Today at the feeder (1 Viewer)

[snowyowl]

Not much to say in rely to your post. Just hang in and hope more birds will eventually start to use your feeder.

 

[DragonHeart]

Both downys came to the feeder again; the female in particular seems to be coming more and more often, three or four times a day.

I also hunted around a bit and found the finch sock. I'd assumed it fell off the shed and was just buried in the snow, but it turned out to be in the bottom of the tote where we keep the seed mix. I guess my mom put it away for some reason. So I filled it and hung it on the main feeder station for now. The wind does tend to wobble it more than a normal feeder so I used a rubber band to keep it from sliding off the hook.

I highly doubt anything will find it today though, what with all the wind. I heard a lot more birds outside than I have in a long while, so there's hope yet. Tomorrow I'll go shopping, see what I can find to improve the range and amount of food I can provide. A few birdhouses too maybe, if I can find what I want.

~DragonHeart~

 

[amkid247]

today both the male and female northern flickers made another appearance, still they are together and communicate with each other on the same branch. i recently learned that i have 3 white breasted nuthatches, and 2 red breasted. im assuming theres a fourth whitey b/c pairs seem to be popular with the birds here.

 

[SixxStar]

Recently I have had about 13 male & female cardinals in the yard at the same time. I also had 3 chickadees (haven't seen one since last winter) & the downy is back. There is a male & female, but the male is the one who usually comes to the yard when I am out there...along w/the regulars (sparrows, finches, etc)...

I took this pic yesterday (I really need a new/better camera), I believe it was a sharpie. I saw blood & remains of a sparrow in the yard, looked fresh too. So I hung around to see if it would return & it did. Despite my best efforts to protect my songbirds, it swooped down into the alley behind my garage & came right back up w/a starling (?). It stopped onto the garage roof for a quick moment & then flew away w/his lunch. I snapped this pic pretty quickly, even though I was in amazement of seeing it in action. I tell myself, it's the circle of life, but I hate to see the birds I feed become snacks.

 

[amkid247]

eh it was a starling i wouldnt mind lol

 

[David Smith]

Siskin in my garden (North West)

2 Siskings appeared at our feeding station yesterday. Weather was a bit dark so photo is not the best but thought I would share it.
It's funny but (being relatively new to this) I sometime look at a Greenfinch and think "is that a Siskin" but when you do see one they are so distinct. Mind you it was only lst week that I found out they are winter visitors.
Just thought-I hope it is a Siskin??

 

[snowyowl]

2 Siskings appeared at our feeding station yesterday. Weather was a bit dark so photo is not the best but thought I would share it.
It's funny but (being relatively new to this) I sometime look at a Greenfinch and think "is that a Siskin" but when you do see one they are so distinct. Mind you it was only lst week that I found out they are winter visitors.
Just thought-I hope it is a Siskin??

Certainly seems to be. Siskins have the streaks on the side whereas Greenfinches don't.

 

[Duke Leto]

:t:Had my 1st Siskin in my garden today

 

[cavan wood]

.... I tell myself, it's the circle of life, but I hate to see the birds I feed become snacks.

I think of it as feeding ALL the birds. It's just that some of the seeds get processed into higher grade protien first. I look forward to seeing the sharpies and coopers taking advantage of my yard. Also, ask yourself, does the bird population in your area benefit overall as a result of your feeding efforts? I'm guessing yes.

I think your bird is a sharp-shinned hawk based on the size of the starling, but it's hard to tell with the dark photo.

Scott

 

[SixxStar]

Sooo... you're saying that standing in my yard waving an empty milk gallon at the hawk in frigid temps is totally unnecessary then? :-O Seriously though, I understand what you're saying, thanks.

Here's another pic of the hawk... it's was also kind of dark, so I tried to make it a bit brighter.

 

[DragonHeart]

My usual visitor, the female downy today. Didn't see anything else, but I was out of house for most of the morning and early afternoon, so I probably missed the male. On the bright side, finally got my bank issues sorted so I can get back to the important things, like restocking on seed. I hope my improved feeding station will start attracting birds - while driving through the neighborhood I looked at everyone else's feeders and noticed a trend - they were all empty! I also noticed that no one else offers suet, which may be why the woodpeckers hang out in my yard so often.

Original setup: a single tube feeder with the basic store junk mix and a suet cage.

New setup: two tube feeders and a large (supposedly squirrel-proof) 3 lb capacity feeder, all stocked with a sunflower/safflower mix, a finch sock with thistle, and two suet cages, one with a seed mix and the other with a berry mix.

I'd planned on picking up at least one birdhouse as well, but I didn't see any that I liked while out shopping today. I know it's not common for them to use one, but I'd really love to encourage the downys to make a home in a nestbox nearby. I just need to find one suitable for them.

~DragonHeart~

 

[cavan wood]

Sooo... you're saying that standing in my yard waving an empty milk gallon at the hawk in frigid temps is totally unnecessary then? :-O Seriously though, I understand what you're saying, thanks.

Here's another pic of the hawk... it's was also kind of dark, so I tried to make it a bit brighter.

Hey, that's not a sharpie or a cooper's. That's a male american kestrel (a falcon) and when I lightened your first photo I can see the red in the wing there as well. I'm ipressed that this little guy can even take a starling. You are very lucky indeed. I've only ever seen am. kestels taking insects and mice, but then I only see them in summer.

Scott

 

[snowyowl]

Yes, definitely a kestrel. It would be quite unusual, I believe, for him to take a starling. As Cavan said, large insects, earth worms, small mammals, not usually birds. I'm even surprised that it's around this time of year. All of ours went south in the fall, so Chicago must be different. My guess is that you have the kestrel and a hawk of some kind.

 

[snowyowl]

My usual visitor, the female downy today. Didn't see anything else, but I was out of house for most of the morning and early afternoon, so I probably missed the male. On the bright side, finally got my bank issues sorted so I can get back to the important things, like restocking on seed. I hope my improved feeding station will start attracting birds - while driving through the neighborhood I looked at everyone else's feeders and noticed a trend - they were all empty! I also noticed that no one else offers suet, which may be why the woodpeckers hang out in my yard so often.

Original setup: a single tube feeder with the basic store junk mix and a suet cage.

New setup: two tube feeders and a large (supposedly squirrel-proof) 3 lb capacity feeder, all stocked with a sunflower/safflower mix, a finch sock with thistle, and two suet cages, one with a seed mix and the other with a berry mix.

I'd planned on picking up at least one birdhouse as well, but I didn't see any that I liked while out shopping today. I know it's not common for them to use one, but I'd really love to encourage the downys to make a home in a nestbox nearby. I just need to find one suitable for them.

~DragonHeart~

Sounds great. When selecting birdhouses, do some research on size, shape and location. Remember that it's what the bird likes not what you like. Tree Swallows are among the easiest to get to use a box.

 

[SixxStar]

Hey, that's not a sharpie or a cooper's. That's a male american kestrel (a falcon) and when I lightened your first photo I can see the red in the wing there as well. I'm ipressed that this little guy can even take a starling. You are very lucky indeed. I've only ever seen am. kestels taking insects and mice, but then I only see them in summer.

Scott

Really!? Wow, I am too delighted! I've never seen one. I looked in my book, but I am still very new at trying to ID the birds. I knew it was a lot smaller than the cooper that visits & thought it had to be the other "common bird of prey" at the feeder. Thank you so much for the ID. :t: I can tell you that he had no problem getting the starling. He went down & came right back up in seconds.

Oh, I checked my guide again (Nat'l Geo., Field Guide to the birds of NA-4th Ed.) this time looking on the right page. It notes about perching on telephone wires & bobbing the tail. I remember him doing that a lot. I just thought it was to keep balance in the wind. It also says it'll eat small birds in the winter. Starlings aren't small... he must have been *really* hungry.

It's exciting to learn something new, especially when you tend to only bird from the yard. I have attempted to go out with my hubby & try it, but we don't really know what we're doing. I think I'll try & catch up w/a group tour or something.

 

[cavan wood]

Hi Sixxstar.
Yard birds are one of the best places to start birding, because you are generally familiar with most of them and if there is food around you get to watch them for a while before they take off.

Part of getting to know your yard birds is starting to recognize the different types. For example, house finches and goldfinches are both finches because they have the same seed crunching conical bills and they also have similar body shapes. Compare them to the chickadees that have much smaller bills and must grab the seed between their toes and peck them open.

Then start looking in the field guide at other birds similar to yours and that are in your area. For example, if a purple finch ever showed up, you would now know that it is a finch, but how would you distinguish it from the house finch? Studying the guide will have you prepared for that. And if you take a hike and you see something entirely new, you will at least be able to say that it looks more like a finch or more like a robin (thrush). As you start to see the similarities, you start knowing what differences to look for. A couple of quick field notes as soon as possible and then go back to the guide and start narrowing it down.

...So, it looks like a hawk, but it has red and blue wings. The tail isn't as long as an accipiter and it's small. The wings are kind of pointed when it flies and it sits on power lines....Ah, the only thing that fits is an american kestrel!

Hope that helps a bit,
Scott

p.s. Since this is a feeder thread, I'd like to say I had 85 goldfinches at the feeder on Sunday....and ONE redpoll...as well as a number of other regulars.

 

[SixxStar]

Cavan Wood & Snowyowl, thank you both for your input & advice.

Snowyowl, I can assure you that the bird on the wire & the one w/the starling are the same. While I saw him go for it, I didn't see him make the catch, but did see him come right back up. He then landed on the garage roof directly behind my garage. I don't know if he was crushing or adjusting his catch, but he was there for a few moments fidgeting (not even a full minute) & then took off.

I was inspired to take a look back at all the 'big birds' that I managed to snap a pic of. I'll admit as embarrassing at it is, I thought that they were all hawks. Big hawks & little hawks... gotta love rookies, huh?

It appears that a Kestrel has been here before. I found a pic taken on 3/17/07. I have attached it.


I can't believe the amazing creatures that are coming to the yard. Maybe it's because it's new to me, but I am finding it all very exciting. I hope it's a feeling that won't eventually fade.

Congrats on the 85 goldfinches!

 

[snowyowl]

Sixxstar, I naturally believe you about the kestrel, all I'm saying is that it is unusual, in my experience, for a kestrel to take something as big as a starling.
Snow overnight so the feeders are busy again today. Nothing new or unusual so far.
Estimated:
C. RedPolls - 100+
Hoary Redpoll - 1
A. Goldfinches - 50
DE Juncos - 18
Blue Jays - 40
BC Chickadees - 6
It's still early today but every other day I have :
Hairy Woodpecker - 1 (male)
Downy Woodpeckers - 2
Northern Flickers - 2
RB Nuthatch - 1
Misc. Mourning Doves. House Sparrows, E. Starlings, A. Crows.

 

[SixxStar]

Sixxstar, I naturally believe you about the kestrel, all I'm saying is that it is unusual, in my experience, for a kestrel to take something as big as a starling.

It's all good, Snowyowl. When you said your guess was a kestrel & hawk of some kind, I misunderstood that & thought that maybe I didn't give enough info at first or was vague. Just wanted to clarify exactly what I saw.

It's snowing here again & everyone is still at the feeders. There's about 20 starlings out there & I hear the downy. I'm going to have to put on the boots & stand out there so he can come & have dinner.

 

[Euan Buchan]

Been lot of Blue Tits & Greenfinches at my feeder today