Backyard Bird Watchers

[StarRaider]

First week in April is when they will start trickling in

Migration tracker is showing some sightings. I put out the feeder yesterday after the storms came through... beautiful evening. Saw a great blue heron and some wood ducks when my pup took me for a walk.

 

[SlipKidVol]

First hummingbird yesterday, just south of Chattanooga in Catoosa county

 

[Nkyvolfan]

I’m not a bird watcher but would like to know if there’s a way to protect this girl and future hatchlings from my dogs? She’s in a potted fern less than three feet from my back door and as you can see only as high off the deck as the back of a chair. If I move the plant, will mama come back? I would think she would watch and know where it’s moved to. I could create a better barricade but the babies would be (you know) by my dogs when they are pushed out of the nest. That’s just what dogs do.
Any ideas?

 

[Rishvol]

I’m not a bird watcher but would like to know if there’s a way to protect this girl and future hatchlings from my dogs? She’s in a potted fern less than three feet from my back door and as you can see only as high off the deck as the back of a chair. If I move the plant, will mama come back? I would think she would watch and know where it’s moved to. I could create a better barricade but the babies would be (you know) by my dogs when they are pushed out of the nest. That’s just what dogs do.
Any ideas?View attachment 635607

If you have some fencing that momma can get in and out of that may work. This seems like a first year mother because of nest location. As bad as it seems momma may move on from the nest if the eggs haven't hatches yet because of the dogs

 

[Nkyvolfan]

If you have some fencing that momma can get in and out of that may work. This seems like a first year mother because of nest location. As bad as it seems momma may move on from the nest if the eggs haven't hatches yet because of the dogs

Thanks, she sits on her eggs and seems unbothered by traffic and dogs in and out the door. The dogs are aware she’s there but are not interested. My concern is that the eggs will hatch and the dogs will do what they will naturally do. Can’t blame the dog.

 

[Tin Man]

I’ve been seeing cat birds in my yard and suspect they’re nesting somewhere on my property. Robins have built a nest on a dogwood branch that overhangs my driveway. Last year, a hawk found the robins’ nest in that tree. May this pair have better luck. The male mockingbird that’s claimed my neighbor’s yard (and by association the eastern portion of mine) has been conspicuously absent. Maybe my tomatoes will get a break from peckage this season (netting is only partially effective and discourages the cardinals who hop through them, picking off young caterpillars).

 

[Rishvol]

I’ve been seeing cat birds in my yard and suspect they’re nesting somewhere on my property. Robins have built a nest on a dogwood branch that overhangs my driveway. Last year, a hawk found the robins’ nest in that tree. May this pair have better luck. The male mockingbird that’s claimed my neighbor’s yard (and by association the eastern portion of mine) has been conspicuously absent. Maybe my tomatoes will get a break from peckage this season (netting is only partially effective and discourages the cardinals who hop through them, picking off young caterpillars).

I have some mourning doves nesting in a Robin nest from last year. I'm eager to see if the clutch makes it

 

[Tin Man]

Crows don’t like birds of prey, but they especially hate owls. There must have been an owl roosting in a nearby poplar yesterday, given the number of crows vehemently proclaiming their displeasure, yesterday afternoon. It went on and on. A hawk would have moved off.

 

[Tin Man]

The female robin of the pair nesting in one of my dogwood trees was doing a strange dance amid the wet leaves of two dogwoods. I deduce that it must have been bathing of some sort.

 

[Rishvol]

I just recently got a resident Sharpie. Have an innumerable amount of songbirds on property so it doesn't surprise me that one took up residence

 

[VolNExile]

I just recently got a resident Sharpie. Have an innumerable amount of songbirds on property so it doesn't surprise me that one took up residence

I have just gotten back from Staples, where among other things, I bought 12-packs of fine-tip Sharpies. Your post confused the heck out of me for a few moments.

 

[Rishvol]

I have just gotten back from Staples, where among other things, I bought 12-packs of fine-tip Sharpies. Your post confused the heck out of me for a few moments.

Lol Sharp shinned Hawk

 

[VolNExile]

Lol Sharp shinned Hawl

Yep, that finally registered on me, after the discussion of the crows and owls and hawks.

Congrats for the honor of being adopted by a hawk! - and even more so for all the songbirds. They’re having a tough time these days.

We have a juvenile Cooper’s hawk hanging about, waiting for (and scaring off) the finches.

 

[Tin Man]

I still remember vividly the time I heard a big thud against my sister’s window. Thinking that it might have been a bird, I stepped outside to find a KOed sharp shinned fledgling. It must have been after a songbird on the feeder. I picked it up with a paper towel and held it gently in my hand. It was breathing. It awoke, took a few seconds to recover its wits, stood up in my hand, and flew to a nearby tree. Breathtaking.

 

[TVOLS]

I know crows eat meat because I built a wooden platform to give meat scraps to them. Saturday though I happen to look out window at right time and seen a crow swoop down in front yard like a bird of prey and take a blue bird. At first, I was quickly going through my options through my head with shooting him with a gun being the first. However, I knew time I got one out the damage would have already been done. I did not intervene, and other birds tried to help with no luck he finally flew away with it. Figured I share because I never seen that kind of predation from a crow.

 

[Rishvol]

I know crows eat meat because I built a wooden platform to give meat scraps to them. Saturday though I happen to look out window at right time and seen a crow swoop down in front yard like a bird of prey and take a blue bird. At first, I was quickly going through my options through my head with shooting him with a gun being the first. However, I knew time I got one out the damage would have already been done. I did not intervene, and other birds tried to help with no luck he finally flew away with it. Figured I share because I never seen that kind of predation from a crow.

Crows are opportune feeders. If they think the prey will be ready pickings they'll go for it. This is why you see a lot of mockingbirds and other song birds gang up on crows every once in a while

 

[Tin Man]

Horned owls like to nest atop crows’ nests. They’ll use the nests of other larger birds as a base, but crows choose nesting sites horned owls prefer and build sturdy nests that make a good base. Small wonder crows go apesh*t over owls.