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Today at the feeder (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dianeh
- Start date
Speaking of jealousy.......Boy would I love so me more than just the one redpoll I saw this past winter. I would settle though for just one pine grosbeak.
Early this morning, I saw a pair of mallards swimming around in the water on my pool cover. This is a first for us. Hope the picture comes out.
:bounce:
Early this morning, I saw a pair of mallards swimming around in the water on my pool cover. This is a first for us. Hope the picture comes out.
:bounce:
My pine grosbeaks appear to be slowly beginning to leave. Not nearly as many here now as a month ago. Still quite a few redpolls for now. This was the most redpolls I'd seen in about 5 years! I hope the purple finches show up soon. The only migrant I've seen so far is one starling!Celeste said:
Yesterday had the first eastern towhee under the feeders. And today he was joined by another male e.towhee. They are such handsome birds.
Interesting behavior with the pair of pileated woodies recently....female comes and hangs on the suet feeder (a large one, holds a big cake or several small ones) while the male eats off the ground! He looks darn silly hopping around on the dirt under the feeders....keeps it up sometimes for 5-10 minutes!
I am just delighted to have them both visit at the same time. Assuming they are nesting (or getting ready to) in the nearby woods. Wonderful!
Interesting behavior with the pair of pileated woodies recently....female comes and hangs on the suet feeder (a large one, holds a big cake or several small ones) while the male eats off the ground! He looks darn silly hopping around on the dirt under the feeders....keeps it up sometimes for 5-10 minutes!
I am just delighted to have them both visit at the same time. Assuming they are nesting (or getting ready to) in the nearby woods. Wonderful!
We've been keeping an eye on a tree around the corner from here that a pileated has been excavating this spring. We checked it again tonight and found he has almost made a hole right through the tree! It full of various sized holes but the main one is right at the base and it's about 6" in diameter. I'm hoping to get over there with the camera shortly to show the hole and the size of the pieces of wood being flung about. Amazing work!!marianna said:
No sign of the other pileated yet... only one seen around the yard so far this year. I've never had them come to suet feeders.
Taking corn out to deer/birds I got dive bombed by swallows checking out the martin house. Never have had martins inhabit it but a pair of tree swallows raised a nest last year - hopefully a repeat! I see a chickadee has taken over the bluebird house- haven't seen any interested bluebirds this year anyway.
Got some neat photos of turkey hens yesterday (still haven't) developed the 35mm of the displaying gobbler- anxious to see if I got his BLUE head and RED waddle!!
Anyway - I can't seem to post the digitals I got yesterday - says they're too large and I've downsized them 50% - anyone have any ideas?
Got some neat photos of turkey hens yesterday (still haven't) developed the 35mm of the displaying gobbler- anxious to see if I got his BLUE head and RED waddle!!
Anyway - I can't seem to post the digitals I got yesterday - says they're too large and I've downsized them 50% - anyone have any ideas?
Larry Lade
Moderator
Dan, we could "ship" you a few of the abundant Common Grackles we have around here in Missouri. They can really empty bird feeders in a hurry. We also have been having a few Great-tailed Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Rusty and Brewer's Blackbirds along with the ever present Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings. A little later we will be getting some Yellow-headed Blackbirds. They are quite stunning!
Want anymore grackles? I'm overrun with them. They empty my 7 lb feeder in a day! Just sent my 35 mm off with hubby to get developed - hope I can post this evening.snowyowl said:
Larry - my mother swears she saw a yellow head in Kingsport,TN- but she's also 92 with questionable eyesight. I think she's a little too far east....
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The starlings and grackles hit here today in full force!!! Emptied everything in a few hours! I think I'll stop putting suet out for a week or so, cause the starlings LOVE it! I have a "box" around the suet feeder, but the starlings still hang outside down and eat away!! :C
Dan, watch out, they are probably headed you way!!
Dan, watch out, they are probably headed you way!!
snowyowl
Well-known member
They're here although only in flocks of a dozen or so at the moment.Starzz said:The starlings and grackles hit here today in full force!!! Emptied everything in a few hours! I think I'll stop putting suet out for a week or so, cause the starlings LOVE it! I have a "box" around the suet feeder, but the starlings still hang outside down and eat away!! :C
Dan, watch out, they are probably headed you way!!
I actually look forward to them arriving because most years I will spot a Rusty Blackbird or even a Brewer's mixed into the big flocks.
I started seeing new blackbirds just the past couple of years. Rusty's for sure, but I don't know about Brewer's yet. I know there was one sighting of a yellow headed blackbird here about 2 years ago but I never got to see it and it never showed up in my yard. I keep hoping for that one too!snowyowl said:
Starz, I know what you mean about the starlings. I usually end up taking all the feeders down for a while but the suet is put away the longest because of them. The grackles empty the big feeders in no time at all but they can't access the smaller tube feeders, especially since I trimmed the foot pegs so only little birds can use them!
Just noticed a female robin exhibiting really weird (to me, anyway!) behavior.....heard this tapping at the back patio door....figured it was one of the cats who seems to get great satisfaction from springing as high as he can jump up against the door ??.....and here was Mrs. Robin repeatedly (like 10 times) flying up against the door.
So I had a word with her...and figured that would be the end of it. She systematically tried most of the windows all around the house! I would guess that she has some yearning to come in and check the inside of my house as a possible nesting place!
I even opened the door and explained to her that she needed to stop as she might hurt herself. But she merely looked at me (in a rather patronizing way, I believe) and waited til I retreated before again bapping up against the door.
She seems to have moved on now after about 20 minutes of trying to 'break and enter'!
So I had a word with her...and figured that would be the end of it. She systematically tried most of the windows all around the house! I would guess that she has some yearning to come in and check the inside of my house as a possible nesting place!
I even opened the door and explained to her that she needed to stop as she might hurt herself. But she merely looked at me (in a rather patronizing way, I believe) and waited til I retreated before again bapping up against the door.
She seems to have moved on now after about 20 minutes of trying to 'break and enter'!
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