Gita- Open the photo, then use the CTRL key and the key with a plus sign at the same time. The plus sign is near the backspace.
MidAtlantic bird watching for spring
OH! OK! Thanks-----will play with it....
Will help on the pictures some people post that is no bigger than a thumbnail....
G.
not really wild birds...but at a zoo that specializes in animal rescues
Not really a wild bird in this photo, either, but it's another heron!... the stainless steel shows up much better in person, because it's almost always moving just a little to catch the light.
cute!
Jen, I am sorry, I can not remember your name to give you credit for the P fowl.
OK Jill, I will put that big boy up soon. Thanks
I am making a list of all of the DG names and your real names so I will not be embarrassed for my senior moments again. ☺
Holly, I need your real name too if I am permitted to add your pictures to Pinterest.
I don't know what is going on, but I had a flock of sea gulls around here for two days. Today they are gone. Otherwise same old thing, NO goldfinch or hummers and barn swallows are not here yet. JB
JB--if it makes you feel less ignored by birds--i have not seen any Goldfinches
for a couple of weeks now. The tube feeder just hangs there.....
I bet they are hunkered down sitting on eggs--and the male is running....
you know how "men" are...
The Sparrows are still chasing each other--insanely!
He wants--and she runs---and objects loudly.
G.
There are birds ALL OVER my wintersown containers. I had the containers opened so that they wouldn't fry in this heat. Do you think they ate all the seeds? :(
Well, they were certainly pretty birds. I hope they had a good meal.
I've watched a crow follow my friend who was planting corn seeds, go about 5 feet behind him and pick out each newly planted kernel just as systematically as they were planted.
Hope your containers are just thinned out, ss.
I think birds are really desperate for water because it has been so dry. Been setting out some shallow dishes of water around yard for them.
Tonite I saw a mocking bird chasing a squirrel high up in a wild cherry tree and then another squirrel leapt on to the same branch and challenged the Mocking bird. Ah, but then a second Mocking Bird dive bombed in and both squirrels dispersed, Yep, says in my bird book "Mocking Birds will fiercely defend their nesting territory" Unusual though to see squirrels acting as a team. These are two "brothers" I watched grow up last year, Should call them Chip and Dale as they are always together and as mischievous!
Jen posted a link to follow Humming bird migration arrival times. Maybe she will repost it here ?
JB I'm imagining how good seagulls look in fields of yellow daffodils. Better than those old dock of the Bay pilings!
Saw that HUGE flock of seagulls, was wondering what the heck was going on.
Haven't seen the goldfinches either
hummingbird map here
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html
It's so strange about the goldfinches - we have absolutely tons, and don't do anything special to attract them. The only thing I can say is we don't use chemicals on the yard, but I have no idea if that is a factor. We feed hulled sunflower seed and thistle; that's it. Isn't it strange how birds will go one place but not another?
HAPPY--
I had 'tons" of them too--then it stopped....Maybe--3 weeks ago?
Goldfinches don't migrate---do they? Mine were around most of the winter.
All I can figure is that nesting has something to do with it.
G.
It is absolutely pouring here today and I am forced to work inside. It was so wet I did not even feed the bird feeders when I fed the barn cats. The rain is blowing sideways coming from the South moving East. That can only mean rain all day. The black birds and cow birds as well as the regular starlings and sparrows are all here in the rain eating. The doves are mating and the cardinals are eating at meal time 8 and 4 for them since i think they have eggs coming.
The gulls are gone now and usually if the ocean is really rough, they move inland, but this was an entire flock that was obviously relocating for some reason. I am too far inland for them to stay, yet the other day when they said the sea breeze was going to affect the temps about 10 miles inland, we felt it here and we are about 15 or 20 as the crow flies. If you drive it is a bit longer. Depending which way you go to the ocean from here. LOL I would love them to stay but I do not grow fish. Only use fish emulsion in the garden. Maybe that is what they were smelling. LOL Fooled those buggers.
Have a good day, stay dry is possible and keep on feeding those birds.
The goldfinches don't migrate except in Canada, they'll come a little farther south for winter
The only thing different in my yard is 2 arborvitaes were taken down and an ornamental pear came down, but I do still get house and purple finches
This message was edited Apr 12, 2013 10:55 AM
Has anyone googled to see if there is a pattern here in the East regarding these birds. If I have time I will ask some questions from local birdwatchers if I can find any.
JB
Guilty of Googling here! "goldfinch disappearing" or similar
What I have gleaned so far this morning
Goldfinches move around a lot on any given day and season; alot more than many other birds we consider 'regulars' at our feeders and yards. Studies have shown that the gf s seen in the am are not the same as (we think) are seen later throughout the day. And the ones there the next morning are not the same as the ones the morning before!
They like to feed in groups so follow one another's leads.
They do not like to feed with other larger birds like sparrows, etc They prefer som 'shelter' as they feed so larger birds don't harass.
Goldfinch have quite variable migration patterns, too. They are 'irruptive' migrators there one year, absent the next, following the fruiting/flowering patterns of food sources of alternate years of heavy or light years. (Like acorn production: some years bushels, other years not so much)
Thanks, Coleup! Just refilled my feeder and wondered where the flying daffodils went!
Thanks Cole. JB
Of course you were "googling" , coleup. And we appreciate your research immensely.!!
HAHAHA I was googling before there was a google!
LOL
Does anyone have book recommendations that cover birds of the Mid-Atlantic? Looking for something with big pictures/illustrations I can point at to my son.
Such a narrow topic might not have its own book.
But i did buy a nice junior level trees book for mine. So there may be sonething. Try Amazon search if you can.
So cute we have to get somethin!!
We have "Backyard Birds of Maryland" (Top 25 birds) and several others . We go on field trips to book stores and libraries 'watching' for a bird book that the child is drawn to which is not always the 'adult' choice! There are a number geared to kids and the Mid atlantic (we are such a huge flyway!!)
Recently gotten for 2 and 7 yo Grandsons "
"The Burgess Bird Book For Children" a review says
"The Burgess Bird Book for Children," by renowned naturalist and author of children's books on wildlife Thornton W. Burgess, successfully blends information and entertainment. "Peter Rabbit," the main character in "The Burgess Bird Book for Children," goes around to the various habitats discovering different birds. Peter Rabbit wants especially to know where the nest is, and how many young they have. "Jenny Wren," a gossipy Miss Know-it-All, is also a main character. Thornton Burgess characterizes Jenny Wren as a bit "snooty," a fact that will help children remember that good identifier to wrens is their upturned tails. Learn all about birds' physical appearance, eating patterns, nesting habits, migration patterns, songs and call in this colorful and fascinating book. The intermingling of story and fact, as presented in this classic, is enough to keep children interested while helping them learn much about the birds. In addition to the tales of Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren, "The Burgess Bird Book for Children" includes fascinating stories about Redwing the Blackbird, Melody the Wood Thrush, Spooky the Screech Owl, Creaker the Purple Grackle, Downy the Woodpecker, and other feathered friends. This newly illustrated edition of "The Burgess Bird Book for Children" includes nearly sixty beautiful four-color pictures of the birds. A few of the pictures are devoted to other characters in the book, such as Peter the Rabbit and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, but the vast majority are good-sized photos of the feathered friends described in "The Burgess Bird Book for Children."
Coleup that sounds like a really great book I will have to pick up a couple of copies for my Grands. Thanks so much.
There is a Shore Book, too. A couple of the Grands are heading to the shore in a week so we ordered that one, too.
Holly, we are enjoying it. I had to get a 'used' one because I wanted the illustrated version. Mr. Burgess also wrote a similar book one animals.
We've also enjoyed the series "Survival: Could You Be A ......." Squirrel - Fox -Deer -Otter - Frog - Mouse?" books by Roger Tabor. Each book sets up a scenario where the reader has to make choices just like the animal and then go to that choices page in the book to see how their choice plays out.
Again, mostly only available 'used' but worth it.
There is also "Local Birds of the Chesapeake" It is laminated and folds up like a map! We keep one in each vehicle.
Other local versions available at localbirds.com
Speaking of books and birds, I'm having a
Make Way For Ducklings experience on my paper route. Each afternoon I encounter a Mallard duck pair strutting along side the road. They are so loving and attentive and he so very protective of her! Can't wait to see some chicks but probably won't as when it is time to head to the water they all just instantly get up and go from nest to waters edge/...no daudling allowed.
Judy, those Survival books sound cool, I think I need to get a couple for when I watch Noah.
coleup- you blew me away on the bird books for kids! way to go!
Make Way for Ducklings is a cute classic story
I checked on the survival books and they are a bit out of my price range for the kids in the family. The used ones were in the $30 to $40 range and were coming from the UK. Wow. I may do that for my grandson, (who is now in Pre Med at Univ. of Miami) when he was little, but not for the adopted grandkids I have here in NJ. There are too many. The one little girl is my princess and she is 5 and wants to be a Vet. She is the one I was looking at the animal survival books for, but maybe for her birthday or Christmas, certainly not just for a everyday toy.
: ). One of the new ones was over $300 Wow they must be good books and I saw no indication as to the ages they were for. I may google them again today if I have time. I have already given her a book of birds for kids that I got for a Brownie Troop of one of the other girls, bought the entire troop a book on birds to pass a badge they had. Had an extra one for my wee friend who was to young at the time. I love giving books like that to kids who really enjoy them. I was really impressed with the survival books but I need to look into the content more to get an idea of the age thing. What would I do without Amazon?
I have a mockingbird since yesterday and my neighbor told me the barn swallows are here. April 15th is their day. I have not seen them yet but I bet my Jeep has since it is in the barn.
Have to hit those book sales at the public libraries. I got 7 books yesterday for $5.50
I have NJ field guide by this author....great easy to read and understand book, organized by color of the bird, photo is opposite page as description unlike the Audubon society one, you have to flip back and forth, very hard when trying to id one really fast before it flies away
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AStan+Tekiela&page=2&sort=relevancerank&ie=UTF8&qid=1366122660
JB Age range is 5-9 ish. Good photos, so with a little help they can be 'read' even by beginning readers or their younger siblings.
Checking Amazon:
Squirrel seems less avail right now.
Fox is a bargain at $.01 http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0824983602/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
Deer is around $10
Mouse (in paperback) is reasonable
I wish there was a Survival book on Box Turtle, Monarch Butterfly. Robin (Barn Swallow), Great Blue Heron, Eagle and Earth Worm!!!!
I sure hope the male Robin finds a mate soon. He has been singing his heart out the last few days. Amazing how such a little bird can put out such a volume! But then he has to sing loud enough to be heard over the traffic on the interstate.
Going to check out some books
Cole, you are the No. 1 Googler in the whole world. LOL
How could I have found those so expensive and you come up with a page of cheaper ones? I googled Survival Books by Roger Tabor and the prices were out of sight except for one and I do not remember which one. Holy Cow...are there more than one series of them I wonder.
Well there is always alternatives . If I could find a neat cover and binding (that would not cost fortunes) I would visit the local Audobon Society get copies of their pics of local birds(full page) ,put a document page next to each pic ,and like magic a local area bird book ... Cool idea ? maybe?
Hello everyone ...
I have seen somethings for a few dollars on one page costing hundreds on another , got watch those net prices , gets to be enough that they might be chasing them or you with one (a net) that is ....
Oh Ju, I was never one to walk away from a good buy and books are my weakness. It would be fun to make an alternative if I really needed it, but this is something I want, not need for this little girl. Sometimes when you buy stuff from overseas the International shipping is so much more and your bargain price is just not a bargain. Good idea on your part. Thanks.