Daily Bird Pictures VOL. 456

Killdeer are such funny birds. Their antics never fail to crack me up. Besides, I like their outfits(markings). I guess I will give the worms another go. I plan on a platform feeder in the back for the blue birds, and i can toss some out for the other birds. Perhaps getting live worms is the answer to getting the blue birds over their shyness.

Yes, the Killdeer are so cute. Today, they were still there in our south yard, looking rather uncomfortable with the Blackles coming by. But now we had the Rusty Blackbirds eating from the dried mealworms. Not sure how dry they are after yesterday's rain. :)

The only time I've bought live meal worms was during the hottest part of the summer and we had a pair of nesting Robins outside our office window. Worms were so hard to come by with the drought, that I bought the only mealworms I could find. One container of 50. They were taken by the Robins, but after a fruitless search of ordering any online, I bought local nightcrawlers that the Robins just relished. We didn't have Bluebirds at the time. They tried started a nest last year in a box, but a territorial Papa Robin gave them the fits. I tried talking sense into him, but he wouldn't listen. :)

Two birds we will never see at the feeders, though #2 is a regular yard bird.
#1. Pair of Trumpeter Swans
#2. Male, Northern Harrier

What a lovely pair of swans.

Oh, how regal ! I haven't seen swans for a long time.
The Harrier is beautiful.

I have tried lecturing many of the birds in my yard. They are not interested in what I have to say. Even though I feel like it is at least polite to listen to your hostess at a dinner party.
Some day I will find a note on my door "Look Lady, Just drop the seeds in the feeders and mind your own business."

p.s. You could be a bit more generous with the peanutbutter.

☺

The Swans are a beautiful bird. We think this was a mated pair with the male standing guard.

No new pictures to share. But I did put out more dried mealworms. The temps overnight are getting cold again. I read that we may have a cooler than normal spring. Not sure what this will do with the Swallows and other flying bug eaters.

Migrating Sparrows are coming by. The Lincoln's and Field Sparrows knew right where the food is, so must have been last fall's visitors.

We have decided against putting up the Martin house. We went to a workshop this weekend. Because we have a Kestrel box, it would not be a good combination. I have never seen the Kestrels around here hunt for birds, but I suppose with an easy food source, that could change. Also, we live in Great Horned Owls territory; they could do some serious damage to a colony.

But the swifts will be okay?

The white pelicans arrived. Seems like we have more of these every year. Love watching them fly around town.

juvie Eagle eating a fish...went watching most had already left

Mrs. Ed,

The Swifts should be fine, especially from Kestrels. I did some research about Kestrels and Martins. Because Kestrels are cavity nesters, they would have no problem going into a hole big enough for them to take young birds. The flight skills of Chimney Swifts are amazing, so could easily out-maneuver any Kestrel. I would be more concerned about Peregrines and Merlins, if we had those other than as passerbys, now and again. The Cooper's and Sharp-shinned are non-existent in the breeding months, so we are fine there.

We are starting to see the Kestrels more frequently and none of the other birds have been concerned by their arrival (except Starlings who are terrified of Kestrels). They feed, sing and do all their other activities while the Kestrels are around.

We have another Wood Duck in the tree again, they like the tree in the back yard this year, this is what I call a lucky shot! They are soooo pretty.

Wood Ducks will use a nest box, preferably close to, or over, water.

It always cracks me up to see ducks in a tree. Even though that's where Wood Ducks are.

I have two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers here today. My two silver maples are really dripping the sap, so it's perfect timing to grab some stuck bugs.

We have found a friend over on Long Island, I actually hand fed him yesterday! He was gentle but a couple of times he kind of ruffled up and hissed as if to say, I will let you feed me, but don't get too close! As big as he is, I really do not want to tangle with him, and by the way, that was not taken with a zoom, he was that close. Isn't he or she beautiful!!!!

great birding adventures

A first for me today. A Yellow-throated Warbler. Such a beautiful bird. First time I saw it, it was surrounded by Yellow-rumped Warblers. Went for my camera and it was gone. So happy it came back!

Warblers come through here, but I never saw a yellow throat. Gorgeous!

yay Warblers!!!

Chillybean I have recently tried feeding some dried worms. At first the bluebirds did not seem interested. I guess I spoiled them for years with live ones. But just the other day I was digging out a compost pile and found a few grub worms and added them to the bluebird feeder. The male checked them out and tried some dried mealworms also. He took one to his mate in the nest and she came out and ate all that were in the feeder. I used to order my live ones from either the Kettle Morain pet store or from Flukers. The dried worms I bought weigh 7 oz. and the bulk looks to be about the same as the 5,000 I used to order. Though I have not counted them. I have also grown some in past years but my mate got tired of the containers being on the kitchen table all the time. I just wanted to keep them close so I would remember to take care of them. Oh well, the dried ones seem to be working for now.

f_chisolm,

I am glad your bluebirds are taking to them. I do a lot for the birds, but I am not sure I am ready to raise my own mealworms. I tried some kind of mealworm in a can; not dry, not live. They stank and I do not think any of my birds ate them.

Well, our Kestrels are here. When I took this icky picture, I had only seen the male on the box. But then he showed me where the female was. See her on the post? That was a surprise! I had not seen the Kestrels all day prior to this and about ten minutes before a Red-tailed Hawk was perched on the box, so thought the Kestrels found a better place.

A new dried mealworm eater: Western Meadowlark. We had some snow overnight, so I put out more. S/he gobbled them right up.

Last year someone told me that the Eastern Meadowlarks are pushing out the Westerns. I am not sure about that, but thus far our Westerns are outnumbering the Easterns and staying closer to the house. In previous years the Easterns seemed to be a frequent yard bird eating grubs and whatnot, but now that the Westerns discovered we have food, they've been hanging around. We'll see if they stay for the nesting season.

We had some wind last week and this Red-tail thought to sit on a branch much too small for him/her. It was funny trying to see him balance.

Great pics, everyone!
It's been an amazing winter...sooo much snow! Haven't had much time to visit recently, but I have popped in now and then to lurk a bit.

We always have Goldfinches year 'round, but starting last autumn and all through winter we had more than we've ever had. They were everywhere...crowding all the nyger and sunflower feeders, on the ground, in the trees...just everywhere singing their little hearts out.

We have a leucistic House Finch that's been coming around on and off for about a week. I think it may be a female because she(?) always comes to the feeders with one male. She's very pale off-white with just a hint of markings on her wings. I've taken a few pictures, but they've all been very far away and through a window.

Anyway, I can't upload any pictures right now, but hopefully soon. We just got a new computer with Windows 8 and are slowly trying to learn how to use it (steep learning curve...kind of like climbing Mt. Everest in flip flops...but we are making progress).

I don't have the skill or right camera to do bird photos at all, so enjoy discussion as well as photos.

2 Hairy woodpeckers in the front garden today (as well as a downy). We usually have our wp one at a time, so was happy to see the pair.

1. Snow Geese flying over the van.
2. Boing goes the little Field Sparrow

Could not enlarge the images.

I can enlarge.

My, you sure get the variety at your place Chilly!

Those snow geese are very attractive Chillybean. Hiya Mrs Ed and all my friends here on the forum. Happy Spring!

Wild Turkey & Turkey Vultures sunbathing at Del Valle State park, Ca. 5th picture is back East with egrets and Great Blue Herons.

I rarely have Goldfinches this late in the spring.

I always thought their summer colors would make it hard for them to hide till I saw this.

Not sure what this is.

I am seeing more Indigo Buntings at my new feeding location.

I am seeing lots of cardinals.

The Tufted Titmouse are courting and building nest. One was stealing fiber from an old blanket.

This Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was searching for food.

At my work there is a Northern Mockingbird that shares my apples on my breaks.

Been trying to get the Pileated woodpecker to come to our suet cake,he finally showed up got one bite and before I could grab the camera he was gone. Aint that a kick in the head?

Yay...Mr. & Mrs. Mallard showed up this evening!!

We have a Mallard couple that has been visiting us every year for about the last 8 or 10 years. Once they arrive they'll usually stop by several times a day to nibble on corn and sometimes take a nap. They generally get here between the end of March and beginning of May, although most often it's April.

Early last Spring the very back of our yard was flooded (Mallard "Heaven") and they'd spend most of the day back there floating around and digging in the mud with their bills.

They start the parade of our other Spring visitors which makes their arrival that much more exciting.

The birds discovered a swam of termites yesterday. The buntings perched on limbs above the old stump. The butter butt caught them in the air. I am not sure how the gnatcatcher was catching them.