The feeder is just a one square foot board, with a low rim around the edge, attached directly to the window sill. While I can get fine detail, in the pic's, at such close distances, I much prefer pic's with a natural back ground. (Birds setting in the trees waiting, for a turn at the feeder.)
Nice pics Gras! Maybe a dumb question but how do you keep the flash from reflecting on the window?
I think we all would prefer natural settings for pics but things like branches, buds, leaves etc. wind up being in the way. Again, this is a very sweet bird!
Nice feeder.
Nice pics Gras!!
For a feeder bird, a 'natural' setting would be at the feeder, lol! I love to get a great pic of a bird in a tree, etc. Sometimes we gotta take the pics when we can get them,,
Here's Blue Jay waiting his turn for the peanut bowl...
Great shots thru glass! Nice location for a feeder. That is an adorable little bird too! Do you have to use a flash? Maybe the others won't spook if you can leave off the flash.
We can't shoot from windows in the house because we have the solar screens, they sure help with the TX heat though. My DH opened the blinds and window in the end of the shop this weekend. He can get better shots on the suet feeder that way, but the regular feeders are uphill from that window.
pelletory: Nothing dumb about you question -- flash reflecting off the glass, was a problem and spoiled some of the shots. It only worked if the camera is almost touching the glass, and at just the right angle. If the camera is close enough to the glass, the reflection from the flash is above the level of the lens. (It was so dark when I shot these, that it was flash or no pic's.) It surprised me when the flash didn't bother the bird. I took nine pic's in three minutes.
Ya blinded the poor thing and he couldn't fly!! LOL!! Just kidding!
I am having the same problem with the glass...and having to put the lens directly agains the window to get a good picture, makes it impossible to use a tri-pod, which is really what I need. I have trouble finding the birds looking thru the camera square...I want to be able to look at them directly and just have my finger on the button. Would be alot less motion as well.
Pelletory ~ here are the Goldies enjoying their new feeder.
The Chickadees liked it too, this is the first time I've had one stay still long enough for me to get a photo, they usually just zip onto the other feeders and then off they go.
OMG, SO Cute! What type of seed mix do you have in the feeder?
Nice clear shots!!! I love the Dee's but they can be tricky to photograph.
sadie_mae - I purchased a feeder very much like yours at Wal-Mart for about $10. Glad to see it is attracting lots of visitors to yours. I have all four feeders set up and no birds! Please share what seed mix you are using in your feeder. :-) I need all the help I can get!!! lol
I've just been using straight black oil sunflower seeds, everything seems to be happy with it so far. The mix at this walmart had a lot of the stuff that ends up sprouting under the feeders. One good thing about the sunflower seeds, I always get a few volunteers in the flower beds :-) It's funny, I can plant them on purpose and not get a sprout, guess the birds have that special touch! I have doves, sometimes 8 or 10 at a time and Juncos cleaning up the sunflower seeds so I don't get too many sprouts under the feeders from them, and the Cardinals and Blue Jays help with the clean up too.
I also put a few raisins in that feeder, hoping to attract the mocking birds, I see them occasionally on the suet feeders but haven't noticed them eating the sunflower seeds. I wanted a second feeder like that one, to put fruit in.
Becky ~ yep, walmart is where I got this one, the only one they had :-(
Becky have you tried the peanuts in shell yet? Since you think your not getting any birds count how many peanuts you put out to see how many are left the next day. I'm sure a regular Nut n Berry mix would bring them in. walMart should carry that.
This feeder is closest to my Jeep, I'm sitting inside with the window down taking pictures, LOL, they look like they're keeping an eye on me, probably wondering what the lunatic in the green robe is doing. Let me just say that we're FAR away from any neighbors so no one else can see me and my green robe and house shoes taking pictures of the birds from inside my vehicle when it's 20 degrees outside, LOL!
Speaking of peanuts, I can't find any around here (as bird feed) and was wondering if you use raw peanuts or do they have to be cooked/roasted? Walmart had a pretty good price this weekend on raw, hulled Spanish peanuts (for making peanut brittle) but I wasn't sure if that would work as feed.
Sadie_mae - I thought your new feeder looked familiar! :-) Looks great with all the birds enjoying it! :-) :-)
Pell - The peanuts haven't attracted any either. I can't figure it out. I have a fenced in yard, so no predators. I have a large Oak tree. I have 3 ponds (of which 2 have a fountain in them). I have tons of plants around my backyard. There is very little human activity out in the backyard except for me in the late afternoon for a brief time. So ..... I'm at a loss as to why there are no birds. And I have vacant lots beside me and behind me that are full of trees and shrubs. I see the birds all the time in the trees and even on my electrical and phone lines. But just not in my yard at my feeders. Go figure!
And I have been trying to attract hummers to my yard for almost 2 years. I've done it all to romance them to my yard. Not a one! A co-worker who lives not too far from me has a hummer family living in her yard. I have more nectar plants blooming than she does right now! She doesn't use a hummer feeder, either. Her and I are both scratching our heads about that!
Becky, that's just not FAIR!!! Don't give up, though, surely they will come. Truly makes no sense to me at all.
Sadie-Mae, you are posting some wonderful photos - and I love the new feeder you bought.
sadie_mae - LOL about you sitting in your Jeep in your house robe, jammies, and slippers in freezing temps taking photos! (I hope they are warm fuzzy slippers!) I bet the birdies can't figure out what kind of creature YOU are! ROFL!!!!
Murmur - For some reason, the birds just do NOT like my yard. The feeders have been up for 2 weeks. I have no-waste seed mix. AND unshelled sunflower seeds. AND unshelled peanuts..... all in the 4 different feeders. No birds. Nadda one. Zip!
Thanks Murmur! The birds really seem to be enjoying it. I'm just hoping that the raccoons stay away I don't know how well it'd hold up with a big fat coon hanging on it!
LOL, Becky, I'm sure I've got them scratching their little heads for sure!!
I don't understand why you're not getting any birds, it sounds like you've got a perfect setup. I agree with Murmur, surely they will come! The first year I put out food for the hummers, I never saw a single one then the next year the found me.
Sadie, I forgot to comment on your green robe and slippers, sitting in your car - I love that! when we had some rare snow awhile back, I was outside in my white bathrobe - I was able to get quite a few shots because I think the birds thought I was just a big blob of snow!!! I admit I had sweats on underneath it, but it is the warmest thing I've ever had!! It was not as cold as what you are experiencing, but it was cold enough!!
Becky, we'll all chant from our various parts of the country (world) "Come to Becky's, come to Becky's . . ."!!!
ROFL, Murmur! Now if it would only work! LOL LOL LOL
Becky, mix some Black Oil Sunflower Seeds into your platform feeder and see if that helps.
Maybe let out a few little whistles before you go inside,lol.
Don't give up hope, they'll come.
Oh, did I forget to mention that my neighbor 3 houses down from me has a pair of Painted Buntings that visit her feeders every day. She has the same seed mix in her feeders as I do! (We both buy from Wal-Mart.) Maybe their little bellies are all full by the time they leave her house so they aren't hungry when they fly by my feeders. There is bird poo on the roof of my tallest feeder. They leave me a little present as they are flying by overhead. (sigh) The story of my life. LOL!
Becky, you know I'm going to take credit when they DO COME!!!!
She's chanting, too - but not in your favor!!!
ROFL!!!!! Y'all are killin' me! ROFL!!!
Becky just concentrate on trying to get the more common birds first then the Buntings should follow.
Pell - I'd be happy to see a crow using any one of my feeders after 2 weeks of no birds! I'm about to the point of taking the squirrel barrier off and letting the squirrels have at the seeds. I hate to see the seeds go to waste! lol
They won't, just give it some time.
Hey Becky, if your neighbor is really a good friend, she will skip a few days filling her feeders, and let them find yours! LOL!
LOL Sheila!
I don't dare ask her. When she found out that I was putting up feeders, she didn't seem too happy to hear that. I bet she thought that she would lose her feeding birds to my yard. LOL!
Edited to add:
Little did she know that she has nothing to worry about! Maybe I should just stick to butterflies and gardening! The butterflies like my yard. ;-)
This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 7:40 AM
No, I heard some people say it took close to a month, Then all of a sudden they have tons of them
Becky, Do you still have those dangling red dixie cups hanging in your yard? I'm just trying to think of anything you have that might look or seem frightening to birds.
Great pics everyone, thanks for posting. I am staying inside when it is this COLD. I had hoped to go down to the duck pond and get a few shots. I can hear the geese go over and we have white egrets and blue herons too. I wish I had a long range lense. I could get much nicer shots. Keep those pictures coming, I am enjoying them in here where it is warm.
Teresa in KY
Interesting your comment about the squirrels. Just recently, I had moved a feeder to the back yard ,not far really from my main feeder, so I could get pictures thru a window. I got NO birds..i could not figure it out. I took the baffle off and let the lettle monsters get in the feeder. I dont know if it was the birds seeing the squirrels, or the squirrels knocking the food onto the ground so it could be seen....but. Within a couple of days...the birds were there. Baffle back on. It very well could work for you too. I think it was just a matter of them seeing the food. I cant find anything at HD, lowes or wal-mart, except straight sunflower seeds, that the birds will eat. I had to pony up the nuts and fruit mixes. Must be something about the birds in this area.
See, Becky - I told you your neighbor is not supportive of your endeavors!!! She's chanting, I just know she is.
I truly think you will get the birds, though - just as Pelletory said, I also have heard of it taking a month or so. hang in there - you'll be sending us photos soon and we will be absolutely loving it!!!
I know Becky... **Lightbulb moment**
Put birdseed in your pockets and take a little walk near her house while she's gone ...Spill a little bit on the ground (make a trail), as you walk back to your house, (nonchalantly, of course)...
:>
hahaha!
Edited to say GG I like your idea to remove the squirrel guard for a couple days, for real!!!
This message was edited Jan 30, 2007 1:03 PM
DebinSC are the pics of the Painted Bunting taken now in January 2007 ???? Seems way to soon for them to have migrated back. I have never seen them before March here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Great pics everyone. have lots of catching up to do lol
