For The Birds...Literally

[Emer Dreamer]

I love to watch birds. I have nesting bluebirds. The crows are the ones who are most troublesome. They'll eat all of the food! The bluejays are well mannered. Even wild turkeys come to visit.

 Ah yes.....those pesky, loud crows.  They can be bullies sometimes-chasing away the sparrows and finches. Hmmm.... well mannered bluejays.    Maybe jays  do get  a bad rap.  Maybe the crows keep them in line.    I would sure like to see some actual bluebirds. They are sure lovely looking.  

[Emer Dreamer]

 I'm reminded of one of my favorite family stories. My late dad was a Lutheran pastor. This takes place back in the early 90's I think. He was serving a parish in rural Wisconsin.  On his way back from a visitation, some wild turkeys strutted in front of his car not too far in front and wouldn't budge. My dad did not have time or room to swerve. The stubborn ornery toms paid with their lives and did a lot of damage to my dad's front grill. He had a hard time explaining this one to his car insurance company. They wouldn't even pay out at first. I think it eventually got sorted out but it took some doing. 

[LISAFAN4EVER]

Just the other day, I saw a crow poking its head into the bluebird house. I don't know if the eggs have hatched yet - most likely since there's usually 2 broods a summer. I've never seen a crow do that. I know they'll eat anything including roadkill but the bluebirds aren't going to be a meal!

I used to get painted-bunting in the summer but not so for a few years. They're very colorful.

[bobh56]

I live in a rural area in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.  Needless to say, one of the things that drew me to the area is the abundance of wildlife, including many bird species.  Naturally, I like to encourage the birds to visit by feeding them when the time is right.  Per the advice of other bird fanciers in the area, I held off putting my feeders (a tube and suet feeder) on the pole I attached to my back deck until mid-November to avoid attracting bears.  Unfortunately, we had an inordinately warm fall, which led to a bear helping itself to the tube feeder (and smashing it to atoms) just before Thanksgiving.  Not to be undone by a bear, I bought another tube feeder, and started feeding my feathered friends in December after the bears went into hibernation.  (Early in December, I had to deal with a couple of persistent raccoons by installing a baffle on the pole.)  During the winter and early spring, over a dozen species dined at my feeders, including pileated and hairy woodpeckers, blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, various sparrows, crows, and gold and house finches.  (The finches were a pleasant surprise because I was using sunflower seeds, and I thought they preferred millet and nyjer.)  Unfortunately, although I’ve seen them in the area, no cardinals visited my feeders – maybe next year.  Adding these to the robins, cedar waxwings, and hummingbirds that I saw last summer, and the ruffed grouse and wild turkeys that seem to think they own the place year round, and I’m developing a fairly respectable bird count. 

Although I know I was pushing my luck (due to the arrival of early spring), I kept putting out sunflower seeds past mid-April to use up my remaining stock.  My luck, however, ran out during the first week in May when the bears returned for a morning snack.  It was clearly bears because they were able to reach over the baffle, and snap the cast iron hook on which the tube feeder hung.  I also found the feeder in the woods with several tooth punctures in it.  Needless to say, I took down all the feeders, washed them, and put them away until next November.

Not unexpectedly, the bears returned that afternoon.  As I was preparing my dinner (thankfully, I wasn’t grilling outside), I looked out the backdoor and saw a small (75 lbs) bear nosing around the side of the deck where the feeders were, and its much larger (250 lbs) Mother, keeping a watchful eye on its cub from the tree line.  Being a bit stunned, I didn’t think to grab the camera until they started ambling off.  When I got back with the camera, they were well into the woods, and out of camera range.  Much to my relief (and disappointment), I haven’t seen them since, but I’m planning to be a bit more wary on my strolls in the woods. 

[Emer Dreamer]

  I have never been out your way, but I'm guessing it is beautiful. It must be so nice to live in the countryside. I grew up in rural areas but have spent '84 on in various suburban areas of Minnesota. But I always enjoyed going back to the countryside. One of the things I always missed was the variety of birds there like you describe.  In the city, it is limited but I do see the occasional  egret or heron (a little ways out). They look so impressive in flight. Of course, Minnesota is the "Loon" state and our abundant lakes make it a boon for water fowl.

[Emer Dreamer]

Just the other day, I saw a crow poking its head into the bluebird house. I don't know if the eggs have hatched yet - most likely since there's usually 2 broods a summer. I've never seen a crow do that. I know they'll eat anything including roadkill but the bluebirds aren't going to be a meal!

I used to get painted-bunting in the summer but not so for a few years. They're very colorful.

  I applaud your diligence in protecting the bluebirds.  Maybe the pickens' are getting slim for those crows. But like you say, they are scavengers. I enjoy the red-wing blackbirds that I see near lakes here. They typically nest in the tall marshy plants that grow near water.  Maybe they sing about the "green rushes"  like our Celtic Cuties. 

[TheWhite~Rose]

Just the other day, I saw a crow poking its head into the bluebird house. I don't know if the eggs have hatched yet - most likely since there's usually 2 broods a summer. I've never seen a crow do that. I know they'll eat anything including roadkill but the bluebirds aren't going to be a meal!

I used to get painted-bunting in the summer but not so for a few years. They're very colorful.

  I applaud your diligence in protecting the bluebirds.  Maybe the pickens' are getting slim for those crows. But like you say, they are scavengers. I enjoy the red-wing blackbirds that I see near lakes here. They typically nest in the tall marshy plants that grow near water.  Maybe they sing about the "green rushes"  like our Celtic Cuties. 

We get a lot of red-winged blackbirds around here.   They're my dad's favorite.  And the Eastern bluebird is my favorite songbird.   Their vibrant blue color and red chest are so lovely.   My elementary school had a lot of boxes set up for them just outside the playground--we did a special project on them, keeping track of their nesting habits and such.  It was a lot of fun!

In the city, it is limited but I do see the occasional  egret or heron (a little ways out). They look so impressive in flight. Of course, Minnesota is the "Loon" state and our abundant lakes make it a boon for water fowl.

Oooh, I love herons so much.   I used to live just outside of Harrisburg when I was younger--we had a lovely creek flow through our yard, and we would get all sorts of water fowl there, including the occassional blue heron.   I'll never forget that snowy white crane that appeared that one morning though.  It was so beautiful and graceful. It stayed in the creek for about 20 minutes and it was so breathtaking to watch when it flew off--the white wings reminded me very much of an angel's.   Isn't nature wonderful?

[Emer Dreamer]

I used to feed snow geese at a place nearby called Prescott Farm, not an actual farm but a site with Revolutionary War era buildings. The geese  had blue eyes and stood about 3 feet tall. When they saw me, they`d come running , honking all the way. They LOVED Sunhine brand oyster crackers but if I gave them Nabisco, they didn`t like them as much and would waddle off. It IS possible to spoil a goose , it seems  

There is a park by the high rise where my mom lives. There are often geese there. One time a friend of mine and i were walking along the park trail and encountered  two "parent geese" who were leading along their little goslings. They were in "protection mode" so they came towards us aggressively to guard their young (hissing in the process). Luckily, we had some bread to bribe them with or otherwise I'm sure we would have been pecked at. We didn't blame them, but they freaked us out a little bit.  

[Emer Dreamer]

 (Tuatha De  Danann)   It must have really cool to have a stream running through your yard growing up. What a wonderful way to enjoy nature. Just walk outside your door!  Those sound like memories that you will have for a long time. 

[rebbie336]

I live in a small city on the Gulf Coast of Texas, between Houston and Corpus Christi, and we have a festival called Hummingbird Fest in September (usually the first weekend). We also have a large population of the brown pelican and whooping cranes (both on endangered lists). They actually have a tourbost that does "birding" runs (as well as dolphin runs).

[Emer Dreamer]

I live in a small city on the Gulf Coast of Texas, between Houston and Corpus Christi, and we have a festival called Hummingbird Fest in September (usually the first weekend). We also have a large population of the brown pelican and whooping cranes (both on endangered lists). They actually have a tourbost that does "birding" runs (as well as dolphin runs).

  Pretty cool!  I can't say that I have ever actually seen a whooping crane.  It seems that the avian appreciation culture is alive and well where you live. 

[LISAFAN4EVER]

Mention a painted bunting and what shows up? I saw just one on a feeder yesterday. There's been an occasional red-winged black bird and pileated woodpecker. The woodpeckers are usually red-bellied, red-headed, hairy, & downy.

[Emer Dreamer]

Mention a painted bunting and what shows up? I saw just one on a feeder yesterday. There's been an occasional red-winged black bird and pileated woodpecker. The woodpeckers are usually red-bellied, red-headed, hairy, & downy.

   You know...I'm thinking that maybe the early spring that we had (at least in mid-west area)  has accounted for the  increased abundance of avian life lately. I have also heard that some migratory habits were sped up( like the orioles for example). I am posting from my mom's fourth floor apartment where I am looking out on a small grove of trees just in front of me. There is a lovely goldfinch family flitting about. I am lucky enough to be on eye level with these cute little rascals. They are fun to watch. And I don't even have to get up or move to see them.   

[LISAFAN4EVER]

Saw a pileated woodpecker the other day. They don't show themselves much. This one was having fun and sending tree bark everywhere!

[Emer Dreamer]

 Hmmm....   I don't  see my   "Finch Friends"  today. Maybe they moved on.  We don't see too many woodpeckers in my neck of the woods. I have always been fascinated by them. They ARE fun to watch.  And they provide a useful service in eating insect pests that infest trees.