Five birds, all the same size and with blue uppers, came to the bird bath and took turns. I am not a "birder", but welcome them to the qarden with houses and baths. So, I thought these might be buntings because they were bigger than bluebirds. I could not tell if they were juveniles or fluffy from the bath. Do they look familiar? Thanks in advance and sorry for the photo through a window screen and arbor. Guess that makes it an extra credit question.lol
Laurel
They look like Eastern Bluebirds to me...since you had 5 of them the same size they could be Juveniles. Also Indigo Buntings are quite a bit smaller than the Bluebirds. Hope this helps and hope someone else comes along to confirm. Lucky you if they are confirmed as Bluebirds...they are lovely birds!
Yep, Eastern Bluebirds, probably juveniles.
Resin
They sure look like juvie Bluebirds to me. But wait for more confirmation!
Oh thank you so much! Are they seed eaters? The finches are having a party tearing up my hundreds of zinnias! We built a yard art entry at our cottage and three out of four condos were occupied this Spring! Hummers made a nest within a few feet of the houses in an Eastern redbud.
Laurel
I grow cardinal vine on the entry arbor for the hummers.
Hi Laurel..Congrats on the confirmation on the Bluebirds. A lot of people feed them meal worms and they also like sunflower chips! I have never seen them eat in my yard...just the insects and worms they could get naturally. They were attracted to my yard last winter because of my heated water bowls. It looks like you may have the same luck with your water source.
Your little birdhouses and yard art are sure pretty...what kind of birds did you have nest in them and do you have pics you could share?
Congrats on the Hummer nest also...geez...I could very easily be jealous...OK, I am jealous!! LOL!
Thanks again Dellrose, Resin and Nanny. Now I need to find out how to make my thread "Solved".:)
One house had wrens, one house chickadees and then came a late pair of finches. The wren started building on a west side house and then changed its mind to east. We saw the feedings and chikadees fledge, but missed the others. This is the only photo. I'm just a beginner with a camera (and birds). That is a chickadee, right?
Laurel
Wow...what a cute shot of a Chickadee! You really are lucky Laurel...I would love to have those birds nesting in my yard! I hope you will take more pics and post them, you must get a lot of birds in your area!
BTW...can't mark this thread solved as it is not in the ID forum...but that's OK...we want to see all you have to offer with your colorful pics!
Hi Laurel, Great setup you have there for tne birds!
Your little entry way is toooo cute! Welcome Laurel and please share lots of pics! :)
We do have such a good situation. A south facing hilltop with woods above and a 1/2 acre pond a few hundred yards below. Then more woods all around. Garden and house are in the middle. We are truly in the sticks. You are all so encouraging, I'll try to take pictures and learn more.
Thanks Nanny, it's a (piece of) work in progress. lol I came here because I asked a DGer to help ID the bathers and she did not think they were buntings.
My best bird experience was sitting in the arbor swing one day when a pilliated woodpecker landed right at my feet! It was so huge, up close, my heart was racing. I see them on trees around the garden, but never this close. We hear them calling all the time. Anyway it walked very clumsily, to a tree next the arbor, put one"foot" up on the tree, then the next, and proceeded up the tree in a spiral. Did not hop or fly onto the tree, just did a 90 degree tilt like a mechanical toy. It went up about fifteen feet, pecking around for bugs, and then went in reverse, back down the tree and flew off. It did not turn around with its head facing the ground... just spiraled on down backwards! So close I could have touched it on the tree or the ground. I was so shocked, I called anyone I knew who would listen to tell them about it.
We also have lots of hawks and some very mournful whippoorwills.
Laurel
holy cow laurel… that's all amazing. The pileated, the bird housing situation. All wonderful. congrats on the bluebirds.
I really am jealous of all of you who live in the country!
My kind of girl...she has Pileated's, Bluebirds AND Hawks!!!!
They are soooo amazing, aren't they! You must join us here on the BW forum!!!
HA Nanny! You know when I was reading her post about the pileated, I thought about you!!
Is that a good thing or a bad thing Mrs. Ed????
I have a sister who lives in Alpharetta GA. I don't speak to her though.....
That's a good thing. Remember when you could hear them and not see them, then POOF they were there.
Oh yeahhh, I remember...I am doing the same with the Barred Owls now! LOL
DH was happy I have a new quest now!
i heard an owl here in town yesterday, couldn't find it though.
I am overwhelmed by the warm welcome, and glad to meet you all, even if you're for the birds. I guess you can say that I've always loved birds but bet they have spent more time watching me than me them. Thank you for inviting me in...I feel honored.
Nanny, so we share birds in common? Prepare for lots of questions. Do you have whippoorwills? I have never seen them, only hear them at night. Love drifting off to sleep listening to their call. We have lots of owls too. Great supplies of field mice for birds of prey. Your sister lives half way between my Atlanta home and Mypop, our cottage and garden in Cleveland, GA. I'm smack dab in the city when I'm not barefoot and nekkid in the country. That's such a lie (the nekkid part). If you were speaking to sis you could come help me out with my bird id's. Think about it.
Mrs. Ed, is there a thread I should be pointed to regarding Nanny's pileated (sp. not with two l's?). Regarding city birds vs. country birds...we have much more interesting birds in the city (5.25 million pop.). I can even name a bunch. We saw limited varieties of birds that were not birds of prey for years up here in the foothills. We are seeing more varieties of birds recently. Two pairs of golden finches are here for the first time, though we have always had flocks at our feeders in Atlanta. A pair of cardinals, though we have families that live and nest year after year in Atlanta. Several kinds of red finches in Atlanta, but I've never seen one here. BTW, we are only 85 miles from Atlanta. Perhaps as development encroaches on the birds of prey we will have more of the others on our doorstep? It really is noticeable. Saw the first cardinals ever (nineteen years) in our yard and baths this year. We have stopped feeding because we have many houses, baths and habitat. Tons of wild sunflowers, trumpet vine, evening primrose and cone flowers. Worms, beetles and bugs galore (unfortunately). lol The feeders were bringing in squirrels like crazy. Since I'm mostly about veggies and fruit, I could not tolerate that. We grow flowers all over the food to attract birds. Thanks again,
Laurel
The Whip-poor-wills are found in Indiana but I have not heard any in my particular area where I am at. But they could be here...right habitat here! You will find you share lots of birds with lots of us here.
In the area I live we have lots of Barred Owls and we have heard a Great Horned Owl too.
I will post a couple pics of my Pileated for ya! He came almost everyday for six weeks to my back yard. I first saw one in Jan/Feb. 2007 I spent all 2007 and until may 2008 trying to get a pic of this bird!! I still see it flying around or hear it. In fact, I heard it and caught a glimpse of one this morning.
and another...
oh gosh Laurel, I'll try to find that thread where Nanny had her first Pileated! It was awesome… I of course am left out of the club since I have not seen one yet!
