven]

When I am driving, I often flip the bird. Does that count?

(At least from the other driver's perspective)

No.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

I haven't seen any turkeys in Boston this year.

 

[zuben el genub]

Another new visitor to my feeders. A Northern Flicker (female). Holy smokes is she fat.

Just watch out if a male is around. They drum during mating season and anything is fair game. They usually get our chimney cap.

They are also destructive to wood. They started pecking on the wood trim on the house and annoyed the Vulcan. We put up plastic drop cloths on the trim. He found a metal shop that would make trim in the same color as our wood. He bought that. Stopped them from pecking on the trim.

 

[zuben el genub]

I use a pre-made sugar solution sold in a bird store for hummers. (not that red powder) You mix it with water. I only feed the hummers in the fall. I don't see many in the spring. We have mostly Broadtails and you can hear the males. I haven't heard very many. Used to have loads of them in the foothills.

I get 3 varieties of doves. Eurasian Collared (pests) White Winged, and Mourning. The Collared and the White Winged hang around in the winter.

The Juncos, White Crowned Sparrows and the Towhee have learned to use the flat feeder on a post. We had to put it out of the squirrel's and deer's reach.

 

[Clementine_3]

not that red powder

I don't even know why that's made and sold, it's not good for the little fellas. I just use regular sugar and tap water, they seem to like it. I get a few migrating through in early spring then a few that hang out all summer then a few more on the way back out of town. I get a kick out watching them, silly little nuts.

I don't feed the other birds in the summer, figure there is plenty for them to find on their own. They do get cranky when I take the feeders down in spring, they sit on the pole and yell at me. They also let me know when they think it's time to put them back up in the fall.

 

[Clementine_3]

Had a Sharpie on the prowl most of the afternoon, pretty sure he got someone. They are cool birds.

 

[lunatic59]

Too warm here for much activity. I like late September best when the raptors start migrating. We also have nests of turkey vultures in the woods behind our house.

This is pretty much the guest list.

https://www.hawkmountain.org/raptor...wk-species-at-hawk-mountain/page.aspx?id=2879

 

[Clementine_3]

One of these falls I'm going to go on a migration watch. But brrrr on the mountain! I do go to our local mountain to watch them, mostly broad wings and both vultures. We have a bunch of year round bald eagles now, they are seriously cool.

 

[lunatic59]

Yep ... Nasty SOB's but cool.

In the spring on the return migration we get redwings and peregrines that are always on the lookout for those little baby bunnies (at least the ones the owls don't get) and I am always amazed at the smaller local birds attacking them in squadrons when they get too close to the nesting areas.

 

[zuben el genub]

Sharpie got an Eurasian Collared Dove and dropped the carcass right in front of our car.

 

[lunatic59]

I'm always finding little "treasures" left by what I am assuming are the owls in the woods. Mostly small animal intestines and a foot or two.

 

[lunatic59]

Speaking of owls ...

 

[Member243850]

We tried a statuette of a heron as a kind of scarecrow. Didn't even slow them down.
View attachment 113752

Wow... that is one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen...

Reminds me of Japan slightly... I love the Japanese

Wow the Northern Hemisphere looks absolutely gorgeous!

I love birds

So sweet wow what a lovely garden.

 

[Clementine_3]

Starlings. I hate starlings, maybe even more than I hate house sparrows (it's a tie really). There was just one on the suet feeder. I hate them. Friggin' starlings.

 

[lunatic59]

Do you get grackles? They're just plain mean.

 

[Clementine_3]

I don't mind them, I don't get a ton of them but they do stop in. They come and check everything out but don't stay in the yard.

 

[lunatic59]

So you're just against the 'squatters'.

 

[whitehat]

This was taken on the last sunny day (27th) we had. The second guy is actually looking for bugs. The temp actually rose to the 50's F. The little guy is a Black-cap Chickadee coming in for a peanut.

 

[Clementine_3]

I wouldn't mind that in my yard.

 

[Clementine_3]

Shhh, there's a Red Tail hawk taking a nap in the tree. Love them.

 

[lunatic59]

This was taken on the last sunny day (27th) we had. The second guy is actually looking for bugs. The temp actually rose to the 50's F. The little guy is a Black-cap Chickadee coming in for a peanut.

View attachment 114148

I wouldn't mind that in my yard.

Me neither, although I think the dogs would enjoy it more.