Backyard Bird feeding

oarsman · Mar 29, 2007

If you have a Wild Birds Unlimited store nearby, you can request a $5 Off coupon from their web site here.

Also, the education section on their Web site has some helpful information on backyard bird feeding. It includes information on a variety of bird feeding topics. I'd like to attract more hummingbirds and goldfinches to my yard this year.

wyntermoon · Mar 29, 2007

I was just about to get ready for birding, we have doves and cardinals that visit regularly now, I'd love to learn how to keep them coming back! Thanks oarsman!

Yummy avatar too~

alleycat · Mar 29, 2007

The little fellows are eating me out of house and home.

Last year, a robin made my house their home. They built a nest above the window trim on my front porch. They were quite annoyed with me for going in and out.

;-)

Soccer Mom · Apr 4, 2007

I've got worlds of bluebirds right now. They're so gorgeous. Thanks for the coupon info.

Kate Thornton · Apr 4, 2007

Hummingbirds and California Thrashers here! Lovely!

(And a few red finches, as well...)

DeborahM · Apr 4, 2007

Here, I have doves, mockingbirds, sparrows and purple martins.

I watch the purple martins as they fly above my pool, then swoop down and take a quick drink. More than once I've been in the pool and have spotted them flying above and moved to the end or side of the pool so they can come in and get a drink. What was really cool was being at the end of the pool and watch it coming in, drink and then fly above me!!

MidnightMuse · Apr 4, 2007

I heard the first hummingbird of the year flying around on Sunday ! My mother already has several in her yard, but we usually get just one, who defends his food with vim and vigor!

DragonHeart · Apr 23, 2007

We just dug out our second feeder and put it back up after cleaning both (the nor'easter last week did a number on our winter feeder). It's been about 24 hours since we filled them and I've already spotted a dozen different bird species coming to the feeders and the general vicinity of the yard. My favorite visitors today include a pair of male chipping sparrows fighting over who gets the feeders in their territory

, a male cardinal stopping in for a quick forage, and a male goldfinch checking the feeders for his favorite thistle seed (which unfortunately, we haven't picked up yet).

I'm going to make up some of my hummingbird mix as soon as we get the feeder out from the cellar, and I'm hoping to get another feeder specifically for thistle. My mom and I both love goldfinches and do our best to attract them every year.

I love backyard birding, as you can probably tell. XD We've added some new plants to help entice some new feathered friend to stop by, and I'm hoping to take a trip to a local plant nursery soon. We've even convinced Joe, my mom's boyfriend, to keep that 15 foot stump from the pine that snapped in half last week as an experiment. With any luck we'll get something nesting there, or even woodpeckers using it for a feeding spot.

~DragonHeart~

awatkins · Apr 23, 2007

Great thread, Oarsman. Thanks for starting it and for the coupon info!

I saw my first male Indigo bunting of the spring this morning. They're a delicious shade of blue and I really enjoy their company.

And Saturday we had a Rose-breasted grosbeak at the feeder. Last year was the first time I'd ever seen one of these in person (I'd only seen photographs before) so I was super excited.

They're not usually spotted in this area, but a small group of them stuck around here for a few weeks last year. And now it looks like they might be stopping by again!

MidnightMuse · Apr 23, 2007

Oooh, I love grosbeaks ! We get them in bunches, usually 4 or 6 together. Mostly the yellow breasted ones, but a few orangish/red now and again.

They seem to enjoy our black oiled sunflower seeds the most.

awatkins · Apr 23, 2007

MM, I was so stunned when I saw the first one that I ran for the camera and binoculars, chanting, "pleasedon'tflyaway, pleasedon'tflyaway" the whole time. Got a couple of blurred shots but that was fine with me!

MidnightMuse · Apr 23, 2007

Oh me too - a few years ago when they first started coming to our yard - I flipped out, ran to get the camera, got two blurred shots through a filthy dirty window - just enough of a photo to go ID the birds.

I just love them!

DragonHeart · Apr 23, 2007

We just got back from the store with another feeder, a bag of thistle seed, a suet cake (we have one of the holder things but haven't used it yet this year), and several more plants to put in. Four more flowers and some berry bushes.

Might go to the local plant nursery later in the week to look for some flowering dogwood saplings, I really want one of those. They look pretty.

Also saw a bird I'd never identified before today. A white-throated sparrow. I don't remember ever seeing one before. He was so cute, hopping around on the ground with a chipping sparrow and a female cardinal. ^^

~DragonHeart~

oarsman · Apr 26, 2007

I've got lots of eastern bluebirds this year. I have two bluebird nesting boxes and it looks like I have a resident in one. The other box is starting to look like it needs remodeling or replacing--it must be a buyer's market. Bluebirds like to nest in holes in trees like those made by woodpeckers (not many of those around here), so the bluebird boxes seem to keep them coming back each year.

DragonHeart · Apr 26, 2007

Being at home during the day is turning out to be perfect for watching my feathered friends.

It turns out we actually do have at least 3 resident woodpeckers - a pair of Downy and a male Northern Flicker. Too bad they haven't checked out our giant stump yet - I have my camera set up just in case something large perches there.

I'm keeping a list this year of who visits the feeders/general backyard area - we have at least twelve different species who have been visiting every day, or almost every day. Mostly nesting pairs, at that. Hopefully that number will increase as I make progress cleaning things up and putting in new plants.

I haven't figured out where most of the nests are, unfortunately. The only one I know for sure is a Chikadee nest - right on our back porch.

The birdhouse was originally there for decoration but no one told them that! This is the second year they've built a nest in it and they don't seem to mind being so close to people, or the cat, for that matter. Pretty convienent I'd say; it's less than a thirty foot flight over to the feeders and the birdbath from their nest.

Speaking of birdbaths, nothing's used ours yet. I clean it out every other day and keep a relatively flat rock in it for the smaller birds, but no luck yet. Anyone have some secret tips for getting them to use it?

~DragonHeart~

oarsman · Apr 26, 2007

DragonHeart said:
Speaking of birdbaths, nothing's used ours yet. I clean it out every other day and keep a relatively flat rock in it for the smaller birds, but no luck yet. Anyone have some secret tips for getting them to use it?

~DragonHeart~

Birds don't like the slippery smooth bottom of some baths, but your flat rock should help that. If the bath is in the open, you could try moving it closer to trees and plants to give them a place to perch and escape in a hurry. I also remember reading about someone tying a jug of water with a tiny drip hole in a tree above the bath. The drip, drip sound and moving water attracts the birds.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Apr 29, 2007

How'd I miss this thread?!?

Ol' Boy and I have become avid birdwatchers in the last six months - spent a fortune at Wild Birds Unlimited on those wonderful bird feeders, some stickers to keep the birds from flying into the picture windows, feed, and binoculars, tripods and cameras! Our back window looks like it was the set for Hitchcock's 'Rear Window'. Lord knows what the neighbors behind us think!

We've had as many as 15 Cardinals at a time in the yard along with Gold Finches, sparrows, Dark Eyed Juncos, doves, starlings, Blue Jays... and squirrels, of course! If you haven't tried one yet, get a squirrel bungee at WalMart! Hysterical!

awatkins · Apr 30, 2007

We saw a scarlet tanager!!!! We were on the front porch Saturday morning watching the birds and it flew across the yard and landed in a pine tree. It sat there long enough for us to get a very nice, long look at it. We were so excited. A beautiful, vividly scarlet (go figure) red bird with black wings. *sigh* Incredible.

The Eastern bluebird couple that nested in the garden birdhouse just said bye-bye to their babies over the weekend. The youngsters fledged early Saturday (just before we started celebrating seeing the tanager). And now the pair is starting a new nest in the box at the end of our porch! It's so neat that they get as close to us as they do. I love to listen to them warble to each other.

DeborahM · Apr 30, 2007

Before my mom moved from Pilot Point to further out into the country, she had Barn Swallows nesting around her house. As the kids grew up they stayed and built their own nests.

What was funny was all the nests were neat then last summer a new couple made a nest and it looked like Sanford & Sons junkyard.

Maggie loves following me to put feed out for the doves and sparrows. She'll watch them coming in to feed, but they aren't used to her going out into the yard and barking if another dog is or hearing an unusual noise and going out to tell them not to come into her terrority. They fly away and then sit and watch until she comes back into the house.

And, with spring here, the two bunny holes around my house, the rabbits are coming out and feeding during the day, so we'll be seeing babies feeding soon.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · May 1, 2007

We had a rather large Mr. Bun sitting on our deck Sunday morning! I couldn't believe it - we're right in the middle of the city, almost. I've seen them in the park across the street, but rarely in the back yard.

He better keep outta my tomato patch!

There's a limit, y'know!?

Chumplet · May 1, 2007

Uncle Bob, my next door neighbour who passed away a couple of years ago, was an avid bird feeder/watcher. He had a heck of a time keeping the squirrels out, utilizing a plexiglas panel around the pole.

He didn't attract anything more interesting than the occasional cardinal - they were mostly sparrows - but a pair of mallards came every spring to eat the bits that fell in the grass. Sometimes the drake would knock on our basement window with his bill. Another drake we called Herbie liked to perch on the roof and watch us when we left the house.

Now that Uncle Bob is gone, the new neighbours don't fill the feeder. Just the usual jays, cardinals, nuthatches, mourning doves and sparrow hawks in the front yard.

My friend obtained a photo of a great grey owl - they haven't ventured this far south in many years, probably due to a cyclical shortage of rodents in the far north. With little contact with humans, they're not shy and allow people to get pretty close. Unfortunately, they also know little about cars, and many died on the side of the local roads.

oarsman · May 7, 2007

Project Wildbird

I found out about a study being conducted on bird feeding. It's called Project Wildbird and the objective of the study is to gather data on the types of birds and their feeding preferences in backyards in the US and Canada. The study is being coordinated by a professor at Milliken University, and they have several business contributors. They are looking for volunteers to test ten types of feed and four types of feeders. I think the volunteers get to keep the feeders after the tests.

Volunteer information here if you're interested.

eldragon · May 8, 2007

This sounds interesting, but we live in the country and hawks are constantly flying over, so we don't feed the birds.

It's funny how we don't see near as many birds in the country as we did in the city, but we do hear them.

Hawks abound, though. and so do vultures. We also have a good selection of water birds at our ponds. And woodpeckers, and kingfishers, too.

reniewriter · May 10, 2007

Oh, thanks for the info. on Project Wild Bird, oarsman.

Though I always have a lot of birds, (being in a rural area) I find they're unusually abundant this spring. Droves of Indigo buntings, Rose-breasted grosbeaks, Baltimore orioles, etc. And the unusual thing , I thought, is that the Baltimore orioles love the nectar in my Hummingbird feeders! (I have a pond as a water source for birds, so it's not they're looking for water.) I have never seen this before. I mean, they are constantly trying to drink the nectar! Some feeders have larger holes, so they manage quite well, some have smaller ones, and they peck at the seams and even manage to knock the bottom off the feeders, spilling the nectar. But when I Googled Baltimore orioles drinking from the Hummingbird feeders, I found out this is not unusual at all. Well, it is in my yard! My poor hummies have a lot of competition now, for the nectar. And I am constantly refilling the feeders. Anyone else ever see Baltimore orioles drinking the nectar?

renie

awatkins · May 11, 2007

Hi Renie! We've had Baltimore orioles at our hummer feeders this year, too. We put out some orange halves for them but they didn't seem interested; guess they like the sugar water better.

The bluebirds have fledged one batch of babies and are now working on another. Here's the funny part: the first family was raised in the birdhouse in the garden and they're using the house at the end of our front porch for the new one! They still vigorously guard the garden house, though. Not much chance that anybird else will get to use it this year.

We've also got a family of Carolina chickadees using the little house we hung in a tree (I can see it from my desk-talk about a distraction from work...lol). They're so cute!

Backyard Bird feeding

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