Backyard Bird Watchers

#427
#427
The male red shouldered hawk nesting with his mate near my home has become an adept hunter of chipmunks. Last week, he took one hiding under the azaleas in my front yard. Just now, he took one hiding in the craggy roots on my water oak.
 
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#436
#436
Danl said:
Whatchall got against chipmunks? Are they destructive?
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They can be. They like to burrow under things and that can cause problems. I mainly hate them because they make my beagle go crazy and I can't get any peace when he's outside in the yard. And I have to worry about him escaping my fence somehow because he's after a chipmunk.
 
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#437
#437
Danl said:
Whatchall got against chipmunks? Are they destructive?
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They like to get sunflower seeds from the bird feeder and go find somewhere super annoying to eat or plant them. They've eaten through the sheetrock in my garage to get to birdseed and nesting locations (cardboard boxes, tool shed, etc). They dig holes in my pots, leave poop and shells behind corners in the couch, and freaking nested and had babies in the gas grill (which rarely gets used). That was fun -- my wife discovered after lighting it without noticing.
 
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#438
#438
Chipmunks find most of what they need in my yard and do not bother my home. One clan with a burrow closest to my garden did dig up some sunflower seeds which I had planted. I’m starting new ones in pots and will transplant them when hardy.
 
#439
#439
Gotta say, the male common finch is doing more to feed his fledglings. Good dad. I suspect the female is building herself up for laying eggs for the next brood.
 
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#440
#440
Finches are messy eaters, scattering sunflower seeds and dropping bits of meal. Usually, these are consumed by Cardinals. Still, some seeds reach the ground, where they’re hoovered up by squirrels and chipmunks. Today, two squirrels combing the grass for these errant seeds got into a squabble which carried on into the nearby dogwood, from which they twice fell with a thump. Finally, one retreated to the front yard, while the victor continued to forage the side yard.
 
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#442
#442
Go aeiou said:
In the Good Ole Days we had neigborhood cats that kept down the varmint population.
Now it seems we have mostly cayotes and deer, at least in Nashville burbs.
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In the city, the leash laws (and maybe dog catchers) are what contribute to the varmit population. Squirrels, rats, chipmunks, voles, groundhogs, snakes and other ground creatures don’t populate too good in environments with free range dogs. We had a small hobby farm in Sullivan county with Airedales and wire fox terriers. Let me say this, all the nuisance critters stayed away from from my Ponderosa.
GBO
 
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#443
#443
We had a wide range of animals-dogs, cats, hogs, peacocks, horses, chickens even trout in the spring fed pond and such. My animals could go off the rails but I always was a responsible neighbor and they knew how to act. The only varrmits that I looked to control were the mice/rats and the groundhogs. A groundhog can really cause some damage to pastures and make holes. horses and people can fall into and break legs. Good memories
 
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#444
#444
I need help VN birdwatchers!! For years my wife has put out feeders for hummingbirds in front and back of our house and by the end of May we've got 10-12 darting and buzzing around. This year however the most we've seen are three hummers!
The only difference I can think of is, in early April we put out feeder and pine cones for larger birds (see page 17). We see a variety of birds daily at the feeder which is on the back deck. The humming bird feeder is about 15 ft. from the feeder filled with birdseed.
My wife is afraid the larger birds are scaring away the hummers although the larger birds show no interest in the sugar water and I've seen no aggression toward the lil' hummers.
Is my wife correct? Do we need to move the "seed feeder" farther away (which means we won't get to see much of them)?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!!!
 
#445
#445
JustFunnN'Orange said:
I need help VN birdwatchers!! For years my wife has put out feeders for hummingbirds in front and back of our house and by the end of May we've got 10-12 darting and buzzing around. This year however the most we've seen are three hummers!
The only difference I can think of is, in early April we put out feeder and pine cones for larger birds (see page 17). We see a variety of birds daily at the feeder which is on the back deck. The humming bird feeder is about 15 ft. from the feeder filled with birdseed.
My wife is afraid the larger birds are scaring away the hummers although the larger birds show no interest in the sugar water and I've seen no aggression toward the lil' hummers.
Is my wife correct? Do we need to move the "seed feeder" farther away (which means we won't get to see much of them)?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!!!
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No the distance is fine. How are the blooms in your area? This is how hummingbirds will be affected. They are extremely territorial if there are less blooming flowers then there will be less hummingbirds.
 
#446
#446
JustFunnN'Orange said:
I need help VN birdwatchers!! For years my wife has put out feeders for hummingbirds in front and back of our house and by the end of May we've got 10-12 darting and buzzing around. This year however the most we've seen are three hummers!
The only difference I can think of is, in early April we put out feeder and pine cones for larger birds (see page 17). We see a variety of birds daily at the feeder which is on the back deck. The humming bird feeder is about 15 ft. from the feeder filled with birdseed.
My wife is afraid the larger birds are scaring away the hummers although the larger birds show no interest in the sugar water and I've seen no aggression toward the lil' hummers.
Is my wife correct? Do we need to move the "seed feeder" farther away (which means we won't get to see much of them)?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!!!
Click to expand...
I put out a few hummingbird feeders every year too and have noticed fewer birds in spring but the population picks up a bit later. I think it's because there are so many early spring flowers that they are taking advantage of right now. And too, once the nesting pairs start hatching babies that increases the population. Weather patterns along their migration route also greatly affect the flocks.
 
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#447
#447
JustFunnN'Orange said:
I need help VN birdwatchers!! For years my wife has put out feeders for hummingbirds in front and back of our house and by the end of May we've got 10-12 darting and buzzing around. This year however the most we've seen are three hummers!
The only difference I can think of is, in early April we put out feeder and pine cones for larger birds (see page 17). We see a variety of birds daily at the feeder which is on the back deck. The humming bird feeder is about 15 ft. from the feeder filled with birdseed.
My wife is afraid the larger birds are scaring away the hummers although the larger birds show no interest in the sugar water and I've seen no aggression toward the lil' hummers.
Is my wife correct? Do we need to move the "seed feeder" farther away (which means we won't get to see much of them)?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!!!
Click to expand...

I've seen one hummingbird so far this spring. I think it's just too early
 
#448
#448
Not really related, but sorta: please turn off your outside lights between sundown and sunup. They’re very disorienting to critters that fly/come out at night, especially migrating birds.

Here’s how you can go Lights Out! - BirdCast

If you miss lightning bugs/fireflies like I do, this is a major way to help bring them back.

Motion-detecting lights are fine, if they don’t stay on for an extended period of time after being set off.
 
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