Birdwatching

[over9five]

Here's my favorite bird, BH.

They're super friendly, they'll come to the feeder while you're standing right beside it. Hell, they come to the feeder when I'm target shooting six feet away!

OK, I wanted to post a picture of it, but I'm just a stupid truck driver...

It's a Chickadee!!!

 

[DS]

over9 its not that hard to share a pic...

 

[area43]

I know some people might find it odd for someone in their 30's to be interested in birds( its usually the hobby of retirees). I have been interested in backyard brids since I was 21.

I truly find these creatures facinating and could spend hours watching them at the feeder or the birdbath. I've identified at least 30 species in my backyard alone here in metro-Boston and many more in the woods by my house.

So, I post this message to see if anyone else is interested in birds. The most exciting thing I ever saw was a Red-Tailed hawk swooped down and grabbed a pigioen from my neihbors roof and proceded to eat it on my lawn. I was hooked ever since and consider myself a semi-expert when it comes to identification and behavior in the northeast. I look forward to any replies.

Great thread, hound. I have a problem with squirrels destroying my bird houses. In virgina we have plenty of trees, so its easy for them to get to the bird houses. Ive hung the houses with rope and the squirrels chew the rope till it breaks and the bird house comes crashing to the ground. The squirrels are also great gymnist. Swinging, jumping and climbing from tree to tree. Ive seen some death defying circus acts by these squirrels to get to my bird houses. Ive seen where people put the houses on 8 ft poles out in the open, but our land is limited( 1 acre) with alot of trees. Anyone here, have any suggestions? ps. Im just about to get my Red Ryder Daisy BB gun out.lol

 

[moreluck]

When we lived in Mission Viejo, I used to hang one of those bird feeders where you fill it from the top with lots of seed and it fills a bottom tray. As the birds eat, more seed comes out of the jar and into the bottom tray through a slot maybe only 1/2 inch or less high.

We quit it when one night we went out to see what our dog was barking about. She kept looking at the bird feeder. We shined a flash light on it and INSIDE the glass jar part were 2 Norwegian Roof Rats just gobbling all the seed. The light made them just freeze.

Do you realize how flat they had to be to squeeze through that tiny slot?? I believe it when they say they are all cartilege.

 

[satellitedriver]

I would call her "Nadine".

 

[browniehound]

Channahon, "Birds and Blooms" is great.
Browniehound will love it. Here's a little glimpse of it:

http://www.birdsandblooms.com/

Thanks, Sammie!

 

[browniehound]

Have given some thought to a purple martin condo, although I need to research a bit more.

Any advice or experience with bluebirds or purple martins?

This is a bird that I have yet to observe. A few people near my house have purple martin houses, but I have yet to see any occupied. If you think you might have the habitat its worth a shot

 

[browniehound]

Here's my favorite bird, BH.

They're super friendly, they'll come to the feeder while you're standing right beside it. Hell, they come to the feeder when I'm target shooting six feet away!

OK, I wanted to post a picture of it, but I'm just a stupid truck driver...

It's a Chickadee!!!

One of my favorites also. I love the fact that they are so small yet so bold to come within a foot or two of humans!

 

[browniehound]

Thanks everyone for your replies to the topic I started. I didn't think I would get the response I did. I learned a few things that I wouldn't have been able to get from anywhere else. I'm also impressed with everyone's knowlege of their local bird species.

I think they are better than pets. We need to care for pets and we don't live with them in their natural environment. Birds, however are observed in the wild doing natural things. Just in our own backyards, there is such a diversity that is so amazing.

When we see a bird take a drink at the birdbath it stops us in our tracks and our interests take over so we must stop and watch.

Over9five made a comment about the Chickedee. This was the first visitor I ever had at my feeders. I love this bird for several reasons. They can be trained to be hand-fed. They are very bold and observant. When you put out a new feeder they are the first species there.

Also, you can very easily attract them to a nest-box. One year I made various boxes (each tree-dwelling bird species has specific nesting requirements) and the one made for the chickedee became occupied that summer while the others remained vacant.

I beleive its the state bird of Massachusetts and is such a delight to behold, I hope everyone else enjoys its splendor as much as I do.

 

[over9five]

Try again....

 

[toonertoo]

DS Goldfinch?
I forgot to mention, I have a red headed woodpecker. I dont know if thats the actual name, but he has a red head, looks almost like a rooster comb on top. And a really bulbous body.
I saw him hanging. upside down, no less, on my bird feeder one morning, barely awake rubbing my eyes, I look out the window to get a better view, WTF, I said to my ownself

I cannot believe this is the culprit of the noise I hear coming out of the woods, that sounds like a mini jackhammer. Thats gotta hurt!!!

God makes some magnificent creatures dont he?

Browniehound, great thread!!

Ds tell More I love the peacock!!

 

[satellitedriver]

This is a bird that I have yet to observe. A few people near my house have purple martin houses, but I have yet to see any occupied. If you think you might have the habitat its worth a shot

One thing about martins is that they are very territorial. They eat a lot of bugs mainly down here mosquitios(which is a good thing)but they tend to drive away other birds. Set your martin condo a good distance from the feeders of the birds you want to attract.
My bird story is about hummingbirds. I love to watch them.
Every year for, about the last ten years, in early spring a hummingbird flys up to my living room window and just hovers and looks in. I walk to the window and it adjusts its height to my eye level and just looks at me. That is my que to hangup the feeders. It has become almost a running joke through the years. I guess it is a scout because in about two weeks here comes the rest of the family. I go through about four cups of nectar every five days. If I let the feeder runout, that bird comes to the window and just looks in until it gets my attention. I guess I should get a life, but UPS takes up the majority of it.

 

[moreluck]

We have tons of hummingbirds......no feeders, just lots of flowers. They do tend to hover at your eye level. I like to think it's so they can say hello, but he's probably thinking, "Bi*ch, stand still so I can peck your eyes out."

 

[satellitedriver]

We have tons of hummingbirds......no feeders, just lots of flowers. They do tend to hover at your eye level. I like to think it's so they can say hello, but he's probably thinking, "Bi*ch, stand still so I can peck your eyes out."

And I thought they were just being friendly. I will wear my safety glasses from here on. Thanks for the headsup.
PAX

 

[over9five]

Hummingbirds = Natural Born Killers

 

[Channahon]

Brownie,

I've seen hawks around with a smaller bird flying slightly above the hawk. It almost looks like the hawk is being chased by the bird. I'm thinking it might be a baby hawk learning how to soar. Have you seen anything like this?

Thanks, Chan

 

[moreluck]

Channahon.....I've seen that too and always thought the smaller birds were chasing the hawk away from a nest it tried to rob eggs from.

 

[toonertoo]

The smaller birds fly in from everywhere, and if you are sitting on your new deck watching, its almost like they have an alert. They will dive bomb, the hawk, crow, starling or blue jay, to keep them from their nest. They dont seem to worry about their size as there is strength in numbers.

 

[Ms Spoken]

I have one side of our home dedicated to hummingbirds plants. I have never seen the like of small birds fighting/fusing over a feeder. Purple martins are also great fun to watch especially when they get after our cat.
Every AM I get my cup of coffee and sit on the back deck just to watch the hummingbirds. I hope to see some babies here soon since the female is now coming to the feeder.
Last weekend we found a baby fawn that could not have been more than a day old on our back property. My husband almost ran it over with the bush hog. And of course I wanted a photo of it and went to pull back the weeds and I scared it off.

Great thread.

 

[over9five]

We have two new birds this year. A male and female cowbird started coming to the feeder. We used to see many of these at Moms house in Maine. She hated them because there were so many!

And we have a catbird now. It doesn't do the feeder, likes to walk on the ground under the plants. I've also seen it chasing dragonflies! And man, can it make some noise!