DAILY BIRD PICTURES, VOLUME 389

I love all your Western variety of birds, Duc. You know how many of our BBs lovers feel that the BBs have them trained to provide mealworms for them? I think my C. Wrens have 'trained' me well. They jump around the areas as if to beg for mealworm treats. lol

Red, how can you leave now before the eggs have hatched???? Dad sure is cute.

Lily, I wouldn't dare start feeding mealworms! My birds sit on the railings and branches now and stare into the house if a feeder is empty. I can only imagine how fast the worms would disappear.

I understand your sentiment on the issue Duc, I tightened my belt and purchased my first online order. But, I can't afford a repeat (order) unless I learn how to raise them (mealworms) my own. Red, have a wonderful trip I wished I could baby-sit your BBs nestbox for you. lol.

duc, We left last year, too. Watching eggs incubate is about as exciting as watching grass grow anyway. We should be back for the hatch.

Saw my FOS scissortail fly over yesterday.

Cowbirds are a daily occurrence now. They stay right with the doves.

Duc, Wonderful catch on the hawk! The Tree Swallows are gorgeous!

Red, Handsome Papa. I'm still being swarmed by Grackles here. I'm sure the Chickadees will not use my nest box this year.

Is there anything I can do cheaply to make this a feeder that only birds can get the food. I would like to put peanuts or perhaps sunflower seeds up there, but as it is now, the squirrels get them before the birds. There is one squirrel who will perch himself up there and have a all day feast, and he won't leave! I love the way the woodpeckers LOVE peanuts, but I don't want to get the squirrels started again. So any advice would be helpful.

Red and Pelle, send your cowbirds and grackles my way, I'll feed them.

Teddy, I doubt you'll have any luck with that feeder.

My Brewer's Blackbirds are entertaining the ladies with their beautiful displays.

The House Sparrows are cooperating and using just the two houses we put up for them and leaving the Tree Swallows houses alone-whew!

This guy is calling to his lady up in a house.

This is an unusual pose for a Tree Swallow. He was preening himself.

Here's one of my happy couples.

I liked this one.

My female Downy Woodpecker loves to model for me on my deck.

This message was edited Mar 27, 2011 7:44 PM

Beautiful photos, duc.

teddy, unless you put a "huge" baffle around that tree, you're out of luck. And, then, if they can hop from one tree to another, they will come down from above. I had one feeder fairly close to a chain link fence. They jumped from the fence to the feeder (out and up) so I had to move the feeder farther away. If there's away to get to it, they will find it. I have baffles on all of my feeders. I've spent a fortune trying to resolve squirrel problems. I had bird seed in a plastic trash can. They chewed a hole in that. This winter, they chewed a hole in my brand new pool cover. When I open the pool there may be a dead squirrel in it ?

I would suggest that the best way is to locate a "pole", with a baffle, far enough away from a tree so they can't jump from the tree. I just put an 8', 2 1/2" PVC pipe into the ground. I made a platform feeder and attached a small "pipe" to the bottom of it. The pipe just drops into the top of the PVC pipe. So, I can lift it off very easily to clean it especially if it filled with snow. Of course, as mentioned, I put a baffle on the PVC pipe. And, it works, perfectly.

Well, I didn't think so, but I thought I would ask. I saw something so funny just a few minutes ago, a squirrel decided he wanted some suet, so he shimmeyed up the shepherds hook and pulled the feeder over to him, he got a nibble and then he lost his grip. There is nothing for them to grab ahold of and he fell down. I say it is a perfect squirrel repellent, wouldn't you?

Love the pictures you've added, Duc. I'm getting ready for the Tree Swallows visit, they should arrive in May. You can have 3/4 of the Grackles and Starlings, if you want mine as well. I surely can use the help with the feeding. :~)
Enjoy your trip Red.
This is a very small,small number of Grackles and Starlings. I took this with a trail cam set up on my deck.

Here's a Grackle all dressed up in his finest. Feeling mighty proud of himself

Have to show off to the ladies. ;)

Ravens

Ravens and Crow.

Great shots Burn. That's interesting to see the raven and crow together. Our crows will chase off a raven if it comes close to our house.

The Downy woodpeckers and the Nuthatches are fighting over the suet feeder,and the male wp is fighting over it with the female wp. The Downy wp is the one that that is small, and kind of fluffy looking and I think the hairy wp is the one that looks a little more streamlined and sharp. The male has red on his head and he is the one that is eating like crazy, he will eat for quite a while, fly away and then come back for more. They are getting more used to us, I can go out the door and they fly, but not far away. I think this one is a Hairy wp. He is longer than the other.

And I think this is the Downy he is shorter and not so sharp. But they are all beautiful!

My first RT hummer for the season. He arrived 2 days ago and hung around. Hopefully he'll decide to stay for the summer here.

I just realized during the spring migration. Most of my goldies have departed for the last couple of weeks. Today, one stopped by to refuel. Here he's sharing a meal with a RedBellied wp.

Gotta get him some peanuts, Mitch the Redbellied wp abandoned the grains feeder since there is only sunflower seeds. Then went after the suet feeder instead.

Wonderful shots, everyone.

The day before yesterday at the osprey nest - a Laughing Turtledove on the left and a Spotted Dove (right). Neither are native to Australia.

Havent seen the rb wp in a while, I hope they are ok, I got a pic of this little finch and he is getting his spring coat back, they are sure brighter than they were a while ago. I love seeing that bright new coat.

Wow, almost missed this whole thread. So glad that I didn't b/c it's awesome!
Duc, congrats on that varied thrush -- GORGEOUS. Wish we'd get some of your rain. Yesterday I turned the hose on and lizards came running from all directions for water. They haven't done that since last summer.
Linth, amazed by all your photos but especially that brown creeper. Great shot!
Lily congrats on the first hummer!
Mrs. Ed, so jealous that you have both purple and house finches!
Congrats on everyone's firsts for spring and nests and all that good stuff.

Today, I had to remind myself that I love my dogs more than any bird. Only had two chances to get a pic of a Hooded Warbler in the sun and my big barkety boy dog spoiled both. Here's the best one under the rainless clouds.

I'm so far behind on this thread, I am not going to even try individual comments! *sorry* Love all of them!

My new lens is here, and I am loving it! I got the Canon 100mm-400mm L lens! I have been giving it a work-out the past few days! I have a few to share...

The shad have started their spawning run up the river, so the herons, eagles, and osprey are enjoying the bounty!

Here is a GBH with a nice catch!

Here, a male Cardinal sings out.

A pretty female Cardinal... I just hated the shadow across her eye!

An Osprey flies by...

Black Vulture... ugly bird!

Not many birds today for some reason, don't know why, all I had was sparrows, so if anyone is missing some they are over here, COME AND GET THEM!

This was a new one for me... a Ruddy Duck! There were some in better coloring, but they were too far out.

An Osprey brings back some algae to the nest.

The rest are all taken from my balcony this afternoon.

The one that has eluded me all winter!

A Yellow-rumped Warbler... what a cutie!

The Red-bellied male was hanging off the gutter because of the Starlings at the suet feeder.