I thought Doc was a bird man, now you tell me he is a worm man too. Wow.....good for you Doc. If you dont mind, I will stick with the birds.
O.K. Sharon, after the irrigation guys leave today please tell us what kind of finches you have. They sound very interesting. I love finches. Many friends of mine who bred exotics also bred finches. I never did because I had no market for them, but for some reason people like them as pets also. The domestic ones I am talking about now.
I understand, and Doc please tell me if I am wrong, that the male yellow finch changes color in the winter and only goes back to the yellow in the Spring. Is that true or is that a NJ tale? Like the Jersey Devil.
MID ATLANTIC BIRDS IN OUR GARDENS
Here is your answer. Photo taken about a month ago. Summer plumage just begining to show. Both the male and the female change clothes several times a year. The ma ma does not have a yellow phase.
Doc---
I have a question----don't I always? Re the "Thistle Sock".
I have a small one----like I mentioned above----It holds about 2 cups of thistle seed.
Is there a fabric, that you would know about, that could be used to make
a home-made "sock" from? I am thinking some of the finer mesh bags produce comes in.
--Does it have to be stretchy--so they can cling to it?
--Could a fine mesh fabric of some other kind work? I could make it myself...
It IS just a tube--with a hem at he top to pull a string through. SO? Why the $$$$?
Since my regular Finch feeder is now empty I see more of them at the "sock feeder"....
I would like to find a place (NO on line places. please! there is always a shipping charge!)
that sells Thistle Seed in smaller than 10lb bags?? It always goes stale--and then
no one will eat it a year later....The 10lb bag costs close to $15!
I know there is a mix of seeds and Thistle seed that is sold as "Finch Food"....
Is one better than the other?????
Thanks--Gita
Thanks Doc, I thought I saw the yellow feathers beginning to show, but I wanted to be sure.
I have watched birds molt and they look rather scraggly when they do. In fact two of my parrots are molting now. I wonder if that is how the change takes place in the finches. Would you call it a molt? Curious.
Gits- I bet they can stick those tiny claws into almost anything. You'd have to try some materials and see if the seed stays in, maybe just poking out slightly. I don't use the sock because the first one I had got a hole in the bottom and dumped its load.
Well that's a man for you. LOL I would never take the time or effort to try and mimic that bag. They are not that expensive and they sometimes last two or three years. Only half a minute when the bear comes about sniffing and sampling. I'm happy to let some child in China make that for me. I have not seen that material in our area.
We use three or four ten pound bags of nigra seed a year. We have on occasion had two feeders out with a dozen Gold Finches working at the same time. In my experience the bag seems to be the best Finch feeder. For giggles we have one that they have to hang on upside down to get the seed. When the competition is keen they will even do that.
Molt = change of feather clothing. I keep forgetting I am no longer teaching Special Education children.
Molt = change of feather clothing. I keep forgetting I am no longer teaching Special Education children.
Doc:
Do you think we act like children with special needs? Hmmmmmmmm.......must be a Man thing.
Have a nice evening, I think. JB
Doc---
Seems to me, from all your posts, that money is of NO matter to you...
OR--You have enough of it to spend on ordering things from Catalogs.
You post of things you buy from Catalogs all the time--like Kelp.
with $$$$ not taken into consideration...
I have no such means. That is why I always ask if there is a way I could do
something myself....Like the "sock feeders"...
I am a "cheapo" person. Frugal to no end! A Miser!
And--IF anyone has the time ore the interest--they can, usually, find products
they need at outlets and discount stores....So what--if they are out of date?
A couple of years will not make a huge difference. I DO NOT believe in
"out or date--or sell by date" practices. To me--they are just a money-grabber thing.
To be honest--I am NOT the level of a gardener that you are.....
BUT--I still can grow a lot of great plants and share seeds from them
in my small, development-sized plot I have--65'x100' .
Struggling with all the roots of the 2 Maple trees in my back yard.
Blast those 2 Maples I planted in 1970. Paying for it now!!!!
Gita
Gita - there are several places that sells bird supplies online with free shipping...you just have to look for them - google 'bird supplies, free shipping' and you'll be amazed at what you can find...if you're not comfortable doing that, check out the discount stores (feed stores, Big Lots etc) - I normally pick up a container of Niger seeds from Petco/Petsmart in spring and it comes with it's own mesh bag...the good thing about ordering online is you can get away with no sales tax ^_^
http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=bird+supplies%2C+free+shipping&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS377US377&ie=UTF-8
http://www.duncraft.com/index/page/static/subpage/Bird_Feeders_Houses_Baths_Foods?gclid=CNONyZXuvacCFQhy5Qod7Bk52Q
Gita, Here is a link for using Panty Hose as the socks!
http://www.ehow.com/how_4748241_save-using-just-pipes-pantyhose.html
There is a caution of little bird feet getting snagged , however.
I liked this one and the site has 4pack socks for $5.99 and some interesting sock feeders as well. Do you feed all year long? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18086
This message was edited Mar 7, 2011 11:31 PM
Interesting about the finches molt. I thought I just had a different kind of finch on my feeder. It is a long hard plastic feeder with perches for them to rest on while they eat. I have the purple and yellow's also. I always used thistle or niger seed, but have tried a 'finch fee' that has millet and other small grains in it, along with the niger seed. We'll see how they like it. I bought a 20# bag of niger seed, and went through it this winter. I've only been here a year, and keep getting more birds to my feeders. I feed year round. Sunflower seeds for the cardinals and such, regular feed for the others, suet cakes (some store bought, some home made) and niger or thistle for the finches. I also have a plate in a hanging plant holder that I keep fruit on during the summer, and bird seed on during the winter.
Morning bird lovers, Gita, I buy the niger seed in the big bags from my regular exotic bird seed distributor and I keep it all winter in a large container in the cold feed barn. They eat it and I had no idea it gets old. I have kept it over the summer too, but then I feed all year round so I guess I just never noticed if they did not eat it. I do know they will not eat it if it gets wet and moldy. They are smart about that. I am not that far from you and if you need some,please let me know and I will send you a couple of pounds. Free shipping too.
I had a nice surprise today, my little company JBsBirdsandMore was chosen as one of the "top 5" by the Garden Watchdog. I am thrilled. I just wish all the people who wrote to me privately would have sent their remarks in to the feedback for DavesGarden. There are a lot more than just the three they show. New people do not realize they have a feedback section. Anyhow, it was a nice surprise and honor to have been chosen. My website is http://www.JBsBirdsandMore.com if you want to take a look.
The birds are not eating much today. They are still recovering from the wind and rain.
Besides, my young hawk is killing them off one by one. It is disturbing to say the least.
He just swoops down and zippo....nothing left but down feathers. JB
Congrats JB. Nice to hear someone who's taken a hobby to business level with success.
OFF TOPIC APOLOGIES--
I heard robins all day today, they also visited the grass with some blackbirds/ grackel/ starlings
This message was edited Mar 8, 2011 4:30 PM
Thank you Sally. It was unintentional believe me. It is still a hobby I will always love.JB
Thank you Bec and Judy--
I took a quick look at the sites. interesting...
Can't do too much as I am at work...
BTW--My HD is right next to a Pet Smart.
never thought to go look there!
Gita
Always a good sign of Spring arriving, the Ospreys are returning! As soon as the birds arrive to familiar territories, they get busy staking claim to the best nesting sites. This is a pair staking claim to what they believe is the best site in our nearby wildlife refuge.
The Bluebirds are also busy searching out nesting sites...
Above is a female, and this is the male... much brighter in color.
A Great Blue Heron with a little snack...
A White-throated Sparrow
And one of my favorites... a male Pileated Woodpecker.
I would have liked better sharpness in this photo, but I was focusing through quite a stand of trees.
I liked the sun shining though his red "hair"!
Hey!
NO images on the 3 Posts by VA_Wild_Rose above !!
What gives?????
I see them on mine, andgreat pics they are as we now 'expect from V W Rose!. Bluebirds are so cute- the white throatd sparrow shows perfectly that yellow spot. And thats amazing, you can see where the pileated's skull is..!
All is OK today!
I am so jealous, I have none of those beautiful birds posted above. WAAAAA! I want a bluebird. JB
We had Red Wing Black Bird in the yard today. Spring can't be far behind.
Haven't seen any Robins here yet. I can't wait to have my bluebirds back.
OK!
I have NEVER seen a Blue Bird here!
I have NEVER seen an Oriole!
So far--I have not seen a Robin here yet--any day now!
Seldom see Woodpeckers---sometimes a few "Flickers"...
I guess all this a price you pay for living in a Development---
away from real Nature.....woods--and open country....
All the traffic and the people--must scare them off....
Gita
We have all kinds of birds coming to our feeder - from Robins to Doves - a newcomer is a Red-bellied woodpecker that showed up a few weeks ago - he/she hangs underneath my platform feeder and eats suet! ^_^
Gita, I've never seen an oriole either. I keep fruit out during the summer for the butterflies and keep hoping it might attract orioles too. I don't know if they are in our area or not, I've never checked.
Bluebirds do not like crowded places, they like open. THey say a bluebird house must have lots of open area around it for swooping in. I go to a local park with a bluebird box trail, and can see them.
Orioles have been elusive here. Two summers ago, I was hearing an unusual bird song and kept trying to se the singer. I finally did see a flash of orange one day as it moved from one tree to another. I am sure it was an oriole but the song didn't match any oriole song from what I listen to. I've never seen one to come to jelly or fruit or an 'oriole' feeder.
We see the occasional Oriole, years ago there was a pair nesting in the hedgerow along the lane. We also get blue birds but they don't seem to nest in our boxes often. They are field birds and Sally is right you need to live near a good size field.
I was hugely surprised this morning. Buddy was barking and I looked up to see a turkey in the yard. We have never had one in the yard before. Even thought I know they are in the woods behind the house they have never been near our home where we could see them from the house. In fact I have never seen them in our woods either. I have only seen them on the road and fields on the other side of the woods. It was a lone bird so it must have been a male. It was so unexpected, when I first looked up it took me a minute to realize what I was seeing. My first thought was there is a Peacock in my yard, who has Peacocks in our neighborhood. Then I realized what I was seeing. To bad that Buddy's barking scared him off before I could even get up to get a camera.
Wow neat!
I had a turkey under my feeder once. What a shock! It wandered back towards the horse farm so I assume they had gotten a turkey- they were kind of lackadaisical semi-farmers types. Looking at my guide book I saw that I should have looked at the tail- wild have a buff stripe, domestic black turkeys that otherwise look the same , have a white stripe (pretty sure LOL- I know it was the tail stripe color) There are patchy woods and scrubby fileda arounfd here but I doubt it's enough for wild turkeys. But ...
I heard and then saw my first robin this morning, happen to be looking out the front window at the time.
I get Orioles every year, since I coaxed them to the back yard with oranges, I always hear them before I see them as they are very shy and stay high up in the trees. I had at least 2 pairs last year. Have to buy a new nectar feeder this year as the old one is leaking. They also love grape jelly. Learn their call, here is a site that will help you.
http://www.birdjam.com/birdsong.php?id=2
I had a pair of Bluebirds check out my bird houses but they moved on, not enough open space and the sparrows take over the houses. Do get wrens to nest if they can fight off the sparrows for squatting rights.
Yay for your robin!
That site does tell me songs can vary considerably between birds. A pretty flutelike tone they have.
I will attempt to start another bird thread- Nearly 300 posts is huge!
Please continue here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1163452/
This message was edited Mar 10, 2011 2:17 PM
Thanks for the Bird Song link---I bookmarked it.
How cute!
Gita
Now on to the new Thread....
Sally, I was waiting for Doc "by popular demand" to start a second in this series, but I see you beat him to it!
Since this thread, now 'continued" began with dire predictions of 'blowing it' I've taken the opportunity to do a little 'bird counting' of my own of our 275 posts above.
We had15 posters and discussed over 40 species! Over 48 pictures most of them quite wonderful. And great links peppered our posts. Well done I say
and over 1,500 views! Not bad for a mixed flock with some ruffled feathers and good and bad manners.lol
in reviewing these 275 posts, I found 36 ' off topic posts ' and another 30 or so covering the weather, , beech trees, squirrels congratulations and welcomes and bird song clocks! I personally couldn't decide on the "cow" discussion as it seemed to have started in reference to the two color phases of the screech owl...So, doing the math, way more on topic posts. Congratulations to us all.