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Thread: BACKYARD BIRD CONTEST

  1. #46
    Registered Users TOAD's Avatar
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    I'm not ready to throw in the towel on the bird watching contest yet.

    But, at the moment the bird watching has come to a stop at my house.
    I have two large pecan trees in the backyard and they are full of crows, blue jays, and squirrels. The way the leaves on the trees are shaking, I believe a war going on up there.
    I have also been doing some pruning and other outdoor chores, getting the yard ready for winter.
    The result is that most of my normal birds have fled. I now am down to the female house finches ( bunches of those ) and a chickadee or two.

    I have a woodpecker that is sneaking in between battles, but he is camera shy and an expert at keeping the tree trunk between us,
    so no photo yet.



    I did take some time out during this last cold snap to work with my new spotter on the woodpecker project.



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    I am having trouble getting across the idea of look but don't
    touch.


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    After training She likes to kick back and watch TV as long as the show has flying objects in it.

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    This cat came up to us as a little kitten some Asshole had tossed out on the side of the road.
    She was about the size of my fist and starving, when she crept up in the bushes while my wife and I were sitting outside in the darkest spot in the yard stargazing.
    We were drinking beer and eating party mix while watching the Perseid meteor shower. The sight of us eating finally was too much for her to stand and she let out a yowl that scared the heck out of us.
    She is a tortoiseshell cat and so odd looking that even with a flashlight it took me awhile to figure out what kind of critter was hiding in the bushes.


    She is turning out to be the smartest cat I have ever had.

    While the "look don't touch" training is slow going, I did manage to teach the pecan tree to poop peanut butter


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    I was unsure to as to where to make this post, under bird watching or critters. Feel free to move it.

  2. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by TOAD View Post


    And the trainee.
    Attachment 3353

    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    Good photos Toad, thanks for sharing. What is the name of your new trainee?
    Quote Originally Posted by TOAD View Post

    I'm not ready to throw in the towel on the bird watching contest yet.

    She is turning out to be the smartest cat I have ever had.

    Thanks for the photos.
    This was never meant to be much of a contest, more of an "awakening" as to what is in people's yards.
    I have been doing this too long to loose . I expect to hit around 35 by the New Year. I could list a few more now, but waiting/hoping like you and the woodpecker, to get a new photo.
    One bird you have that I should have but never had is a Mockingbird. Well, I mean one that lives here. He will show later on to feast on the berries over Winter, but has never set up residence in my yard. After 12 years, that seems strange to me.

    Share all your backyard experiences, photos, and thoughts here until the New Year. Surely everyone has seen at least one bird?
    At the very least, this thread will help people refresh their memory as to the names of some common birds. That is the reason for the photos.


    So Toad, what is the name of that trainee?
    Both my cats (Percy & Prancy) were dumped near me. Now they are fat and happy and have taken over my house and my yard.

  3. #48
    I have Chick Corea (Dedicated to John Coltrane) on the speakers.

    I put a seed cake under my new homemade suet feeder
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    and just now this guy landed on it. Getting his photo was fun. He was on the back side and his head was going in and out very fast, took about ten photos before I caught him. Apparently he likes JAZZ.

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    These tiny woodpeckers will become common as the Winter culls back the bug population. They get very tame and will be at the feeder everyday. This one is only about 5 foot away from my big toe. His cousin, the Hairy has a longer beak.
    I'll be putting up more/better photos in weeks ahead as I know from experience that this little guy (and maybe Hairy) will be back often.


    23 - Downy Woodpecker

  4. #49
    Here is a simple suet feeder thrown together with scrap parts.

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    The easy way to make one birds like is take a tree limb 3-4 inches in diameter by about 1 to 2 foot and drill some holes into it using a spade bit. That is perfect for most birds as this Nuthatch will attest -

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    But, just having some fun as i try to stay away from heroin (or is that spelled Great Blue Heron), decided to put together a "hopper" style one.
    I took a piece of board, attached some wire for the cage and used plastic ties to attach some dowel rod to the top.
    The landing handles are left over rails I used on my Carver tube amps.
    I had some small chain, but could have used old shoe strings.

    All I have to do is scoop up some of my suet mix, form a ball and drop it in.

    No action much on it now for a couple weeks, but I guarantee it will become very popular. Birds are creatures of habit like people, and for now still prefer the old hanging tree limb they have been using for years.

    My wonderful Pine Warblers are in migration to my yard as I post this. Fun times ahead!!

  5. #50
    A few ducks showed up in my cove this evening. Photos are not too good, but these are Mallards. They flew before I could get close.

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    These and others to come will be around all Winter, so better photos soon.

    24 - Mallard

  6. #51
    Woke up today and there was a fat Robin outside the window. I keep binos at the bed and often watch for a while before I get up.
    Robins come to my yard in Winter after they gather in flocks. I don't see them in Summer.
    Right now about 20 are in the yard.

    In these parts they tend to travel with Cedar Waxwings. Sometimes in Winter so many Robins and Waxwings will visit here for the water and Pyracantha berries, it becomes like the Hitchcock movie, and kinda freaky. It is hard to describe and must be experienced.
    I have many good photos of Waxwings, beautiful bird. They look like a bandit as they sport a mask. When the berries are ripe, they will spend a few days cleaning them out.

    I am out on the porch waiting on Football to get underway. Robins are everywhere and a few Waxwings have come in.
    Here is a photo good enough for ID I got from the shadows, more later someday soon when they flood the yard. I am eager to get some in Sunlight with my better camera.
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    This is a fun, and very colorful bird. They travel in large flocks and go where the berries are. Their range covers many, many miles. The few times a year I see them gets my heart rate up. During Summer several will visit from time to time, but in Winter, they really put their "freak show" on for me, arriving in great numbers along with the fat Robins.

    A few show here for water anytime of year. It is the Bride's favorite bird.
    I first saw them in Matthews when they would come to my very small yard for the water and my 25 year old (never trimmed) Holly tree berries. They would nest in my small Oak Tree. Before dark they would all land in the tree fussing and such. Then all become perfectly still and no one moves, not an eye blink. Freaky crap!! If you don't see them land, you would never know they were there, and there would be dozens. I guess this is for protection as they roost.

    25 - Cedar Waxwing

    Crap - (in a good way). As I write this, the first Kinglet just landed on the suet 4 feet from my feet and was quickly gone. This is a tiny, tiny bird. I can't count him yet as I get two in, the Golden-crowned and the Ruby-crowned. Telling them apart takes luck and patience, and I have till the New Year. The last few years they have not been on the suet, so this is a plus.

  7. #52
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    I'll be putting up more/better photos in weeks ahead as I know from experience that this little guy (and maybe Hairy) will be back often.


    23 - Downy Woodpecker
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    Just snapped these - now all can ID this guy.
    The female is the same, but no red on the head.

  8. #53
    26 - Eastern Phoebe

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    Out my bedroom window yesterday was a Flycatcher. Above is a photo from a couple years ago. I kept checking back during the day with my camera, but so far did not see him again - I will. The photo above looks closer to a Peewee.

    About 4PM there was something strange in my bedroom window feeder.

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    He sat there until it got dark, this has never happened before. Generally I only see this guy in Spring when he nests in one of my houses. The birds who like to snack in the window were very unhappy.
    I went outside and got some good photos.

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    27 - Eastern Screech-Owl

  9. #54
    I thought a Purple Finch had showed up, but I guess not. Still, this is a good photo considering it was 30 foot off.

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  10. #55
    Took a porch break at half time -

    28 - Purple Finch

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    29 - Golden-crowned Kinglet

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  11. #56
    Hermit Thrush is here now as well as Song Sparrow.

    Also now in the yard is the Chipping Sparrow. I'll have about a hundred of these guys coming in, and after that my yard will always have at least 50 of these in it at any time . The activity and energy level will be high all Winter. I already stocked in 150# of millet for them.

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    30 - Chipping Sparrow

  12. #57
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post

    3 - Eastern Towhee. These guys hang out in the shrubs eating off the ground, especially under your bird feeder. They look kinda like a small Robin, but unlike a Robin, very shy. Most likely you have them or can attract them. This one is a first year bird in a large feeder I made to resemble "the ground" for birds who like to eat off the ground. Not all birds will come to tube feeders, but all will come to hopper feeders. I worry about my Towhees as they eat on the ground, and I have two cats.
    This young bird will color up, get sleek and become just beautiful. The males are very deep red and the females more toward an orange red. This is a common bird, and you have them if you keep an eye out. Snow helps.
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    Got an update of an adult Towhee.
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  13. #58
    #31 Hermit Thrush

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    This guy has been here for a few days, this is just the first photo I could get, him being a "hermit" and all - :excitement:

  14. #59
    Oh my !!
    Overcast, waiting on rain, and a Pileated Woodpecker just landed right in front of me on a Gum tree.:butterfly: Grabbed my camera as he jumped to another tree, but between branches and him jumping around, could not get a photo. Now he is toward the lake laughing at me. No, really - he is laughing at me.
    This is the bird "Woody Wood Pecker" is built around. It is a huge bird.
    He used to be around daily, but less now that my Pine Tree beatle infestation is less as most all the trees died and fell.

    This is the loudest bird in my neighborhood. He cannot be ignored.
    I may or may not get a good photo of him before the contest ends, so counting him now. If he comes back and goes to work on a dead tree (I have a few), it will be easy.

    32 - Pileated Woodpecker
    (these are not my photos)

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    - hanging out on the porch is exciting -

  15. #60
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    I expect to hit around 35 by the New Year.
    I suspected more did not want to scare people from posting.

    The fun here is not as a contest, but sharing your "backyard" bird sightings.

    My backyard from day one (2001) was assembled to attract "backyard" birds. Anyone can do it or at least improve even if all you have is one window. I have a bedroom window feeder that is amazing. Birds there wake me up each day and the cats love it.

    Nothing makes the yard as beautiful or interesting as an active bird population. It is not a one time project, but goes on over years. Plant the right things, buy a feeder (or a dozen), put in water. I had an active bird bath before I moved here. I had a 125 gallon pond. I thought I could not compete with a lake full of water on my yard's border - but it is easy! I don't mean just my garden ponds crap - I have a tiny 6 inch bowl water feeder that has a bird on it every couple of minutes. It hangs 8 foot from my porch chair.

    The only hard thing for me moving from my last home to here was leaving "my" birds.


    ***********

    Every time you see one, adding another is harder as there are only so many "BACKYARD" birds in an area. Most birds don't do backyards as they are shy. This listing is for us folks not on a "walk about", just at a window or on the porch. So far I have over 30, and all were spotted from inside my house or from my porch. Your place is the same or could be.

    For this thread I assumed I would see several fall Warblers, but I missed them, too much going on for me right now. Still, over 40 is probable. 50, if I have time and energy, is not out of the question. I already know who they all are and more or less when I will see them. That is because I keep notes year to year - it is a hobby.

    I think it is a hobby most would enjoy as there are many fun elements and tangents not bird related.


    Share a bird sighting here, no photo needed.

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