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Today at the feeder (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dianeh
- Start date
Interesting about the blackbirds....I was doing a PFW count on Wednesday and saw what I thought was a grackle....then thought it was too small....turned out to be a rusty blackbird. My first! Lots of other birders here seem to see them all the time, but I never have.
I also saw one of my nightly roosting Carolina wrens enter the roosting pouch/basket with a mouthful of grass a couple days ago. I checked the pouch while ago, and sure enough...there is the beginning of a nice little nest. And one of them was singing to beat the band in the top of the crabapple tree close by an hour ago. I really love those little wrens...they entertain me all winter, spring and most of the summer!
I also saw one of my nightly roosting Carolina wrens enter the roosting pouch/basket with a mouthful of grass a couple days ago. I checked the pouch while ago, and sure enough...there is the beginning of a nice little nest. And one of them was singing to beat the band in the top of the crabapple tree close by an hour ago. I really love those little wrens...they entertain me all winter, spring and most of the summer!
Larry Lade
Moderator
I get a lot of Common Grackles and at times quite a few European Starlings coming around my feeders. However, the Red-winged Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds are more or less "accidental" at the feeders. I believe I had Brewer's Blackbird at the feeders once or twice.
I would send you guys cowbirds if I could!! Haven't seen any yet this spring, but in the last couple summers, there have been many around the feeders all summer long!
However, that's not my gripe with cowbirds...it's their dropping their eggs in somebody else's nest where they inevitably push out the 'rightful' resident babies which is apparently contributing to the decline of some of our songbirds.
I am so hoping for a woodthrush to nest in the nearby woods this year....last year was the first that didn't happen....wonder if cowbirds have much to do with that, or if it is simply loss of woodlot to urban sprawl.
However, that's not my gripe with cowbirds...it's their dropping their eggs in somebody else's nest where they inevitably push out the 'rightful' resident babies which is apparently contributing to the decline of some of our songbirds.
I am so hoping for a woodthrush to nest in the nearby woods this year....last year was the first that didn't happen....wonder if cowbirds have much to do with that, or if it is simply loss of woodlot to urban sprawl.
Looked out at the feeders early this morning, and there sat a male cowbird....really looked pretty cool as the sun hit him just right. Didn't see any others, but I know they are coming!
However, the high point of the day (at the feeder) was the arrival of 7 fox sparrows! Wow! I have ever only seen one or, at most, two at one time. But there were two under the feeders and another five scratching and jumping around like crazy on the hill down from the house...lots of brush and leaves there. What a delight!
Then a drive through the farmland this afternoon resulted in the absolutely stunning (to me anyway!) flash of the yellow chest of an eastern meadowlark. It swirled around and landed right close to the road in a field. Lovely!
However, the high point of the day (at the feeder) was the arrival of 7 fox sparrows! Wow! I have ever only seen one or, at most, two at one time. But there were two under the feeders and another five scratching and jumping around like crazy on the hill down from the house...lots of brush and leaves there. What a delight!
Then a drive through the farmland this afternoon resulted in the absolutely stunning (to me anyway!) flash of the yellow chest of an eastern meadowlark. It swirled around and landed right close to the road in a field. Lovely!
snowyowl
Well-known member
Lots (100+) Common Redpolls, six DE Juncos, the Blue jays have thinned out to a dozen or so, two Mourning Doves, three American Tree Sparrows, a male hairy woodpecker and two Downy Woodpeckers. Lots of chickadees.Celeste said:
This morning I had a short visit from a Red-winged Blackbird, the first of the year for me.
Awake at 3am? After reading - realized it was dawn - the feeders were alive with every species I've ever seen it seemed - 20degrees- cold I guess! Then Mrs. Doe was waiting impatiently with her yearling - I reluctantly trotted out a pail of corn - she barely moved from the feeder! Inside my cats demanded feeding and dog wanted out - husband sleeping thru it all - he's off to work and I'm back to bed!!
Still lots of redpolls here too. Seeing some very pretty hoary redpolls. The pine grosbeaks seem to be in smaller numbers this week but that could just be the weather. No sign of any spring birds yet. Nothing really melting yet either... spring is definitely late here!snowyowl said:
Well, Dan....I think that red-winged blackbird is a sure harbinger of spring!!! The first one I see at the end of winter nearly sends me into the happy dance! And it sure sounds like it is still winter where you are, Tammie.....but I would love to see your redpolls and pine grosbeaks. Wow! (And you would probably like to see 'my' rw blackbirds and fox sparrows! Ha!)
Hi Tammie - checked out your photos - don't you love webshots? I use it for screensavers and love to do the jigsaw puzzles! What is a whiskey jack? I just picked up SMithsonian Birds of the World and it wasn't in there;
Your goldfinches are more colorful than mine! Don't envy your snow - when do you lose it?
Sitting on my glass porch yesterday - saw a large type bird whizz by and spotted a sharp-shinned hawk sitting in trees above my feeders! Watched him with binos for a bit and then decided to move him on - he can feast on someone else's birds (unless he prefers grackles!)
The only other sharpie I've seen - hit my bay window chasing a cowbird - both were dead. Called our wildlife officer and picked up both - said he'd mount the sharpie for school demos - they are fairly rare here. I see the larger Cooper quite often.
Your goldfinches are more colorful than mine! Don't envy your snow - when do you lose it?
Sitting on my glass porch yesterday - saw a large type bird whizz by and spotted a sharp-shinned hawk sitting in trees above my feeders! Watched him with binos for a bit and then decided to move him on - he can feast on someone else's birds (unless he prefers grackles!)
The only other sharpie I've seen - hit my bay window chasing a cowbird - both were dead. Called our wildlife officer and picked up both - said he'd mount the sharpie for school demos - they are fairly rare here. I see the larger Cooper quite often.
Charles Harper
Régisseur
Great thread.. wish I could keep up with them all. Black-faced Buntings have left my garden, so spring is one step closer.
Hi Sara,amasara said:
I certainly DO love Webshots!! I'm lost without it on the computer actually. I too use it for daily wallpaper and their photo albums are so easy to use. Someday, I might actually get the full version just so I can put my photo albums all into one address but right, I'm too cheap!!
A whiskey jack is a gray jay and they are one of my very favorite birds here. Right now, they are slowly leaving to begin nesting so I won't see them much until around the end of May. Then hopefully they'll bring me some more babies!! They are very sweet natured.... most of the time!
I don't envy me the snow here either!!
I'm really tired of it this year. The winter seems to be really dragging on and just doesn't want to quit. It's normally half gone by now but not this year. We usually have nothing left by the first week of May but it looks like I won't get my garden in until June this year! Yuck!!Still waiting for the purple finches..........................
My other books and my computer were on different floors - since checked the regulars and gray jay is in all of them - so much for the new book - thought it would help (and may yet) in foreign species.
Had an exciting event today - saw and photographed a tom turkey displaying for 4 hens!! Always wanted to see that in person and get photos - used 35mm with long zoom - have to wait on prints. He certainly strutted his stuff - until my dog (unfamiliar with such a large bird) growled and then barked - he deflated pretty quick - feathers and ego!!
Had an exciting event today - saw and photographed a tom turkey displaying for 4 hens!! Always wanted to see that in person and get photos - used 35mm with long zoom - have to wait on prints. He certainly strutted his stuff - until my dog (unfamiliar with such a large bird) growled and then barked - he deflated pretty quick - feathers and ego!!
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