Today at the feeder (3 Viewers)

[Larry Lade]

Deviation from Thread (Apologize)

Dan, we did not use any tapes. We just went looking for the Northern Saw-whet in the general area of white pines where it and also some Long-eared Owls had been reported. We found neither of these species, but had a good day anyway.

We went over to a National Wildlife Refuge (Squaw Creek) and also Big Lake State Park and saw 17 species of waterfowl as well as some of the normally occurring woodland species.

Sorry, I apologize for disrupting the continuity of this thread.

I will try to stay on topic!

 

[prairiemerlin]

Well, our snow melting, with temperatures reaching into the 40's! (F) There haven't been many birds at the feeders - in fact, almost none. Pretty dismal feeder watching. Here's my list from the past few days:

American Goldfinch - ~5
Dark-eyed Junco - 7
Mourning Dove - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 2
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1

And that's it. About two weeks ago the Cooper's Hawk came through for the first time in ages. Well, spring is here at least - Killdeer and American Woodcocks have been reported in my area, and Horned Larks, Rusty Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds Turkey Vultures and Common Grackles are beginning to trickle in.

 

[amasara]

I've seen vultures overhead for a few weeks now - that puts them 3-4 wks early - due back here (or at least Hinckley,OH) on the ides of March (15th)!1

 

[Tim42]

Bird seed

(I think there are going to be some sub-forums added here but I'll go ahead and start some of our favorite topics up to get things going)

Not a lot of activity at my feeders today. The usual blue jays, rock doves, grackles, red-winged blackbirds but also a few American goldfinch and white throated sparrows.

Do you use any special seed to attract your birds?

 

[Tammie]

Do you use any special seed to attract your birds?

Black oil sunflower seed is your best bet for the largest selection of feeder birds. You could also add a suet hanger to bring in woodpeckers and in summer, a sugar water feeder for hummingbirds. There should be cover for the birds to hide in nearby and a source of water as well, like a birdbath.

Welcome to the Forum! Hope this helps.

 

[snowyowl]

Do you use any special seed to attract your birds?

Tammie's list is a good one although I believe in niger seed as a real draw to the smaller birds. The finches love it an spill enough that the sparrows get a share off of the ground.
This year I'm feeding a lot of cracked corn. I haven't done much of this in the past but will probably do so in the future. The doves and Jays really are going for it and it's much cheaper that BO Sunflower seed.

 

[marianna]

I have also discovered that by spreading a mixture of white millet, cracked corn and sunflower hearts on an empty 'built in' flower bed by a south facing big window, there are a number of different sparrows that feed there. They just hop and scratch and are terribly busy, eating these little seeds. The surface is just dry dirt.....there's at least one chipmunk below the surface there.....so things will be getting churned up soon. But for now it is a great place to observe sparrows up close!

Have had white-crowned, white-throated, tree, song sparrows and lots of juncos. The cardinals come late in the afternoon, but the variety of sparrows has been just delightful.

 

[Tammie]

Oh Marianna, it sounds like spring at your place! I'm so jealous........

 

[snowyowl]

The super mild day seems to bringing in birds. I've got easily 100 A. Goldfinches, about 20 Pine Siskins,a small flock of Common Redpolls and some Puple Finches.
Here's a picture to explain why I don't worry about spilled niger. |=)|

 

[snowyowl]

My feeder list for today is:
A. Goldfinch 50+
Purple Finch 12
Pine Siskin 15
B-c. Chickadee 6
Downy Woodpecker 2 -4
Blue Jays lots
Mourning doves 20
A. Tree Sparrow 3
and
C. Redpolls
DE Junco
House Sparrow
E. Starling
Hairy Woodpecker were here yesterday and will certianly show up again before the day is over, so 13 species. I'm very optimistic now that Evening Grosbeaks will arrive one of these days.

 

[Tammie]

My daily list barely changes in the winter:

2-4 blue jays
2-3 chickadees (not quite daily but once in a while)
1-2 hairy woodpeckers
1-2 downy woodpeckers (although I haven't seen them for a few days now)
100-120 or so common redpolls
30-50 Evening grosbeaks
30-50 Pine grosbeaks

And now...... at least 1 gray jay almost every day! Sometimes 2, sometimes 3. That's the most I've seen of them since moving here. Better late than never!

 

[AndyD]

Tree Sparrows

A very wintry day here, with heavy snow showers. Our feeders have been really busy. Tree Sparrows numbers in the UK have tumbled over the last 20 or 30 years so it was a delight to watch four birds using our feeders.
I've included a photo that I took this afternoon.
Sorry about the quality but it was digiscoped through the conservatory double glazing and the feeders were swinging around in the breeze.

 

[suebee]

I've had lots of activity today with the snow storm:

2 American Crow (in trees)
6 American Goldfinch
4 Black-capped Chickadee
7 Blue Jay
13 Dark-eyed Junco
5 Downy Woodpecker
2 Hairy Woodpecker
2 Mourning Dove
6 Northern Cardinal
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
5 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Red-tailed Hawk (fly over)
6 Tufted Titmouse
2 White-breasted Nuthatch

Missing today, but were here: Northern Shrike & the American Tree Sparrow

 

[prairiemerlin]

Yes, the snow storm got us over here too. It has been snowing hard all day. Here's my list from today:

American Goldfinch - ~10
Dark-eyed Junco - ~20
House Sparrow - 3
Downy Woodpecker - 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1

I don't know why, but the variety and total number of birds is waaaay down. Back in October, I would have about 40 goldies daily!

 

[Tammie]

Just the opposite of me, Neil.... numbers are higher here now than they've been all winter.

 

[suebee]

My goldie number is way down, too, Neil. I was blaming my Shrike - maybe unjustly!

Poor juncos - They've scratched holes way over their heads.

 

[snowyowl]

It finally happened! I was reading the annual fox Hunting thread and glanced out of the window and there was an beautiful male Evening Grosbeak. there was a flock of 12, a good mix of males and females. Naturally I didn't have my camera set up and by the time I fetched it from another room, the Gosbeaks flew. I expect that now that they have found the feeders, they will be back.
so my year list is:
Evening Grosbeak
Purple Finch
A. Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
C. Redpoll
DE Junco
Blue Jay
E. Starling
House Sparrow
A. Crow
Mourning Dove (24 at last count)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
B-c. Chickadee
A. Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-t. Sparrow
C. Grackle
and Sharpe-shinned Hawk
I make that 19 species since 1 Dec. so I'm reallly pleased with that. Now if I could only bring in the Nutchatches and Crossbills .................!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

 

[snowyowl]

Snowing lightly this morning. There are at least 30 Blue Jays out there and the revised count for Mourning Doves is 34.
Yesterday, Ilooked out of the window and happened to glance straight down, I was surprised to see Mo. Doves clusterd right below the window. I had seen DE Juncos get right up against the house but this was a new thing for doves. I must have scared them when I took a picture because the whole flock suddenly exploded away from the house, far more than I had seen throught the window.

 

[Tammie]

I've been seeing redpolls doing this..... right underneath the windows... it's a little warmer next to the concrete foundation, I guess.
30 blue jays! Wow! And congratulations on your evening grosbeaks.

 

[Lady19thC]

I am having great fun with my new peanut feeder. Or rather the titmice, nuthatches, downies and chickadees are having the most fun! A great way to keep them at the feeder to watch and photograph, so they can grab and run!