Birdsters! May is here and we want to see your 'firsts'! :-)

Still no hummers, but I saw my first Oriole today! I tried to get a photo, but it spooked him. I hurried up and changed the nectar (wasn't that old, but why take chances), and put out oranges and grape jelly, so hopefully he will be back soon. They are such gorgeous creatures!

Today, I was able to identify the yellow bird, with a black chin, posted earlier in this thread. I showed the photo to two birdsters who individually identified it as a "first year" male Orchard Oriole. Further research has confirmed their identification.

I also saw a mature male Orchard Oriole today.

A photo taken today of a female Bluebird on her way back to the nest ....

Also took this photo today of a Baltimore Oriole ....

I visited the site of the Killdeer nest and ...... it was empty. I noticed one broken shell so whether they hatched and left that quickly or some predator ravished the nest, is unknown.

Here's a Killdeer giving me the broken wing ritual ....

Not really a "first" but a decent close-up of a Tree Swallow ....

Salvia-Lover, Thanks, Way too much to do here to take enough time and enjoy the scenery, But, The sight and sound of birds are everywhere and It's hard to miss even if I don't take the time, Which is really nice! Everytime I'm digging an area, I find grubs or bugs and always have some bird waiting ( Usually a Robin) for me to throw it there way! They even start sqawking a bit loud if I take too long finding one lol!
...Sadiemae, Thanks, The RoseBreasted Grossbeak is one of the prettiest birds and they really are not skittsy at all! I have 3 males and 3 females that visit on and off all day and I can usually walk by within about 5 ft. of the males and they don't take off, They just keep eating.
Do you have a lot of feeders up? Just curious as you say you here them but your not seeing them. ~ I'm going to get another pic of the cardinal babies tommorrow and see how they are doing, The male Cardinal is just as attentive as the female at taking care of them, It's so neat to watch! I wish I could just take a day and watch all thats going on everywhere. I noticed that one of the Robins has finally built a nest that's not so exposed to preditors, Every year, She tends to build it in a very unsafe spot, As she did again this year, But, Now that something has taken it down, She has built a new one in an evergreen shrub, I'll have to keep an eye on it and see how things go.
....Tabaso, Thanks, The Cardinal's nested in a huge pyracantha shrub, Great spot, Nice and Picky! I can see the nest easily fromthe ground, But have to get up on a short ladder to get a pic of whats inside the nest. I noticed there was one egg that had a small hole in it and thought that maybe another baby was trying to break out of the egg, But then realized the other babys are just to big for this one to be hatching now so I would think that another bird probably pecked the egg while the mother was off, Most likely a wren.
I see mostly all the birds here at the feeders at one point or another, Except for the thrush, Robin, Eastern Phoebe, Bluebirds, and the warbler, I see the thrush on the outskirts of the yard and the woods and the same for the warbler, Although I have seen the warbler in the lawn grass a couple times. I see the Blubirds hunting insects, And the Tohwee stays on the outskirts quite a bit although he does come and eat the spilled seeds under the feeder at times. And I was a little surprised today to see the catbird eating the suet at the feeders, I usually put fruit pieces or jelley out for them ( They really like to eat fruit) They make so many different sounds, Sometimes I swear it's a new or different bird untill I see where the sounds coming from! Got another hummingbird in and they are allready fighting over the feeder, Time to put another feeder out. ~Still waiting to see one of my favotites which I have not seen yet ~ The Oriole! I see them every year, But they never stay around and I can never get a good shot of them! Another bird that I try to attract and never have much luck with is the Evening Grossbeak, I think it's such a pretty bird, But I just dont seem to ever have much luck attracting it! But, I'm Thankfull for all I do have, Always something to watch here!
You have lots of hummers there? Neat! What kinds do you have? Hope you can post some pics of them when you get a chance.
I have a big huge patch of milkweed up back at the top part of my hill, I'll have to keep an eye on it when it blooms and see what I get for butterflies. Happy Birding T !
...Zarebeth, Congrats on your Oriole sighting! Doesn't seem to take much to spook them, I hope you get a chance to get a good shot in, Such a gorgeous bird!
...Linthicum, Great photo's! Especially love the pix of the Female Blubird and The Baltimore Oriole!!

Iris, that's so cute that the birds wait for you to dig up grubs for them :-)

Linithcum, not a "decent" shot in the bunch....they are all terrific! :-) The tree swallow pic is my favorite of all....so crisp! But the female bluebird comes in a very close second. Poor little future butterfly went to feed a hungry baby bird....ya can't fault that :-). I was really interested to see your pic of the orchard oriole. I've never heard of them before.

-Julie

Ahhhh...I'm so far behind! So many wonderful pictures y'all have added!

Iris and SadieMae, your babies are darling. We should start seeing fledglings around here soon. The mamas bring them in during the day when the dogs are indoors.

Linth, that is definitely a Green Heron and your #4 bird looks to be a female Red-winged Blackbird.

I had several firsts this month...I saw a Chuck-Wills-Widow doing the wounded bird act in a park in south Florida. Of course that sent us on a quest to find the nest...no nest, just a divot in the hard packed sand at the edge of the road with two marbled greenish eggs. I also was able to watch a Cattle Egret building her nest...and get this...jumping on it to test it. She did it several times while I watched, making minor adjustments to the twigs each time. Pictures later...

Thanks, Iris, for the good rundown on the bird sightings in your yard and at your feeders. I appreciated that. And great pictures, linth--you're having an excellent birding spring, I think.

Here's a pic of mother Robin sitting on her nest at my sister's home. Mother r. wouldn't budge even though we (all four of my neices and me) we but a couple feet from her...

Happy birding. t.

Salvia-Lover, I guess they are so used to me doing that, That it's like a silent dinner bell when they see me digging.

Floridian, That bouncing Cattle Egret must have been a sight to watch! LOL! I look forward to the pics you have when you have time to post them.

Tabasco, Your Quite Welcome! Nice pic of M Robin! Yesterday I noticed there was 1 egg in the Robins nest in my yard, Didn't get a chance to check today, I'll have to see tomorrow if theres more. I did check on the baby Cardinals to make sure they were ok, They are growing like weeds! Got another quick shot, ...

LOL Iris :-D

I know it is probably old hat to you guys further south, but I saw MY first hummer today! I am so thrilled... Spring is finally here!

Zarebeth, I am always thrilled ANYTIME I see them!

Me too!!!

Me thinks mother robin knows you well, t.

Unfortunately something got my chickadee babies :( I came home from work last week and the nest was pulled out and was sitting on top of the post. I'm thinking it must have happened the night before & I just didn't see it that morning. We've got possums and raccoons, I suppose one of them may have gotten them.

Finally my birds are back, don't know where they've been, maybe nesting. I took a vacation day today and am so glad I did, I finally got some really good pics of the Red Headed WP.

1st he has to sneak around on the back of the post to make sure it's safe. He sure is a lot more skittish than the Bed Bellies are.

When he's sure it's safe, it's onto the suet feeder for a little snack, but he is still ever watchful! He's waiting on his rivals....

the "evil" Red Bellied WP. They will sit and fuss at him until he leaves. Sometimes the male, sometimes the female and sometimes they double team him!

After that excitement, I did see a 1st for me...a Brown Thrasher I believe.

Nice photos. Sad about the chickadee babies.

The darned squirrels have pulled down my suet feeders again. I hate having to creep down to the edge of the creek to fetch them out with a clawed tool. Always afraid I'll fall in, it's so slippery.

Thanks darius. I know, it made me so sad to see the nest like that.

I am so glad our squirrels haven't figured out that the dogs can't get out of the yard. Knock on wood, so far I've been feeding suet for 2 years with no trouble.

Sadie--so exciting about the Red-Headed Woodpecker and great pic, too.

In my research on the RHWO they mentioned that one reason they are diminishing in numbers is because of the proliferation of the Red-bellied Woodpecker. The Red-bellies are taking over the nesting sites and bullying the RHWO. So your observations make a lot of sense!

Happy birding this weekend. t.

Good stuff......, :-)

Thanks!
Great info, I'm going to try hanging another feeder for the RBs, maybe they'll leave him alone.

Sadie Mae, exceptional photo of the Red-Headed Woodpecker. I sure wish that they visited my area.
Perhaps some day, soon .....

SadieMae, So sorry to hear something got your chickadee babies :( Seems life can be pretty harsh on the birds sometimes!
Thats a really nice shot you got of the RHW!

Thank you! I've finally gotten my camera figured out....well, mostly : ) I sure have enjoyed seeing them.

Seems like you got your camera figured out pretty good! :)

Sadie, great shots! And congrats on the red-headed WP in your garden. Very exciting :-). I've never heard of (or seen of course) a Brown Thrasher. Thanks for educating me :-)

I also had a first to my garden yesterday. I had a single Green Finch fly up to the top of my tallest tree and sit calling. Unfortunately the sun was behind him, so try as I might none of the shots I got of him were worth anything. I could see him as he fly past me well enough to know what he was, but once he was on the tree he was just a silouette. I was so happy to get a Green Finch in my garden though! They are such cute birds :-)

-Julie

Dear Salvia,
How wonderful! I am going to search right now to see what a Green Finch looks like. Take care! :) Bucki

Bucki, sorry, I could have saved you the trouble. Should have thought about that before anyhow. Here's my first ever Green Finch pic, taken last summer:

Salvia - don't you just hate it when they won't cooperate, not for just 1 little picture : ) That's a good pic from last year, I've never seen one of those.


This is the 1st time I've seen these this year, I saw 1 a few times this winter. Not sure what they are, I think maybe a House Finch. The markings on the breast are too dark for a Purple Finch, I think.

This is the 1st pic I've been able to get of the White Breasted Nuthatch than hangs around here. He's quick, only stays on the feeder long enough to grab a seed.

Yeah Sadie I do! I mean, I give them free reign of my garden, even put food and nest boxes out for them! You'd think they'd have the decency to pose for one measly pic! Sheesh! ;-)

Your Purple Finch is cute. I never saw those in Oklahoma. But your White Breasted Nuthatch is even better! :-) Congrats on finally getting him to hold still for a pic! :-)

-Julie

1st time this spring, pair of doves

viv

Great pic! Did you make that platform/hanging feeder, I love it.

This message was edited May 22, 2005 2:00 PM

No I didnt make it, got it from the store. Even tho my DH is a fantastic handyman and makes all kinds of beautiful items for the yard, he has a block on birdfeeders and houses... go figure.

Viv

LOL, my DH never has the "time" to make me anything...I'll have to look for one of those, if I could do miter cuts, it looks like it'd be easy to make....maybe I should take a woodworking class, I'd like to be able to make bird houses too :-)

sadiemaewebb, you are waaaaaay ahead just knowing what a miter cut is! TAKE that class, LOL.