Wild Birds

[Freedom]

I fed the birds every winter for the past 14 years. this year I have yet to get the feeders out and filled. And I have the seed, from last year!

[mon]

Forgive me, forgot about the pigeons! I think I really like this thread, thanks!

[mon]

Yes, sometimes it is hard to keep up with cleaning them and filling them. I got 10 lbs. of seed this year, the squirrels eat all the sunflower seeds out of it but the birds don't seem to mind. Have to make hummingbird nectar and clean the feeder every 3 to 5 days. It's SO worth it for me and the cat loves watching them

[Karen]

Yes, sometimes it is hard to keep up with cleaning them and filling them. I got 10 lbs. of seed this year, the squirrels eat all the sunflower seeds out of it but the birds don't seem to mind. Have to make hummingbird nectar and clean the feeder every 3 to 5 days. It's SO worth it for me and the cat loves watching them

Do you have hummers year round there? I know some of BC is far more temperate than we are!

[Alysser]

I was never able to get Hummingbirds to the backyard but we get plenty of the Ruby-Throated hummingbirds at work. I live in a very suburban neighborhood currently, so that might be why.

[Karen]

One thing I have noticed during these last cold weeks is there is very little squabbling between the squirrels or between the birds or anything! Everyone is just so intent on getting enough to eat they leave each other alone!

[mon]

Yes, we have humming birds here all year 'round. I first noticed them at Harrison Hot Springs resort Hotel near Chilliwack. We stay there sometimes in the winter. They have about 7 or eight feeders outside in front of the lobby windows all year long. They were there in the middle of winter when there was snow on the ground. Everyone thoroughly enjoys them. I set out my feeder here in Surrey for at least a year before they actually came 'round. Hope springs eternal Now they are regulars, yipppeeee

[mon]

Sorry, forgot to say that it is very temperate here in Surrey. Very mild winter this year, snowed lightly for 1 hr. so far.

[Miss Z]

I see a far greater quantity of birdlife back at my family home than I do in my student home, which is surprising as it's far more rural in my current location! Down south, we get visits from a greater spotted woodpecker, and I see red kites over the farmland relatively often. Jackdaws prevail here! My favourite visitors are amongst the mammals - muntjac deer and the local foxes.

Back in Lancs, I've seen at least three species of owl in the past year's worth of visits - tawny, barn, and I think a short-eared owl passing through.

[Karen]

Back in Lancs, I've seen at least three species of owl in the past year's worth of visits - tawny, barn, and I think a short-eared owl passing through.

Wow, fun! Growing up we heard owls and saw their castings far more frequently than we saw the owls themselves! There are apparently a bunch of Snow Owls at Boston's Logan Airport, someday I will make that drive over to see if I can see them!

[Bonny]

We found a seed block for birds at our local farmers coop & it works great for the ground feeding birds. The block is the size of a salt block used in feeding livestock. I am amazed at all the birds that take advantage of the block & fly down from the branches of the tree above the block. We put out suet block feeders in the crab apple tree & have attracted the red headed, downy, red bellied, & hairy woodpeckers. Then on the deck we put peanuts out every morning & the blue jays come flying in along with some of the woodpeckers. There are plenty of sparrows too that help themselves.

In our area the Decorah Eagles have been working on their nest. Yesterday, I walked a good mile north to a local eagle nest & saw 5 eagles. Two pair were flying around & landed in a tree. It is that time of year for them to be picking mates. When I got to the eagle nest it had been built up & one of the eagles was perched in a tree next to the nest. Gotta love this time of year. By the end of February the eagles should be laying their eggs.

[Karen]

Aww, that sounds really cool! The eagles here are usually out by Quabbin Reservoir, we get hawks above the highways, though!

From today's observations:

Sparrows wheel and spin
Graceful ballet as they dine
Elegant feasting

Papa cardinal
Scarlet breast proudly on show
Ignores the hubbub

What small price birdseed
Costs compared to the theater
Outside my back door