Ornithology (Bird) Thread

[WillyCamaro]

These two free loaders have been showing up over the past few days looking for something to eat.
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Those are the kind of free-loaders I don't mind hanging round the place, I love mallard ducks, heck, I love ducks period!
Quack! Quack!
Willy

[WillyCamaro]

Rosie the grosbeak came by for a snack, mr red breasted woody and of course the turkeys, doves, crows ,cardinals, blue jays,mocking birds etc.20200505_091245.jpg20200505_091636.jpg20200505_094055.jpg

Quite the outdoor aviary!

I quite agree
Willy

[Mumbleypeg]

Regardless what the calendar says, summer is here - saw the first scissor-tailed flycatcher of the season today. IMHO one of our most beautiful, and fun to watch. Not my pictures.

Ken

[Quick Steel]

I've seen them in the Southwest before. No question, they are spectacular.

[Steve Warden]

Pretty birds, Ken. Slightly jealous, I will admit.

[doglegg]

Ken, haven't seen one here yet but then I haven't been out much. Love to watch them go after a bug.

[DM11]

Regardless what the calendar says, summer is here - saw the first scissor-tailed flycatcher of the season today. IMHO one of our most beautiful, and fun to watch. Not my pictures.

Ken

Good pics Ken! I haven't seen any here yet.

[DM11]

An Indigo Bunting showed up for breakfast.



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Those are beautiful QS!

[Quick Steel]

The second day of first time species: A Northern Rough Winged Swallow. Appears to be building a nest under a bridge over the creek. Then saw Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. Unfortunately, he wouldn't face the camera so you could see the strikingly impressive rose-colored breast.

[doglegg]

What a variety QS.

[Quick Steel]

It has been an unusual Spring dog. I have never seen species that were new to me before now. Three new ones in the past 48 hours. Amazing.

[DM11]

It has been an unusual Spring dog. I have never seen species that were new to me before now. Three new ones in the past 48 hours. Amazing.

That is amazing. They are good looking birds!

[WillyCamaro]

Some good stuff you fellers are showing, coming from this northern boy .
Willy

[Paladin]

Mornin' guys. The Bride and I have been watching a young (fledgling?) Blue Jay in the back yard for the last 4 days. He fell or blew out of the nest early. It was too early to fly and he has been hopping around in the yard for the past 4 days. I figured that he was a goner for sure so I didn't get too wrapped up in his life, or death.
His mom has stayed with him very faithfully, feeding him and such and I am amazed he has made it this long. Today he can fly about 3 or 4 feet so I am thinking that by day's end today he will get airborne and be pretty much on his own.

Ray

[Steve Warden]

Keep us posted.

[Quick Steel]

Hope your Jay makes it.
My super star returned today.

[Mumbleypeg]

Interesting pictures guys. I’m glade your visitor returned and is more cooperative today allowing pictures of his/her frontside.

Ray, I had a similar experience last year but there were two that were dumped from the nest by a storm. Found them on the ground, and mama bird started making a ruckus when I approached them. Looked around and spotted the nest which I hadn’t noticed previously. They were younger than that one you’re watching - didn’t have many feathers yet. I got a ladder and put the youngsters back into their nest, and soon mom was feeding them like nothing had happened. Couple of weeks later they were flying.

Ken

[Paladin]

Interesting pictures guys. I’m glade your visitor returned and is more cooperative today allowing pictures of his/her frontside.

Ray, I had a similar experience last year but there were two that were dumped from the nest by a storm. Found them on the ground, and mama bird started making a ruckus when I approached them. Looked around and spotted the nest which I hadn’t noticed previously. They were younger than that one you’re watching - didn’t have many feathers yet. I got a ladder and put the youngsters back into their nest, and soon mom was feeding them like nothing had happened. Couple of weeks later they were flying.

Ken

We likely would have tried that with this one except that we didn't have a clue where the nest was located. We decided to just let nature take its course.

Ray

Ray

[Steve Warden]

Nice pics QS.
Any issues with squirrels getting into the suet?
If not, what's your secret? I'd love to put out a platform feeder for the jays, cardinals - the ground feeders.

[Quick Steel]

Most of my feed goes on the ground. When a squirrel shows up I let him feed for a minute or two then chase him away. He eats too much. The rabbit is welcome as he does not overeat. The suet placed on the old chair does not draw the squirrels. I think they are unaware of it. Also they are aware that they are not welcome, so they pretty much eat and run. People place collars around pole or smear vaseline on a pole to dissuade squirrels.

[Steve Warden]

I have a Squirrel Buster tube feeder.
It's spring loaded that if a squirrel gets on it, it pulls down to cover the feeder holes.
They've learned it's pretty useless to try to get anything from it, so they tend to ignore it.
I do hang a suet basket above it, and they will occasionally climb up to that.

I've tried chasing the squirrels away. Problem is I'm not on watch all day.

[WillyCamaro]

Good stuff fellers . Glad little Jay is going to make Ray, momma deserves big congrats from all of up .
Mr. Handsome is quite the super star Gary, he looks even better from the front side .
Ah yes, the a-squirrel deterrent , it's really funny watching them go after it, there mighty persistent little buggers aren't they. Good fun!
Willy

[doglegg]

I would call him a super star as well QS. A very beautiful bird. What a privilege to have him at the feeder. Thanks for the pictures.

[Quick Steel]

I'd love to have him stay on, but without a female I doubt that he will.
The first fledglings are appearing, but only House Sparrows of which we have an abundance. Doesn't appear that the Cardinals are looking after eggs yet. Last year's crop was 3 females.

[Mumbleypeg]

My mother was an avid bird watcher and kept her feeders filled. She spent hours watching the birds come and go while knitting. She had an aversion to squirrels which were continually trying to raid her feeders. One year my sisters and I pooled together and bought her one of those battery-powered motorized “squirrel flipper” bird feeders. The design is such that birds can come and feed without problems but the weight of a squirrel activates the perch ring into a fast spin. Which propelled the squirrel several feet into sideways flight. What a comical sight!

Mom has been gone almost 17 years now - don’t know what ever happened to that feeder but she (actually all of us) got a lot of laughs out of it.

Ken