#2- MID ATLANTIC BIRDS IN OUR GARDENS- NO CHAT

Wanna fish???

Cool shot. I must have counted some of those bushes in the background. LOL

We fed hummingbirds for the first time last year (http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1129055/), and learned that hummers would be back to our area in early April. Not sure why they come back so early because there are hardly any flowers for them. Anyway, we put a feeder out last week just to see if they were in the area already. This little guy visited us yesterday!!! We will put more feeders out this weekend. Exciting!!!

We have loads of birds in our garden, but this is the first time we ever saw a blue bird in our garden.

Donner, that's an Indigo Bunting, nice picture! http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Indigo_Bunting/id

wonderful, both!
i make my nectar with 1/4 sugar in 1 cup water. i have a new feeder and better get it filled!

Donner... great news about your hummers! Mine returned last week, but I haven't been able to get a pic yet! That Indigo Bunting is a wonderful find... good for you!

My Green Herons have returned! Yay!!!

New babies are being born!

Mallard Duck ducklings and mama...

And Canada Goose goslings. Only one in this batch... mama watches closely!

I saw my first hummer a little bit ago. I know they have been around because the nectar is going down in the feeders. I only put 2 up, for any that came first. I usually put mine out April 25th. That is what my Mom always told me. She also said to take them down Sept. 25th, but have learned that might not be the thing to do incase of any late straglers that need some nourishment.

I was going to put a tomato plant in my upside down planter. I just left it hanging outside over the winter. But that isn't going to happen anytime soon. I think there is a bird nest in it. I keep seeing 2 birds go in with stuff in their beak. Don't know if they are building or feeding.

Crit, if they are feeding you can probably hear babies chirping at times.

Yes, I did last year when they were in my planter box. Tried to 'sneak a little peak' and momma was in there. She came out to the mouth of it in a hurry. lol

A new beauty for me... the Eastern Kingbird.

Incredible shot!

Oh well what can I say it is my own fault. I knew I should have taken these old greens decorations down. Yep right there next to the front door. I took the one on the other side down a week ago but this one I left in place until this morning.

This morning I saw a bird fly out and wondered if he was starting a nest in one of my window boxes. No not in one of my window boxes Yep that old greens decoration has a birds nest in it and an egg, too.

How sweet!!!

No, No NOT Sweet, I will have dead branches on my house for weeks till she finishes laying her eggs, hatching them and getting them raised. LOL Well I will have a first hand view of it all. I will check tomorrow and see if I have another egg.

It doesn't seem to take them more than a few days to pick a spot, make a nest, and get an egg in there!

Holly---

Could you move the whole container somewhere else?
Not too far away--but not by your door...

Wonder how the birds would react??????

G.

Yes,some of them are very quick! Which reminds me that this is the time of year when at least five of the newspaper tubes I deliver to daily get used as nesting sites. Never know until I'm about to put the paper in if there is a nest or not...so, just one day! I've been stared down by alot of mama birds. A paper tube has some things to recommend it as a nest site as it is dry, takes little engineering, deep enough so some predators wouldn't have access, can't be blown down...etc.

The tubes on my route are all red or white. I've only encountered nests in the red tubes which are the ones for the paper I deliver. Maybe the other paper people dispose of nests in their tubes...Isn't it against the law to remove a birds nest?

Holly, I am sure that there are so many wonderful things and plantings to enjoy in your yard that no one will notice the brown! Have you figured out what kind of bird yet?

Any Bird Whisperers out there?

Three times little birds have build nests in my hanging baskets...Mom didn't seem to mind my watering the containers but got really upset/agitated when I moved one about seven inches over so I wouldn't knock it when I passed by,,,I swear she made me put it back!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

It may be against the law to remove CERTAIN birds nests but I don't know about all. But I would apply to be paid as Bird Police.

I do beleive she wanted that nest back in place.

No I wouldn't move it. I sure hope it is a safe nest for her. She flew away so fast I didn't see what she was. I said to Ric that I didn't see her back all day and she wasn't sitting on the nest. He told me that many birds don't sit on their nests till they lay all their eggs and it could be a few more days till she starts to sit on it. We are in and out that way all the time but she would know that so she must be a bird that doesn't mind people moving around. Maybe a wren? I will let you know how it goes.

I've had them build nests in my hanging planters. This year I have one building one in my Topsy Turvey tomato plant hanger that I left up over the winter. I noticed it is starting to get holes in the sides, so I'm not going to use it anymore. I'll just let her have it.

I have heard/read that if you don't want birds to make nestds in your HB's--
put pine cones on top of it.....Gita

That makes sense, gita.

I planted some seed I got from you in my winter sowing containers and they are coming up. I'm so happy!

English Sparrow and Starling are the only two unprotected birds. All the rest may not be molested in any way. I for one agree with the laws relative to tearing down nests.....except when a Robin desides to build on the porch light. LOL

Went out this morning and Mother Bird was already gone but now I have 2 eggs.

Best time to remove a problem bird nest is BEFORE it becomes active, at first signs of building according to this link

http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/birds/articles/prevent-problem-bird-nests.html

Sally, here's some stuff on the Migratory Bird Act.

http://www.sialis.org/mbta.htm

And, for any of you ferris wheel owners out there (you know who you are..)here's some news just in
http://video.tbo.com/v/39496598/osprey-nest-shuts-down-ferris-wheel.htm

LOL enjoyed that news clip about the osprey.

Ferris wheel owners LOL

A beautiful Wood Duck family we discovered on our Easter Sunday walk!

Mama and her nine ducklings

Papa looks on... watching over his new family.

Papa WD up close.

Karen, really enjoying your photos!! Wood ducks are a favorite for me, such exquisite detail, How old do you think those fluffy chicks are? Are these along the same river with the heron fishing frenzy?

Which came first for you, the walks or the birds? Glad you have found a way to share such richness from your backyard. Your life list must be long and varied. Any more sightings of the kingbird?

Please, please do post some pics of baby herons, great and green Thanks in advance. Do they build their nests closer to the ground than eagles and osprey?

How soon do their babies go for a wade?

On a sad note I came across this yesterday.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1176194/

hope the male eagle is able to keep up with three chicks and stay out of the flight paths of passing planes.

Wild Rose----

Is it just my mind?????
BUT00In the picture of the mama and her ducklings in the water----
the two directly to the right of Mama--and above the rest of them---have human faces!!!
Female on the left--and male on the right......Do you see them?????

As soon as I looked at this photo--I saw that.....Yes! It may be my warped mind....
or my visionary skills.......Ahem.....

Gita

I see what you are seeing gita. But looks more like little monkey faces to me. Maybe we are both warped ^_^