Mid-Atlantic Bird Watching - Spring 2014, Cont'd

Time for a new thread.

We are coming from here...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1349890/

I haven't taken many new photos of late... been so busy with other pursuits.

This little guy is an unusual, but regular visitor for us. Just a single one... doesn't ever have a mate. Not sure if it is male or female, but sure is cute. Recall that we live in a third floor apartment, and our balcony is 40 feet off the ground. This is a Hermit Thrush, and they usually forage in underbrush on the ground. Guess this winter has been rough on everybody, and it's much better at Ché Allen!

We have been down to the river once, and already seeing some herons setting up... so I am sure I will have some photos to post before too long!

Karen

How cool!!! Looking forward to those pics along the river!!

Thanks Karen for the bum up.:-}

So cute Karen. That supports my theory that birds watch other birds for clues to where the food is.

The ruby throated Hummers are here!! Time to get those feeders back up

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

Wow, is that the one that the common one around these parts? We see hummers occasionally but I don't know what they are. All I know is they are mostly green and could be mistaken for a large locust at times.

Just wanted to say that--i was in wall mart 2 days ago--and their Bird seed is
really much less that anywhere else...
Picked up 2-- 7lb bags of safflower seed for just under $10.

I also bought a small feeder and some of the fruit/nut mix food.
Hung it WAYYY up right under my patio roof ceiling. Will see who finds it first.
The squirrels cannot get to this one...

I have bought a lot of bird seed so far--and i am also buying way too many groceries...
What's happening to me???
Too much food for me--and too much for the birdies...

AHHHH---Spring! g

That little Hermit Thrush is adorable!

Gita, if you enjoy pampering your feathered friends, then it's all good : )

Got my new feeder pole up yesterday (with help from a friend). Here's a photo:

Hope the birds discover this new location soon!

Excellent!

That's great, catmint!

thanks, Sally and SSG! The birds discovered it first thing this morning and enjoyed it all day. :-) I like this location--it's closer to the house so easier for me to see the markings on all the birds, and admire their different colorings and markings. They also don't fly away as soon as I come into the yard, so they seem to feel safe--and fun for me to watch them only 10 feet away feeding happily.

All in all, so glad I did this!

That looks great ! It looks tall - 8 feet? That puts some distance between the cat and the birds.
Did you sink in in concrete?

thanks, Muddy. I think it is only about 6 feet above ground since I need to be able to reach up and change the feeder--LOL. I'm hoping the cat will not have any luck with it-- it is higher up than it was before.

No reinforcer but the pole goes very deep into the ground and it feels super sturdy.

Oh I need to get the Hummer feeder up. I have a few tropical bird pics for you all. Although that is a caged parrot it is the Abbaco Parrot which is the only native parrot in the Bahamas. This one was in the Rand Nature Center it is a rescue bird had lost an eye. Not sure what the 4th bird is I saw several of them always sitting on the post by the channel. Sometimes in the water near by. I think the last one is a yellow crowned night heron, he hung out in the front yard hunting curly tailed lizards and getting drinks from the pool out back.

Beautiful photos! Looks like it was a really wonderful time!

Thanks for sharing! I always have to catch some native birds and flweors to help me feel like I was someplace.

Heard our owls again- definitely Barred Owls this time..I just HOPE they are eating voles!!

Odd! There has been very little activity around my dead tree out front.
Usually both Starlings are present. One building the nest--the other
sitting guard in top of the tallest trunk.
I swear there were days I never saw either if them.....started wondering if a hawk
could have grabbed the sentry bird???

I looked inside with a flashlight--and there was just a layer of straw pieces.
Nothing resembling a nest....but--that could also be deeper inside, out of view.
There's plenty of room.
Today--I saw one of them again....Hmmmmm....

Here's a picture i took of the "sentry" one day--not the best--full zoom and through
my storm door window.

The other picture is taken the same way. it was cute--
the Dove sitting on top of the feeder..wonder if he/she is a loaner?

Gita, your feeder looks like a very popular place for the feathered set! :-) If I remember correctly, it sounded as though the starlings could be pests? So maybe it is good if they are gone?

Today while I was outside I noticed a pair of cardinals and a pair of robins who seem to be frequenting my yard/feeder. I keep hoping they will build nests nearby!

Cat--

A pair ow Starlings OWNS this hole in the dying tree! Every year--they are back
and guard it with their lives. I don't know if they are the same pair--or their progeny,
but every spring--they are there. That is why I have never cut this almost dead tree down.

One year--a squirrel had started a nest in this hole--and it was hilarious to watch
the two Starlings chase this squirrel away--I mean--it was WAR!!! Unbelievable---

The birds won--and spent the next week getting rid of all the "fluff" (insulation--I think)
that the squirrel had put in there...Every day--the birds would go in and out--in and out--
and bring up mouth-fulls of this fluff. It was all over the grass under the tree...
Than thee pair of Starlings reclaimed their "condo'....

Soooo funny! The prime property id that hole right into the trunk. Of course--
ALL the stems are hollow....

#2--the fluff they removed from the inside...all over the lawn. March, 2011

That is funny, Gita! :-D I've heard some rushing of wings and squirrel chattering myself, so I think I may have my own little 'war' going on here. ;-)

A few others from our travels:

Ruddy turnstone
Red Wing Blackbird
Ringnecked dove
Common moorhen



That's weird, my pics didn't transfere???

This message was edited Apr 21, 2014 8:04 AM

Last is a noid

I love that middle one with orange on the shoulders.

For at least a week now, we've been getting visits morning and evening from at least a couple of red-bellied woodpeckers. They're eating sunflower seeds. Really didn't see them this winter at the suet feeder, but delighted to have them back. Very skittish and hard to get pictures. Also the purple finches are back.

Here's a better one SS. These are common to our area. They love meadows and are often seen sitting on a post surveying their domain.

Wow, they're common in our area? I'd love to see that black/orange one in person. What a beauty! I see that it's been tagged.

Is that like a red-winged blackbird? Or something else?

I loved watching the birds in my yard this past weekend. There is a cardinal pair and a robin pair that seem to have set up housekeeping. Fun to watch their behavior. I also got to watch the male robin taking a bath in my new bird bath!

Well it's the little things huh?

Yes it is a red wing black bird. That was taken at the Lucayan National Park and he was so friendly that I swear he practically sat on my hand to get the bread I was feeding him.

that guy was really showing off for you! they often mix with flocks of black birds but you just get glimpses of the epaullets.as really showing off for you!

Took a little country drive around Crownsville today and saw two turkeys cross the road. -neat. THey were trying to get to the other side.

Anybody seen any hummers yet?

Not yet but we haven't gotten the feeder up yet. We have been traveling and it didn't make sense to fill one and have my house sitter take care of something extra. Now that we are home we will be getting it up.

I thought it was very unusual that we saw no hummers at all in the Bahamas even though there are 2 natives and at least 1 if not 2 migrants found there. We even visited a number of gardens and BNT (Bahama National Trust) sites. If any of you are missing mocking birds, they are still in the Bahamas. LOL I think I saw more mocking birds there this trip than ever.

Just saw that today is your Birthday! Hope it was a good one and that your new year ahed is full of wonders and many blessings!

I think of you every day when I walk out to the eagle's nest on my route. Last week I watched as mom tore off pieces of the latest catch to feed to chicks. And then I heard the chicks calling for more. Oh my goodness what a sound! And how very baby eagle like it is (Well , of course) and what a privilege to hear them before I ever see them.

Again, Happy Birthday!

Judy

Carol, I saw a hummer at the bleeding hearts yesterday when I was out working in the yard. It reminded me that I need to get the feeder back up.

Happy birthday, VWR. You had a beautiful day to celebrate or just enjoy being outside.

Terri - I wasn't around our bleeding hearts much yesterday to spot any hummers and was making too much noise anyway with the leaf blower. Good to know that they're ready for their feeders.

The red bellied woodpeckers are getting a little braver. Also noticed that where ever they happen to be when they take a sunflower seed, they always go to the same spot on the deck rail to crack it open. Got curious and there is a recessed knot in that spot, which makes a great place to keep the seed in place. Smart birds!

Wow I never see hummingbirds this early in the season. I wonder if I don't have enough early bloomers for them.

I don't have any hummers right now either SSG. I wonder if there are early hummer plants I should get?

My native honeysuckle is about to bloom. And the blooms are up high, away from the cats. I hope the hummers find it!

Thank you for the birthday wishes Judy and ecnalg. I worked yesterday, but now I am off for this entire week.

I only have about 80 large streps to re-pot and 75 of my own hybrid seedlings to pot up, and I-don't-know-how-many babies to pot up! Plus cleaning up our balcony for summer!

To keep this bird-related, we have already seen hummers on our balcony, and I have the hummer feeder out. All of our other little bird friends are furiously working the feeder... I am sure they are beginning to nest now.

Thanks again!
Karen