posted
My second Red-Bellied Woodpecker at my feeders in the five years since I've lived here. Last night, at 3:00 AM I could hear a Robin singing its Springtime song. A Song Sparrow and an American Goldfinch were both at my feeders which is fairly rare for my feeders although BOTH species are ABUNDANTLY numerous in my neighborhood. The Common Grackles have returned. No ACTUAL migrants yet. They are still about three weeks away, but Springtime activities and behavior have begun.
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.198.106
posted
I know it's spring because the Starlings are nesting in my birdhouse.....this is the time of year I watch them sitting in there with their heads poking out.
I saw 2 cardinals the other day, and I swear I didn't see any all winter long....I thought they stuck around through the winter?
Seeded: 70.16.161.175
posted
I can tell it's getting closer to spring because the whole backyard is filled with birds of different types. During the winter we had a decent amount of birds but it was mostly just 3 different kind. As much as I hate the hot weather it will be nice to be able to start planting again soon ^.^.
Plants: 19 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2007
| Seeded: 4.253.128.194
posted
I have three Cardinals in my yard, along with a Female Red-Bellied Woodpecker (a first for this yard), a male and female Downy Woodpecker together (mated Pair, YAY, babies soon), 10 Grackles (both sexes) and the Usual Suspects.
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.198.106
posted
I had several Cardinals, a Downy Woodpecker and my resident mockingbird in my yard today, along with all my other regulars and like Thorny...
quote:The Common Grackles have returned.
Thorny, do you have any suggestions on how to get rid of the Grackles? Sometimes my yard look like a scene from "The Birds"!
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.143
posted
Patti, me too. In early spring I get grackles with starlings and red winged blackbirds! Aaaaaah! My last house I had a big flock of redwings one spring. What a sight when they all took off at once!
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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: 66.217.180.52
posted
I have a few redwings but I'd gladly trade with y'all--you take some these nasty, evil cow birds! I hate the little beasties Besides what they do the to songbirds nesting efforts, they absolutely take over my bird feeders I've been enjoying Baltimore orios, cardinals, doves, bluebirds, etc. all winter but the nasty cowbirds have returned in their usual massive numbers.
posted
Marleine, I'm going to try to attract some of the Baltimore Oriels again this year by getting a new feeder. We have Bluebirds around here, but I can't get them at my house because I live in the city and there is just too much traffic near my house. I would love to have them.
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.145
quote:Originally posted by Wrennie: I was driving home from shopping tuesday and saw my first turkey vulture of the year!!
Wrennie, Do you see them often, and know much about them?
We have a flock of them, *anywhere's between 25~40 in the backyard at my mother's house. *right next door* We stand and watch them swoop in here, glide like eagles.. They have several nests in the back property..
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Can't get rid of Grackles. Just put out enough food for the Grackles and the other birds. Just get a good camera and get lots of pics of the Grackles, they are one BEAUTIFUL bird.
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.198.106
Oh, Thorny, I would definitely agree , IF, and only if, I just had ONE grackle in my yard!!! Actually, I would enjoy having ONE BEAUTIFUL grackle in my yard.
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.144
posted
Thanks, Thorny , but that's four Grackles, so it's THREE more than I really wanted . Those are really some wonderful pictures! Actually, Grackles are beautiful birds and I love all birds even the Grackles. Geesh, they are the ones who seem to enjoy my home-made suet cakes them most, so they must like my cooking ! It's just sometimes there are soooo many it's overwhelming!!!
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.144
quote:Originally posted by Wrennie: I was driving home from shopping tuesday and saw my first turkey vulture of the year!!
Wrennie, Do you see them often, and know much about them?
We have a flock of them, *anywhere's between 25~40 in the backyard at my mother's house. *right next door* We stand and watch them swoop in here, glide like eagles.. They have several nests in the back property..
I see alot in the warmer months. What do you want to know about them??
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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: 66.217.178.80
posted
My white throated sparrows are back! We watched them around the feeders last evening. Now when my chippys {chipping sparrows, not chipmunks} are back I know its going to get warm! I had 1 grackle with2 redwings in my yard. Then they went to the top of the sycamore across the street. There were only about 7 up there. When more come back it will sound like an school cafeteria up there! I hope I have a working camera, maybe even with a zoom by then.
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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: 66.217.178.80
posted
Well, lets' see... we had a load of them show up about 7 years now... And at first we only saw them circling up wayyy high.. *almost scared me cause I thought there was a de@d body somewhere's... *
Then, they started nesting in my mom's backyard.. right in the tree tops'.. and ther'es a ton of them..
I've never gotten a close up shot of them.. but have often wondered what the difference was between Turkey Vultures and Turkey Buzzards' *a local bird guy said it could be either if a picture wasn't available*
So, we really aren't sure which one's which.. and even though I've seen pictures on the web, I still can't tell what ours are..
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
The local bird guy needs to do some research... A turkey vulture used to be refered to as a turkey buzzard. With reclassifications it is now the vulture. Same bird. New era different name. It was believed they were raptors & related to hawks, but its discovered they really arent and are related to ibises & storks. heres a better explanation NOW the one thing I'm wondering is do you SEE nests in the trees? Because T.Vultures lay their eggs on the ground, on a ledge etc. Unless there was already someone elses nest there then maybe. They do perch in groups on tree tops tho.
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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: 66.217.178.88
I see them with the babies alll the time, and it looks like they're just learning to fly and we love watching them "TRY" to land in the tree tops, we're like, "Is he going to make it this time, nope, okay, one more try, come on maaaaaaaa, find a shorter tree.. or something..." it's fun to watch them, they are absolutely majestic flying and landing.. *when they're older*
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
I've never seen a Turkey Vulture but those were some awesome pictures and interesting facts. Geesh, it's a really big bird and much larger than I had imagined. According to the map we have them in this area but I've never run across one.
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.126
loz
guest
posted
We have tons of Turkey Vultures around here....saw one flying around a few weeks ago.
Seeded: 70.16.161.175
posted
Actually birders abbreviate a lot of bird names because they can be SOOOOOO long. "TV's" are Turkey Vultures, but when I see TV I think Transvestite. I can just see a Vulture wearing a slinky red sequined evening gown and a pink feather boa, hunkered over the bloated corpse of a dead cow in the desert! "Yummy!" (Thorn flutters his wing tips)
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.198.106
posted
Patches, We never had bluebirds when we lived in the subdivision either. We are out in the country now and have 5 1/2 acres of yard with 5 acres up front between us and the road that we left wooded. The bluebirds just love it here and I love watching them. Plan to put up some houses for them this year (I hope )
Of course, I guess it doesn't help that my back yard borders the church and school parking lot. Geesh, it sounds like your Bluebirds have a very nice home there just like it is, but I'm sure they'll welcome some houses to raise their babies.
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.110
Jiffymouse
guest
posted
we see the buzzards here all the time, but they usually have black heads. which isn't bad.
Seeded: 72.10.71.111
posted
We have quite a flock of buzzards around here. We live on a country road but folks fly on it and they tend to leave frequent "fast food dinners" for all the local buzzards . I always hate to see when a deer, coon or squirrel gets done it that way
posted
Thorn looks up from the carcass of a road-kill something-or-other, His face and mouth all covered with gore and says, ""Scuse me? I didn't hear what you said, I was eatin' berfast!"
* * * * A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess. Plants: 2894 | From: Nashville, TN | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 74.249.198.106
posted
i saw 3 Blue Jays today ~ Plants: 139 | From: Iowa | Registered: Mar 2007
| Seeded: 67.55.178.211
Jiffymouse
guest
posted
we saw something weird today. i'm trying to figure out how the armadillo got squished in the middle of a very long bridge but the black vultures had a nice meal out of it.
the ones here can pick a deer clean in just a couple of days, or less...
Seeded: 72.10.71.111
posted
Yeah, I saw snow flurries here today too, Weezie. Just looking at it made me cold. Of course, there were two Cardinals at one of the feeders off and on all afternoon.
* * * * "Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!" Plants: 6492 | From: Illinois | Registered: Feb 2006
| Seeded: 199.217.139.130
posted
Yep Wrennie, looks like my house! Sure is hard to think of spring when you are out shoveling snow. I can't wait to get my fountain back up and my seeds started! We can only hope that it warms up and it melts. I don't mind winter but this storm should have happened back in December!
Plants: 88 | From: Port Jervis,NY | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 74.32.42.241
quote:Originally posted by debnoel: I don't mind winter but this storm should have happened back in December!
My thoughts exactly.. I dislike winter, but I'd rather have winter when it's supposed to be winter, and not when it's supposed to be spring and I'm wanting to start seeds in the greenhouse... But it is only March still, so, I am banking on one more month of this stuff...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
The night of the storm, I was at a friend's house for dinner and my thought as I looked out the window was "This would be beautiful for December" and felt like I should be decorating a tree!
Plants: 88 | From: Port Jervis,NY | Registered: Mar 2006
| Seeded: 74.32.42.241
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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? 
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Sometimes my yard look like a scene from "The Birds"! ![[scaredy]](graemlins/scaredy.gif)
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Besides what they do the to songbirds nesting efforts, they absolutely take over my bird feeders ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
I've been enjoying Baltimore orios, cardinals, doves, bluebirds, etc. all winter but the nasty cowbirds have returned in their usual massive numbers.
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We have Bluebirds around here, but I can't get them at my house ![[tears]](graemlins/crying.gif)
because I live in the city and there is just too much traffic near my house. ![[Love]](graemlins/love.gif)
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, but that's four Grackles, so it's THREE more than I really wanted ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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Geesh, it sounds like your Bluebirds have a very nice home there just like it is, but I'm sure they'll welcome some houses to raise their babies. ![[nutz]](graemlins/nutz.gif)
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