Spring birds arriving.

[deerseeker001]

our first hummingbirds arrived last week.

 

[crash325]

BEAN DIP

Humming birds love to eat mosquitoes. If you have ever seen one that looks like a Drunk in flight, its after a flying bug (Mosquito). Really fun to watch.

 

[beandip]

Any idea how to attract the hummingirds. We have never had good luck.

 

[crash325]

Any idea how to attract the hummingirds. We have never had good luck.

Plant a lot of different kinds of flowers. Put out 2 or 3 sugar water bottles. Don't bother with the store bought food. 1 Sugar to 4 water, boiled to fully desolve the sugar and keep it from molding.

Think I saw the babies feeding on flowers today. Mother is one of the smallest types of hummers, so it is really hard to tell if it is her or the babies.

On Road Runners - They are sort of pretty, but with a very mean and nasty face. They are pretty much on a meat diet, small quail, lizards, small rabbits and snakes. They can eat a 3' snake in 1 meal. Don't ask me where it goes, as they are not that big. Nose to tail around 20" give or take a little.

At certain times of the year they will hunt together. First one gets a kill and then the other one takes its place and waits.

 

[crash325]

Around here it is almost "Summer Like", 105+ Monday, 106+ Tuesday. Today its down to 99+.

More baby Quail coming in, Think there are 2 large groups 1 maybe up to 20 and 1 about 14. Really hard to count as they never quit moving. Not able to get pictures of the large groups.

Picture is the small family, 4 babies.


Saw my first "Real Crow" today, don't get too many of them here.

Big old Raven (Most folks around here call them Crows) came in a little while ago. Did get a few pictures of him, still in camera. Video would have been fun watching him / her hopping from rock to rock. Must have his second trip as he hopped up on the bird bath and picked out some kind of food. White, but bread would have fallen apart.

 

[tcreeley]

After reading your posts I figure you are the one to ask about attracting mosquito eaters. We have about 18 acres in the Southern Adirondacks with a climate probably similar to yours. Our land is about 60% wooded evergreens with the rest tall grasses and scrubs, and a couple open acres. The pines are high and dry but the scrubs are in wetlands with 2 small creeks running through them. Next door is about a 5 acre "pond" depending on the rain.
I would like to attract a few different breeds of skeeter eaters, or any songbirds for that matter. Any suggestions as far as what flowers, homes, or cover to use. As much as I enjoy birds I don't know a lot of specifics trying to attract specific breeds. My wife is enamored with hummingbirds, and over the years we have tried to attract them with limited success.
Some of the "locals" seen so far are a few Phoebes, English sparrows,Woodpeckers, several Wild Turkeys, and a large gray wading bird( I can't get close enough to get a good description.
Any input would be appreciated. Perhaps the title of a good book?

Tree swallows like their bugs! Try putting up nesting boxes (same size as for a bluebird- who eat bugs too) about 5-8' up. (steel fencepost and attach rod to that holding up the birdhouse). Put them every 50 feet or so- best facing SE. A flat overhanging roof gives them a place to rest. Other birds will uses the boxes too- that's why you put a bunch up!
Swallows, bluebirds like open area. All of the berry bushes do their share of attracting birds - year round. Apples are great for the waxwings, grosbeaks, orioles.
Leave areas of brush and thickets, rough fencelines etc- provides habitat/cover for the birds nesting at the edges of fields/woods. Also- undisturbed woods with down branches, old rotting trees, snags, bushes is hospitable for nesting. A neat forest is what people like! I compromise with trails to walk on. Species mix in trees is good.
-Plentiful blackflies is a sign of clean water.
Most all of the perrenials like bee balm will grow wild if you start them, Phlox too, lillies. Hummingbirds love them. Put them along in open areas. Goodluck.


I haven't read the book...!....but it looks reasonable.....from amazon.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Audubon-Society-Guide-Attracting-Birds/dp/0801488648/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1338037121&sr=8-3]Amazon.com: The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds: Creating Natural Habitats for Properties Large and Small, Second Edition (9780801488641): Stephen W. Kress: Books[/ame]

 

[tcreeley]

Around here it is almost "Summer Like", 105+ Monday, 106+ Tuesday. Today its down to 99+.

More baby Quail coming in, Think there are 2 large groups 1 maybe up to 20 and 1 about 14. Really hard to count as they never quit moving. Not able to get pictures of the large groups.

Picture is the small family, 4 babies.


Saw my first "Real Crow" today, don't get too many of them here.

Big old Raven (Most folks around here call them Crows) came in a little while ago. Did get a few pictures of him, still in camera. Video would have been fun watching him / her hopping from rock to rock. Must have his second trip as he hopped up on the bird bath and picked out some kind of food. White, but bread would have fallen apart.

I like your quail! I was in CA years ago and saw some, same time I came within 4' of a rattler crossing the path. Gave me a new view of wildlife! There is a slaughter house 40 min north of me that throws out their carcasses. In the spruces and hardwoods behind the building there are ravens and eagles year round there for a free meal, sitting in the limbs. One January I counted 14 eagles in the trees and some coming and going. Ravens are year round here. I like them.

 

[crash325]

I like your quail! I was in CA years ago and saw some, same time I came within 4' of a rattler crossing the path. Gave me a new view of wildlife! There is a slaughter house 40 min north of me that throws out their carcasses. In the spruces and hardwoods behind the building there are ravens and eagles year round there for a free meal, sitting in the limbs. One January I counted 14 eagles in the trees and some coming and going. Ravens are year round here. I like them.

Big old Ravens are fun to watch. kind of goofy most of the time often just hop straight up. when taking off they like to get a running start.

Most wild birds will get almost tame if given a chance and they love to play. When my sand pile was fresh & loose, quail would get on top and slide down. They were lined up on the railing of my ramp and 1 after the other would slide down the railing on the stairs. My sister, brother in law and I were about 4 feet away watching.

Had a humming bird that would get a few inches from my face and yell at me when taking "His" sugar water down to refill. He / She guarded that bottle all day.

 

[grnspot110]

Saw this Bob-O-Link at the farm yesterday! Pretty rare around here, don't remember ever seeing one here before. ~~ grnspot

 

[tcreeley]

Saw this Bob-O-Link at the farm yesterday! Pretty rare around here, don't remember ever seeing one here before. ~~ grnspot

We have them around here, but they've been going down in numbers. I'll see them on the telephone wire beside the fields - they sing as they drop back in. Ground nester in the tall grass.
Do you you have meadowlarks? Usually when I see bobolinks, I'll hear and see the meadowlarks with it.

Looking from above bobolinks blend in with the field. Nice bird!

 

[tcreeley]

Big old Ravens are fun to watch. kind of goofy most of the time often just hop straight up. when taking off they like to get a running start.

Most wild birds will get almost tame if given a chance and they love to play. When my sand pile was fresh & loose, quail would get on top and slide down. They were lined up on the railing of my ramp and 1 after the other would slide down the railing on the stairs. My sister, brother in law and I were about 4 feet away watching.

Had a humming bird that would get a few inches from my face and yell at me when taking "His" sugar water down to refill. He / She guarded that bottle all day.

One year when I used to fee the birds- before I got all of these cats (strays+ kittens) I put a scarecrow guy in one of my old flannel shirts and baseball hat in a lawnchair by the feeder. I sprinkled seed over him and on his hat. After a week I took turns with my son sitting there as the chickadees landed and grabbed sunflower seeds. I found that I could move around the snowy yard and they'd come to the hat on my head for some seed. I've had them come to my hand before too. Scarecrow guy takes less standing still time on my part to get them used to me.

 

[tcreeley]

Walking along my boundary field edge toward a marshy area, I heard an Alder Flycatcher singing. They are a bird of my youth in the southern Berkshires- before I had binoculars - it would take some getting close enough to distinguish the field markings. We have some woods we leave alone behind the barn - rocky, wet pockets, blow downs, spruce, birch, poplars, red maples. From there while I was waiting for two crows to try again for the scratch feed I threw out for the chickens, I heard a Solitary Vireo (now blue headed vireo) singing. This is perhaps one of the sweeter birds singing- enunciated short 3 and 4 note phrases punctuated by a 2 note phrase. It just feels good to listen. Birds have dialects, and a specie's song will change subtly across the country.

pics from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

Alder Flycatcher...................................................Blue Headed Vireo (old name - Solitary Vireo)(-notice the eye ring)

 

[beandip]

Walked around the lower part of the property today. I guess I don't have to worry about attracting song birds. it was a non stop concert. Nicest song was sung by a small white throat-ed ? , the song was (2 ascending notes followed by 3 - 3 note phrases sounding like Peabody ,Peabody ,Peabody.). Sorry I can only identify several birds by song.
Fortunately what I thought was poison ivy has turned out to be Dewberry and the birds and butterflies love it. Which is good since it is everywhere. We also bought some wild flower seed heavy on the reds hoping to attack the humming birds.
On my way out I ran into a single (female) Hungarian Partridge who seemed unconcerned with my presence. Also, the large bird wading in the pond last week I have identified as a Great Blue Heron.
Rain again this week end but I plan to spend more time at the property next week. I will take some pics, or try to, I'm not to bad as long as the subject cooperates.

 

[crash325]

My humming bird mother has been busy. She has raised 2 babies and sent them on their way.
2 Nights ago turned on the barn light and she was sitting the nest.
Yesterday the tiniest little beak you ever saw was sticking up out of the nest.

Baby sparrows and finches are as big as their parents, But still being fed. See them lined up on the cooler line begging, then getting fed.

More quail babies are being brought in. 2 brood's and 2 sets of parents came in. On a sad note, I think the couple that had 4 babies, lost the mother and 1 baby, the daddy is bringing in only 3. Another 6 Or 7 babies are being brought in my a single parent.

Mother quail is the family defender & attack dog, she will tackle anything that threatens her babies and defend them to her death.

Couple of side notes: Digging a ditch for a water line, uncovered a good sized tarantula yesterday. She was not going to let something like a back hoe bother her. Finally had to get off and force her down to the other end of the ditch.

Have a deliberate hose drip, it's now home to a big Hop Toad. Caught it going in the grass & weeds.

 

[tcreeley]

Walked around the lower part of the property today. I guess I don't have to worry about attracting song birds. it was a non stop concert. Nicest song was sung by a small white throat-ed ? , the song was (2 ascending notes followed by 3 - 3 note phrases sounding like Peabody ,Peabody ,Peabody.). Sorry I can only identify several birds by song.
Fortunately what I thought was poison ivy has turned out to be Dewberry and the birds and butterflies love it. Which is good since it is everywhere. We also bought some wild flower seed heavy on the reds hoping to attack the humming birds.
On my way out I ran into a single (female) Hungarian Partridge who seemed unconcerned with my presence. Also, the large bird wading in the pond last week I have identified as a Great Blue Heron.
Rain again this week end but I plan to spend more time at the property next week. I will take some pics, or try to, I'm not to bad as long as the subject cooperates.

White Throated Sparrow --"Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody,Peabody or Pure Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada" depending on your locale!
I never have a camera when I want it, and usually I don't have luck with it anyway!

Crash, -----a tarantula! wow-- hop toad! I've learned not to pick up toads in my area- they pissed in my hand when I did..

 

[tcreeley]

I heard a veery singing yesterday evening, and early this morning -a red eyed vireo. Both, when I moved to Maine 29 years ago used to be in much larger numbers. There was not anywhere -where you couldn't hear them - woods up here. The red eyed vireo would drown out the other birds with its singing- like a colorless robin singing and loud and close by! But they have both declined in numbers. It is suspected that the airborne mercury from mid-western powerplants has fallen on the leaves, been consumed by caterpillars - etc- and eaten by the birds and is disrupting the normal vitality of the young birds- birth-defects etc... -I once found a warbler scuffling in the underbrush to get away from me, it was fast but had legs without feet- nothing to perch with and its wings were unable to lift it into flight- It is disheartening- this side of it, but the birds themselves are tremendous.

pics from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

Veery.................................................................................Red Eyed Vireo

 

[crash325]

White Throated Sparrow --"Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody,Peabody or Pure Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada" depending on your locale!
I never have a camera when I want it, and usually I don't have luck with it anyway!

Crash, -----a tarantula! wow-- hop toad! I've learned not to pick up toads in my area- they pissed in my hand when I did..

At times you would think I maintained this place for the Critters. Maybe I do, watching them is better than TV.

Tarantula's are fairly friendly and fear almost nothing. They can bite and some have poison in their bite. Not much harm to a human, just uncomfortable.

Hop Toads usually pee soon as you pick them up. Pick the up sort of like a snake and let their butt hang down. Same with the turtles around here.

Many critters & birds like or at least tolerate people. Cactus Wren's, Curve Bills and Cardinal's will come up and fuss at me if they don't have the right kind of seeds.

Talk gently to cotton tail rabbit and it will come closer and try to understand what you are saying. Some birds and lizards as well. I've been playing with critters since a kid. At 3 we had a pet armadillo in 7th grade had a pet Coti Mundi (Chullo). We had a pet kangaroo Rat many years.

Sorry to be so long winded.

 

[crash325]

Another Sad note.
Second hatching by my little hummer died. When the little beak didn't move, I reached up and lifted out a tiny dead hummer.

I think the mother has now abandoned the nest.

Think it was her that was checking out me and the dogs yesterday. Flew up and down the ramp looking us over.

 

[tcreeley]

When I got out of the truck at 3:40 with the sun shining on this 63 degree day (rain fell earlier) I hear the soft sound of the Black Billed Cuckoo from behind the visible portion of the spruce row. They are a beautiful long bird, and I am glad they are here as i saw a tent caterpillar last weekend in the field........ In Mass years ago there was a major infestation of tent caterpillars and you could hear the chewing when you were outside- they stripped the leaves from every deciduous tree all over the state. The trains were even losing purchase to the little bodies of slime on the tracks.

It sounds a good deal like its name - but softer.

pics from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

Black Billed Cuckoo