Thus begins a semi-regular series of posts on the birds in my backyard. Most of these, with a few obvious exceptions, are my bird feeder birds.
Not feeder birds:
Turkey Vulture 1
American Crow 5
E. starlings ~20 (flew through my air space)
Mourning Dove 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 7
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Song Sparrow 1
Field Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Juncos 3
House Finches - at least 15
American Goldfinches - at least 10
Special birds:
Eastern Bluebird 4 (2M/2F)
Carolina Wren 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
These last three species were on a suspended tray feeder which held Julie's suet dough mixture, some mealworms, and an orange half.
Total: 19 species
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5 comments:
Great birds - all of them. I used to have the same... Sigh. I'm getting ready to open soon - as soon as I can get to cleaning the feeders :o)
You didn't mention Starlings or HOSP. Good thing!
Mary, lonely without bewds in NC
I look forward to reading your back yard bird counts. I love reading about what others have in their back yards and seeing the pictures.
You are so lucky to see blue birds. I love them but would never want to see them in my yard as I have house sparrows come here a few times a day and I would be a nervous wreck with those jerk bully birds bothering the blues.
Mary:
I had a flock of starlings fly through the yard, but they didn't stop. Unfortunately, that won't be the case all winter. I think I hate them worse than HOSP. They are so greedy, and when 20 or more of them descend, they can wipe me out in a very short time.
KAllen:
Hi & welcome! House Sparrows are a major problem during nesting season, because they want to use the same housing as my beloved bluebirds. I keep trapping any HOSP I can that try to nest in my yard. My neighbor has what was supposed to be a purple martin house which is now full of the little beasts, and so I can never keep up with them. In the winter they aren't as much trouble, although they do like the suet dough. I still try to discourage them, and I have a trap that I haven't used yet.
~Kathi
Hi, Kathi, I'm having fun looking at your photos and reading through your bird feeding posts looking for new ideas...and I'm wondering if you are getting your bluebirds to come to your meal worm and suet dough in the wintertime (like now, January)?
Also, I noticed you have quite a large pile of meal worms in the photo and I'm wondering if you have a good inexpensive source for them? And do you ever use dried meal worms?
And do you supply a winter (unfrozen) water source in your yarden?
(Sorry to pepper you with all of these questions, but I know you get outstanding results at your feeders!)
And I would love to get bluebirds to come to our feeders, but as yet, no luck!
Here's to a great year at our bird feeders!
Judy Imhoff
Judith:
I do have a heated bird bath for water over the winter. Water is essential to birds at all times, of course, but in the winter, many natural sources are frozen over, so it is even more important to offer water now. Often, you can get birds at your bird bath that would never come in for seeds, so it is of benefit for your bird-watching pleasure as well as for the birds.
I'm not having much luck with bluebirds at the mealworm/suet dough tray this winter. I had 4 at one time early in the season, but lately have only been seeing one on rare occasions. Other things, like Carolina Wren, come for that stuff, so I keep providing it. A couple of times, I had a Pine Warbler on that tray, which was extra special.
I have never bought dried mealworms, only live ones. I usually buy 100 or 500 count containers, which can get to be costly. This year, I got a package of 5000 that I am sharing with another person. It was a little weird, getting a mesh bag filled with bugs, and there are some management issues with that many. I'm worried about keeping them alive and healthy through the season.
Nature's Way is the best source for bulk mealworms at the best prices. http://www.thenaturesway.com/
Feel free to drop me a line here, on the Cincinnati web site message board, or via my e-mail, on bird feeding.
And, I know you love doing your Feeder Watch, but you ought to try coming out in the field with us one year. You could do a half day in the field and a half day at home, and get the best of both worlds!
~Kathi
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