Was waiting to get a couple shots of the Hummingbird that had recently arrived in the area and got a few shots of some other visitors while I was waiting for the hummingbird to visit the feeder, Not very good shots though, Kept getting sunny-cloudy-overcast over and over which made it hard to get some quick shots in, But, Here they are anyway..
Male bluebird guarding the fort! ... 4 babies in the box that are almost ready to fledge ...
This message was edited Apr 27, 2010 2:32 AM
A little Sunbath before the next feeding ..
Bringing some food but keeping an eye on the sky!
Continuis feeding! ..
"" ""
" "
The male is such a beautifull blue!
This message was edited Apr 27, 2010 2:19 AM
"" "
Early morning cardinal
Robin ( Harsh sunlight) ..
On my neighbors rooftop ..
Mockingbird singing away ..
..And of course ..Displaying
Then came the hummingbird ..
" "
Had to take a quick shot on the way passing by ..
Gorgeous shots, Iris. I love the Mockingbird displaying. Well, I love them all...
Iris, what great pics. The blue color of a male BB is incredibly beautiful. I keep trying to capture it in a photo, but haven't so far.
These are wonderful shots Iris! I love that sunbathing shot along with the mockingbird displaying. Great job!
Beautiful series Iris...such gorgeous colors too!!
Great job on all your photos Iris. You have a wonderful group of visitors. I do hope that last cute squirrel won't steal any of your birds' eggs. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us.
Thanks everyone!
gazergirl, Sometimes I can catch the color, Sometimes not, Depends where he's at and how much light is on him.
ducbucln, I have not seem a squirrel take an egg here yet ( Not that they wouldn't given the oppertunity) I do worry more about chipmunks going after the eggs. The BB nest box is not of real easy access for either and the BB's do a really good job defending it, But, I tend to worry more on there second batch of babies as it's warmer out by then and more lively with preditors, So I try to keep a good watch on all that nest, I also put out a scarecrow water blaster, It has an motion detection eye and will blast water at any movement that comes anywhere close to the nest that I set it up at.
We had put up two owl boxes ( For owls) But, I don't believe we placed them high enough because the squirrels took them over, Now, I want to take them down ( Hopefully within the next 2 weeks)
Love your pics! Here are a couple of mine. First, daddy bluebird guarding the home front...
Second: Pigeon/dove watching the action from the fence.
ladybug_pc, Great pics!! Thanks for posting! I believe that is a mourning dove in the second photo.
Third: Baby brown thrasher taking a break from "practice flying."
Favorite pic before the batteries in the camera went dead this weekend: zoom shot of daddy bluebird.
Thanks, Iris! Love yours too! I keep trying to catcht the chickadees as they dart in and out with food, but they are too quick for me. The bluebird loves to pose for me. :-)
The baby thrasher so cute! ...I can see why that BB shot was your favorite! ( Don't you hate that when the battery's run out!!) I had such a Great oppertunity for some Hummingbird shots this evening, but, I was charging the battery on my best camera so tried to get the shots with my other camera and just couldn't do the job for the distance! I was so aggrivated! lol! I like to get the chickadees too, But, They are not around, When it gets a little warmer , I know they will be back and I look forward to it! Geeze, It's so cold out there this evening and I seen a cardnal taking a bath in the birdbath! I don't know how he could stand it ... Heavy duty bird feathers!!!
This message was edited Apr 27, 2010 8:38 PM
Iris, be careful with Owl boxes. I have an Owl that likes to hunt in my yard. It caught and ate my female BB. Whenever I see or hear it, I go outside and chase it away by making noise or shining a flashlight. Yes, Owls do have to eat, but not my birds in my yard.
gazergirl, I use to have owl boxes where I use to live and I use to study them and I noticed that they usually go a distance from there nestbox to hunt. The reason why I put the owl boxes up is because I have a niehbor that has an open cold compost bin that draws critters ( Which in turn of course draws snakes) and of course instead of putting it by "His" end of the house, He instead, Puts it in the corner by my end of my backyard by my shed. I do have hawks that visit by his bin for food by day and was hoping to intice owls by night, but, I put them lower then what they should be and the squirrels are in them, And though I know there are owls close by ( I hear them almost everyday) I am going to remove the boxes.... It's the beginning of nesting season and I want to keep the birds as safe as possible, I have always witnessed owls going away from there nestbox to hunt, But, That doesn't mean they wouldn't take a closeby bird at all. So would prefere to have them be safe and I totally understand your concern. Heres a photo with one of the hawks with it's prey from by the bin ..... ( It's an Albino, I call him Whitehawk) ...
This is the only halfway decent shot I got of the hummingbird with my spare camera while my other camera's battery was charging... He was way up in the tree on the smaller branches ...
What are the requirements for an owl box (assuming they go out for dinner and don't eat at home)? I have chickadees and bluebirds in my boxes, but we placed a martin house 3 years ago and still no luck. They nest in the neighbors' house vents but won't even look at our martin house. I think the close proximity of other structures is the reason, but I don't understand the appeal of the house vents.
Regardless, the martin house is on a tall, retractable pole grounded in quickcrete (cement), so it's not going anywhere. I had thought about a bat house or an owl house. Would either work?
Iris, Whitehawk is beautiful. I've never seen an albino Hawk! I appreciate why you want to attract the Owls, neighbors can cause unexpected problems. If you are having a rodent problem with the compost pile, there should be some kind of animal control agency that will help you address the issue. You shouldn't have to live with rats and snakes because of your neighbor. Good luck with your BB nest, and send pictures of your little babies when they show up.
Ladybug, could squirrels be a problem? I don't have any experience with Martins, but all the Martin houses in my neighborhood are heavy on squirrel guards.
Love White Hawk Iris!
Good one of the hummer ladybug!!
Thanks all!
Ladybug, I am assuming that your Martin house is out in the open? .. Martins like a lot of open area to fly into there house .. However, Owls do not like to be in the open. If you think about the space you have around your Martin house, The location of where it's placed, The height ect. You can google certain birds you would like to attract and see which birds requirements fit what you have. I have whatched and listened to the owls that I had and they did usually go down by the pond/stream to feed, And normally return by or before dawnbreak, But, If a songbird is out early and the owl is comming in there is a good chance he will pick it from your yard.
gazergirl, He must have gotten an order in because he has been picking up his yard, My shed is all the way to the back of the yard, And his compost bin is all the way to the back of his yard, But, He has it in the corner right by my fence and close to my shed, He is in my opinion a Major Horder and he had all kinds of junk all over the place by the compost bin, so not only does the bin attract pests, But, The mess gives them many places to hide! When they bring food items to put in the compost bin, They had to walk through a maze of junk to get to it! I am so happy that we put up a stockade fence so that we don't have to look at the mess over there! But, Having that bin so close still creats a problem and I'm going to have to see what can be done about it, He has been picking up over there so he must have got a code order to clean it up! Thank God! On a better note .... Here's a photo of the Bluebird babies and they are doing good! :) ...
Very cute Iris! Glad their doing so well!
Thanks pelletory! Me too!
Iris really great shots! Your BB's are beautiful and that white is very cool! I just love hearing and seeing our Barred Owls. They have really been talking the last few nights. Lots of hootin' going on!
