All I did Saturday was chase starlings. I hung outside in the cold a lot. I was sitting on the deck shivering on starling patrol and I had my camera without my tele lens on hand.
I was not looking for new guests at all - I was on starling watch -- Suddenly a mockingbird lands 6 feet in front of me on the deck rail! Wow - he is a new backyard lifer!! I was so stunned I couldn't move my camera. The bird flew to the fence. Here is the only picture I got of him LMAO.... Great shot! eh... Look closely there he is sitting on the top of the fence above the thickest part of the wood pile. I need to learn to draw circles and stuff on the pictures I post - then you could spot him easier.
He was so unexpected! He made me think of Thorny and his Mocks. But, I was making so much noise all day chasing the starlings I wonder if Mr. Mocky will ever come back!
Seeded: 69.137.32.10
posted
If he's been there once he'll be back! Put out fruit on a tray like Thorny does. You can use a c clamp to hold it to your deck rail and an old baking tray. Cool bird. They're pretty!
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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? summer camp thread 1, 2, 3,4 Plants: 7588 | From: Phoenicia, NY | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 66.217.176.119
GonetotheBirds
guest
posted
Wrennie I will do that!
Hey, I went nutty and bought mealworms for the Carolina Wrens? Now what - when would you put them out? I have not figured out where or on what to put them on either.
I have 1,000 mealworms in a bag in my basement. I don't want to touch mealworms!!!
posted
Apples! Put out APPLES, Jane! And coat them with peanut butter (NOT Peter Pan or Great Value, though) Once the Mockers come, it's Bye-Bye Starlings! Mockers LOVE suet, too!
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.204.184
GonetotheBirds
guest
posted
apples and peanut butter it is? Can I put them on the lower table feeder. Will mockers come to the middle of the yard and land on a rounded plastic feeder table???
Seeded: 69.137.32.10
posted
Jane - I can feel your excitement once again!
We have a resident mockingbird who is pretty funny! The first summer we were aware of him, he kept us up allllllllllllllllll night long with his very long repertoire!!! We would lay awake in bed listening to him go on and on and on about all the other bird calls, throwing in a whistle or 2, and an alarm sound or 2. One night my husband and I were hysterically laughing, and anticipating which part of the song came next! I've never seen him eat from any of my feeders, but he can be found perched on the very tippy tops of some evergreen trees around our property.
Enjoy your new lifer!
* * * * Lynne's knitting journal "I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???" Plants: 17066 | From: Rockland County, NY | Registered: Nov 2003
| Seeded: 69.125.135.161
posted
They will find the apples wherever you put them. Mockingbirds prefer suet cages for suet, and platform feeders for everything else.
Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter from Walmart were JUST reported to be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. The contaminated jars of both brands have a serial number that begins with, "2111" I found a contaminated jar of Peter Pan in our cupboard.
MR. MOCKY
MR. MOCKY'S COURTSHIP DANCE
MR. MOCKY'S APPLE
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.204.184
loz
guest
posted
I love Mockingbirds! I think by my description a few years ago it was Thorny that ID'd them for me....
Now I see the pair of them each year!
Seeded: 70.106.43.11
GonetotheBirds
guest
posted
They don't migrate, do they?
Seeded: 69.137.32.10
posted
No, they are local birds; you will have them year round, although during Fall and Winter Mr. and Mrs. Mocky leave my yard and roam the neighborhood, but they always RETURN ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR. They returned last week and I put out a couple of Yellow Delicious apples for them which were GONE three days later.
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.204.184
posted
Did you get live mealworms? If so they can be offered in a smooth plastic feeder or tin can (be sure there are no sharp edges for birdie feet) They will crawl out of wood or cardboard or anything they can get a grip on. They can go out whenever the temp is warm enough not to freeze them. Dont let them get wet from rain they'll drown. If its too soon you can keep them in the fridge, they'll nap in that cool of an environment. If you keep them at room temp they'll turn to larvae then beetles and make more. If you need to or want to raise them No water, apples or potato(raw) and plain bran flakes for food. I keep mine in shreded newspaper. I mix freeze dried mealworms (available through..ME!...) in with my mixed seed which has a high nut content. Between that and my suet i have 2 Carolinas that visit quite often.
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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? summer camp thread 1, 2, 3,4 Plants: 7588 | From: Phoenicia, NY | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 66.217.180.169
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I wonder if Mr. Mocky will ever come back!
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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? 
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