Birds are back.

Carver_OR · 11-20-2003, 10:33 AM

The winter time birds are back at my feeders. It's aways nice to sit and watch the birds at the feeders...Nut hatch, Juncos, Jays and Chickadees.
I had a five point buck in the back yard last week also.

Pat

WheresMyBobber · 11-20-2003, 10:46 AM

I always enjoy it when the Alaska Robins (varied thrush?) come down to the valley in the winter. I throw chicken scratch down in the flower beds, and they devour it! We just stocked up on suet for the winter at Thriftway, fifty cents each. The woodp eckers love it. We once had a Pileated woodp ecker, a Northern Flicker and a Downy woodp ecker at the suet block all at the same time - a very rare sight. Unfortunately I didn't have time to get the camera before they left.

(edited because the filter didn't like the "p" word)

[ 11-20-2003, 01:19 PM: Message edited by: WheresMyBobber ]

northriver1 · 11-20-2003, 10:53 AM

My wife has a few bird feeders out back and it truly is enjoyable to watch the wildlife. However, I can do without the jays as they chase everything else off. But the important part is please let us no when the ducks start to use the feeders so I can dust off the shotgun and put it to use.

Carver_OR · 11-20-2003, 04:02 PM

bobber...The Flickers are one of my favorites to watch. The Pileated makes me think of the Woody Woodp ecker show.

Northriver..If I see any ducks land in my pond I'll let you know, the pond is only about 6x5 feet so one shot should do the trick...quack quack
I did have a King Fisher sitting in a tree above the pond once.
Pat

Jennie@ifish · 11-20-2003, 05:00 PM

Isn't it lovely!?

I have every bird mentioned so far, this year.

Thrush, junco, chickadee, nuthatch, all of them!
Plus, a few I newbies I havnent' ID'd yet.

Fun! We have hundreds!!!

Jen

Mad Mikey · 11-20-2003, 05:24 PM

Black Capped Chickadees are the coolest birds IMO.

I have had them land on me to take food and then jump into a branch nearby and do their little song.
I wish I could mimic it. Hey Jen, on the piano methinks next octave above middle "C" from "A" to "F" would suffice?

[img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] :grin:

Jennie@ifish · 11-20-2003, 05:25 PM

A sixth? they do that?

Carver_OR · 11-21-2003, 06:54 AM

Mike, The chickadees and Nuthatch are very friendly, I can get right next to them and they just talk away. Did you stand outside with food in your hand to get them to land on you? I want the birds to sit on my hand so my grand son will try it. Tell me how please...

Pat

LCFisherlady · 11-21-2003, 07:23 AM

Pat,
I have a magazine calleds Birds & Blooms that had an artical of how to condition birds to eat from your hand. It consisted of a mannequin that you dress in your clothes. It holds a small plate in its hand. Set it up where you feed the birds and they get used to the 'person' feeding them. When they become accustomed to it you then put the clothes on and the birds come to you for eats. They were selling the mannequin but the same thing could be done with a card board cutout and some stuffing.
Judy

Carver_OR · 11-21-2003, 07:44 AM

Judy, thanks for the idea. I hope my drawing of a person doesn't scare them off.

Did anyone have any Cedar Wax Wings this year? I didnt see any, there my favorite bird to watch, their like a porcelain figure.

Pat

Silver Hilton · 11-21-2003, 07:47 AM

We've got the whole crew here as well. Juncos, English sparrows, Rufous Towhees, blue jays, chickadees, house finches, nuthatches, flickers, some other wood******, and california quail. Had a quail commit suicide the other morning when it flew into our window. Some crows flew over, spooked the quail, and it launched and about broke the window.

Carver_OR · 11-21-2003, 08:06 AM

We HAD a bunch of birds killing themself's flying into the windows. A couple of things I did was hang a few strands of ribbon on the windows which seems to help and it doesen't block the view. I had read that if you take a bird that just hit the window (not dead) and put it in a paper bag, close the bag up, with the bird inside and put it in a quite place for a half hour or so...It's worked many times for me, and the bird.

Pat

LCFisherlady · 11-21-2003, 01:31 PM

Ok, I need some information from wiser bird folk than me. I have been feeding the little guys, One feeder with sunflowers and the other with the seedy bird feed. I want to make the suet cakes for them....anyone have a recipe?
Judy

Mad Mikey · 11-21-2003, 05:29 PM

Carver,

My experiences with the chickadees is from way back when I was a kid in LaGrande during the Winter. They were somewhat territorial and when they got used to you they would get friendly, always found them in the same tree. I would hold out some food and they would land on my shoulder, hop down and grab the goodies then go to a branch and chow out then break into appreciative song.
I don't see them much here in Aloha.
We had probalems with birds splatting themselves into our picture window at the house and my mom made a cut-out shape of a sparrow-hawk with black tag-board and taped it to the window, problem solved.
Jen, as far as the "sixth" is concerned you lost me there, my music skills are not on a par with yours.
I was just fooling around last night with the piano and tapped the "A" then the "F" and it sounded right. Their song may actually be a little higher toned.