Backyard Bird Watchers

#226
#226
I just got into putting up bird feeders last fall.
What's y'alls take on birds feeders in the spring and summer? I was going to keep the feeders full, but I've been told that you need to stop when it starts getting warmer
 
#227
#227
I put up my seed feeder in the Fall and keep it stocked through the Winter and into Spring - until the last bit I purchased is consumed. The cycle starts anew each Fall.

I put up hummingbird feeders in late Summer and leave them up into Fall, until the migrating birds visit no more. I’ve not had much luck with hummingbird feeders in the Spring.
 
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#228
#228
Enjoyed watching 2 bald eagles for almost an hour yesterday fishing. They stood very still in shallow water and after almost an hour one of them struck and flew off with a fish and the other followed. We’ve always enjoyed watching ospreys which do the fly & dive to catch and I thought eagles did the same but this was the second time I’ve seen eagles fishing from shoreline
 
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#229
#229
walkenvol said:
Enjoyed watching 2 bald eagles for almost an hour yesterday fishing. They stood very still in shallow water and after almost an hour one of them struck and flew off with a fish and the other followed. We’ve always enjoyed watching ospreys which do the fly & dive to catch and I thought eagles did the same but this was the second time I’ve seen eagles fishing from shoreline
Click to expand...

It's amazing the patience animals have when hunting. We bitch if we have to wait 30 seconds at McDonalds
 
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#230
#230
The year ‘round regulars are in full nesting mode. The pairs of Cardinals to the east and west of my property have a truce when taking turns at my feeder. The two tohee pairs aren’t so cordial. They spark and fuss in my yard. The titmice made an appearance (thought I’d lost them). The Carolina wrens have taken to harvesting the seed kernel bits left on the feeder by the scarlet finches. Brown headed and white breasted nuthatches are regulars at the feeder. The chickadees visit when it’s not crowded.
 
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#231
#231
The Cardinals and finches feed at my feeder. The others grab a sunflower seed, fly up to the nearby dogwoods, and hammer them open.
 
#232
#232
put a lot of work into my back yard. we have hummingbirds in summer, downy woodpeckers, red tail, goldfinches, cardinals, blue jays. even had a peacock drop in one day... no idea. scared me to death

lots of robins and other usuals, occasional bluebird
 
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#233
#233
The bluebirds that visit my yard nest in boxes put up by my neighbors across the street. Eastern phoebes and robins are annual visitors. Goldfinches and hummingbirds are notable passing through in the late summer, as are sparrows, warblers, grosbeaks, and juncos.

This year, a pair of crows are building a nest ~1/4 mile from my property. We see them coming and going with twigs in their beaks. The two speak as mates & lovers, their tone with each other different than that with other crows.
 
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#235
#235
Has anyone put up a Hummingbird .. bird house? If so, did U have any success??

I ask because I just saw one on Amazon that looks pretty neat!
 
#237
#237
About 100 Cedar Waxwings have been busy each day for the past week raiding my Juniper bushes. Each day they pick out a different tree as their base, and take turns flying back and forth feeding in smaller groups. Caroline Chickadee's, a couple of Eastern Towhee's, Cardinal's, House Finches, Song Sparrow's and Brown Thrasher's have shown up and preparing to nest. I have recently purchased a spotting scope, and it is a major supplement/improvement to the binoculars. The free Audubon bird app has also been a great help with identification.
 
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#242
#242
I don't really watch that many birds in my back yard. That is if you don't count Redtail Hawks or Hummingbirds. Right now, we have a family of Canadian Geese and 2 families of Wood Ducks on the pond. Wood Ducks are beautiful, but they are without a doubt the most skittish ducks there are. You have to be really quiet to get to watch them for very long.
 
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#244
#244
I've seen all the southeast "standards" in Kingsport. Most interesting was a ring neck dove aka turtle dove. I figured she was an escaped Christmas present that fell in with some mourning doves. Pretty, noisy creature.
 
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#245
#245
The camera on my wife's phone is soo.. much better than mine. Thanks for the likes everyone!
This pix shows the markings on the wings so much better. Glad to hear from those that have seen these birds and glad to know they are plentiful in some parts of TN. Maybe some will migrate here and run off the dmmm Starlings!

1650780833009.jpeg
 
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#247
#247
Tin Man said:
Camping in rural Morgan County Georgia, I’ve been treated to dueling whippoorwills each night. The calls become frenetic at dawn, ending at sunrise.
Click to expand...

To me, Whipporwills have the most enchanting call of Any bird!! Guess it's just a Southern Thing!!! I have only seen two or maybe three in my lifetime.......and I've been around a while!!!!!!
 
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#248
#248
vols 30 said:
I just got into putting up bird feeders last fall.
What's y'alls take on birds feeders in the spring and summer? I was going to keep the feeders full, but I've been told that you need to stop when it starts getting warmer
Click to expand...
In my experience the birds that eat seeds leave when the weather warms and go back north. They get replaced by birds that eat worms and bugs (robins, bluebirds, blue jays, etc). If you want to keep using feeders you can do mealworms and that will attract bluebirds and some other types. They're pretty expensive though. My old neighbor used to leave bird feeders up year round and all it did was cause me to have a rat problem.

I've put up 8 ferns in the past couple weeks and have 3 house finch nests so far. Those little jerks move quick.
 
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