We put out grape jelly today for our bird friends (many photos)

[Omaha Steve]

Last edited Thu Mar 26, 2015, 04:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Edit: These photos are from previous years, not this season.

It is time for our oriels to show up. This Saturday we will put out the hummingbird feeders. We get a great selection of birds because Fontenelle Forest is on the other side of our back fence: http://www.fontenelleforest.org/

Last week raccoons ruined an old Shepard's crook hanger. I had to go buy another heavy duty version. That gives us a place to put a hummingbird swing.



The new heavy duty top looks like this.





We use this jelly because it has no HFC. Be sure you get the label marked natural.



Delicious, bold fruit taste
No high-fructose corn syrup
No preservatives
No artificial flavors or colors
Also available in convenient, kid-friendly squeeze package

You can find this at the local bird store. It is no longer available in gallon cans. We would go through 2 every year.




Here is the feeder we got at a democratic fund raiser auction. Hand made by (Gardens by) Nancy. The next year by coincidence Nancy took care of my mom in hospice. The mushroom top used to be straight across. It got pushed up by a Pileated woodpecker. We left it like that for when he comes back for more.




Oriels, Tanagers, and more come in for the jelly.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I've never heard of putting out grape jelly for birds. Thanks.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. That works well?

I've tried putting out fruit several times, and pretty much always had birds ignore it.

I've tried oranges, apple slices, pulped up raspberries, and none of the wildlife seems in the least interested.

[cwydro]

3. Fantastic pics!

Is the red one a tanager?

I love birds.

[Omaha Steve]

7. Summer Tanager

We are on the edge of the Scarlet Tanager range. We saw a few before I bought Marta the bird cam for Mother's Day a couple years ago.

We are outside the range of the Western and Hepatic Tanagers.


http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Summer_Tanager/id

[cwydro]

9. We have cardinals

here. Along with many others.

We were talking the other day how we never see bluejays anymore. They were everywhere when I was young.

I wonder what has happened to them.

[KMOD]

11. There are many bluejays here.

I love the cardinals. We have a few that return every year.

[Omaha Steve]

36. OS Packer fan and Bluejay whisperer

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024270619

We are babysitting one of our winged friends on short notice (RELEASE PHOTO!!!)

Marta and I are in the family room. We both heard the loud bump of something hitting our glass wall in the dining room. The glass has several decals to warn birds away. But we still have bird strikes from time to time. Marta got up to check. A blue jay was laying in the snow with one wing open and one wing up against it's body. It is still breathing. He is recovering in a cardboard box in the laundry room. This is what we have been told to do in the past for strike victims.

Blue jays are a nasty bird. But we feed them peanuts in the shell everyday. We will let you know how things turn out later today.

OS

UPDATE: He is fine. Marta went to check on him and he was ready to jump out of the box. I took the box outside and he jumped up on the box.

It took about an hour for the recovery. He stayed by me for about 30-40 seconds to look around and get his bearings. The temp was 5 degrees F. Here we are under the deck saying hello. He said thanks and flew back into Fontenelle Forest: http://www.fontenelleforest.org/

[KMOD]

39. awww, how sweet.

I'm glad he had a quick recovery.

[Skittles]

44. I know Blue Jays are mean birds but

I find them absolutely fascinating - they seem very smart

[Omaha Steve]

47. IF there is a crowd of birds around their food....

They imitate the sound of a hawk and everybody else scrams!

[Skittles]

56. I leave peanuts in my patio and love bird watching

I have one male cardinal who flies in with his lady friend, and attacks ANYONE who tries to feed while she is there - including squirrels and blue jays! HE IS FIERCE!!!

[glinda]

50. I did that three times last year. We also have decals. Also found a hungry

Racing Pigeon and nursed it back. I even found the owner in Iowa since he was banded. His brother lived nearby and he took it in and was going to let it fly back when healthy or drive it to him. Amazing luck.

[Politicalboi]

19. I live in Central Ca

And we have Bluejays around here. They are smart birds. About 25 years ago, the jays in our neighborhood would attack cats and try and get them killed. They would trick a cat into following them, and land on the street when a car is coming. This was a residential area, so the speed limit was low.

[cwydro]

24. Yeah, they used to torment my cat

but I never see them anymore here in NC.

[Doremus]

25. Similar experience

Walking home we saw a large flock of bluejays swooping at something on the ground and generally creating a disturbance. Further inspection revealed 3 feral kittens whose eyes were still shut. Area jays were working cooperatively to take out the future predators.

We did not let nature take its course (a debate for another time). The momma cat was quite distressed to see what had occurred during her absence and promptly removed them to safer parts unknown.

[Sissyk]

4. Beautiful birds!

I have never tried the jelly. I'm gonna have to go visit TSC.

Thanks, OS, for those wonderful pictures!

[RedCappedBandit]

5. Cool. I should start using jam.

My silly dog eats all the seeds that fall from the feeder.

[greatlaurel]

6. Thanks for the fabulous pictures. The pictures are just wonderful.

I learned something new from your OP today. Thanks, again.

You are a great member on DU. You make this a special place on the internet. I learn something from all your posts.

[sheshe2]

8. Beautiful photographs!

Thanks for sharing, OS!

[procon]

10. They're just spectacular!

Living as I do in an arid California desert, I've never seen wild birds with such brilliant colors. We sometimes see little finches with a pretty blush of red or yellow, but nothing as gorgeous as those.

[calimary]

12. OMG! I LOVE this!!! Our little birds' nest is now officially back in use again

for the third year in a row!

Little black-hooded birds built it up in the corner of the overhang above our front door. Those birds, I have since learned, are called Black Phoebes. I used to call them "tuxedo birds" because they had little white/cream-color breasts and dark gray wings and back and tail. And a little black head. And their tails twitch up and down when they're communicating or excited or agitated. They're the cutest things!

Two years ago we noticed there were little lumps of mud that started appearing up at the top of the wall under the eaves. Before you knew it, there was a nest! I thought it was a swallow's nest because they make mud nests up high on walls.

And soon enough, I noticed there was activity coming from there. Every time we'd open the front door, there was this SWOOP! Something flying out in a big curved SWOOP from up in the corner there across the front yard to the nearest tree. ZOOM! There it went. So fast you could barely see it. A few weeks later, noise! Little chirping and cheeping coming from up there, and soon enough, little bird heads were sticking up from down in the nest. Last year, toward the end of April I heard 'em again. And the next day, we saw this little head sticking up, mouth WIDE open. The next day we saw two little heads. Next day there were three. And eventually there were FOUR! And of course, the swooping. LOTS of swooping, as the parent got the hell outta there and flew to the nearest tree. Sometimes the mom would perch there and squawk at her hatchlings. She'd be yelling at them really loud - probably trying to tell them to lay low cuz there were creatures lurking (us).

Then there comes the time when the hatchlings are getting bigger, so big at one point that they don't all fit in the nest anymore. Then inevitably one of 'em winds up living on the edge of the nest, or what you see are little bird butts sticking out the nest because they can't all fit in down inside there. And then, by Mother's Day, they're all grown enough to leave the nest and fly out into the world. I have seen the first flight of two generations of last-bird-to-leave-nest. The first flight is always a little shaky. I watched one fly out and wobble around the tree in front, and then zoom off. Guess it finally got its bearings.

So now, we're starting to have SWOOPING again! Third year in a row! Wonder if these are the kids from last year? The grandchildren of the year before? I'm just loving it. Kinda glad it's happening now. When I get the blues too badly about what's happened with that crashed airplane, I go out and watch the birdies. It's so healing.

LOVING it!!! Just freakin' LOVING it!!! Especially this week. Sorta restores my faith!

[Omaha Steve]

51. It is a very rewarding hobby

[KMOD]

13. Beautiful pictures, Steve

Thank you for sharing them.

[Autumn]

14. This just made my day. Thanks OS

Rec

[Kingofalldems]

15. Baltimore Orioles? You have them?

I have seen exactly one in the DC area and it actually may have been a robin.

And they are the state bird I believe.

[No Vested Interest]

16. How do you (or do you) keep squirrels away from the feeders?

That seems to be a problem in my yard.

As others have said - gorgeous photos; gorgeous birds.
Well worth the effort.

[Omaha Steve]

28. A squirrel cage goes around the feeder

You can buy or make one yourself if your handy.

http://www.wildbirdhabitatstore.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=category&virtuemart_category_id=117&Itemid=132



There are also baffles.

http://www.wildbirdhabitatstore.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=categories&virtuemart_category_id=8&Itemid=135

[No Vested Interest]

32. I definitely won't be making one; I prefer the looks of the baffles to the cages.

Cages are also rather pricey, especially when I consider the apparent intelligence and/or persistence of the squirrels hereabouts (SE Ohio).

What do you think of those products which purport to discourage wildlife? I don't think they're very effective, even though iwould wish to find one that actually works. (Have chipmunks running across our patios fairly consistently spring-to-fall.)

[Omaha Steve]

34. Never tried that

I know our local bird store sells a lot of it.

[glinda]

49. Feeders on poles away from trees fitted with lower baffles work the best.

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. love the pics

[madamvlb]

18. I am an avid bird feeder(squirrels deer and anything that's hungry)!! But

I have never used jelly! I spend so much on food for the animals it makes me happy though. I'm sure I could have taken a really nice vacation with the money I spent this year! I've seen so many new birds this year, it's so enjoyable to watch .I have all kinds of feeders, roosting boxes, etc. I now have three bat houses that are always full in the summer and eat all my misquotes. I will now need to visit the store for jelly and a new feeder! Thank You.

[Politicalboi]

20. I also like feeding birds

A few years back I lived in Coarsegold Ca and they have Quail there. They are so cute all in a line following it's mother for food. I used to fill the feeder with bird sunflower seeds and also throw them on the ground for the quails. I would go through a 40 pound bag in about a week.

[gademocrat7]

21. Wonderful photos, Steve!

[democrank]

22. What an uplifting post, OS. Thanks so much.

I`m an avid bird watcher/feeder. Sometimes I make popcorn for the blue jays

[Triana]

23. I also never heard of feeding birds grape jelly

Is it primarily hummingbirds who eat it?

[Omaha Steve]

27. The hummingbirds eat only a liquid diet

You can buy pre-mixed or powder. Here are some recipies to make your own: http://www.food.com/recipe/hummingbird-food-254206

[Triana]

40. Thanks OS!

[catbyte]

26. Gorgeous pictures, Thanks, Omaha Steve for posting.

[tblue37]

29. K&R. Charming pictures. Thanks for posting them! nt

[Greybnk48]

30. Is that a Scarlet Tanager?

Gorgeous birds, all of them. You must be much warmer than we are in N.E. Wisconsin. I have seen a Robin this spring, but that's it so far.

I'm going to start getting my Oriole feeders cleaned up and filled! Thanks for the boost, btw!

[Omaha Steve]

35. MY FAULT

Summer Tanager.


These photos are from previous years. I'll add an edit to the OP.

[FiggyJay]

31. Great Pics!

We're in Minnesota so we have another month to wait for the orioles. But I'm ready for them - stocked up on grape and birdberry jellies! Thanks so much for the awesome pics!

[glinda]

37. I am in MN also. How do you do it? Just put it in the feeder? What kinds of jellies?

[Omaha Steve]

46. Stay with the Welch's natural grape or BirdBerry if you can find it

It has to be a feeder that will hold semi-liquid. A local hardware or bird store should have them. Orange in color will attract Orioles. Orioles also like orange slices.

[glinda]

48. Thanks Omaha Steve! We are on the Mississippi Flyway and

I have special platform feeders, hanging ones also and tube feeders for my assorted Woodpeckers. I need to add this to the mix! Bird counters often stand in our driveway because we have so many. Geese, Ducks, Wild Turkeys and a few others are down dramatically the last two years.

[Oilwellian]

33. You have such a great assortment of birds

Do you just put the jelly straight into the feeder or is it mixed with something?

I captured this beauty at our feeder recently:

Northern Yellow-shafted Flicker

[Omaha Steve]

41. Straight jelly

As mentioned earlier, when we could buy the gallon cans, we went through two per season.

That is a couple cases of the jars.

We had a couple Flickers stay the winter. They prefer bugs, but can get by on seeds.

[mother earth]

38. TY, OmahaSteve, I thoroughly enjoyed this. :)

[raven mad]

42. Wondrous!! So very beautiful!

Omaha Steve, these are just fabulous - bookmarking! Geez, the number of threads I've saved today just to help make the hubby's evening rock - thank you so much!

[Skittles]

43. OMG what a treat!

for me I mean!!!

[HereSince1628]

45. Had a red-breasted grosbeak eating last year's buckthorn berries this morning...

This time of year I pay attention to the crab-apple and buckthorns as some of them hold dried fruit and attract all manner of birds. Earlier this week the robins were working them, with the ground frozen in the morning I suppose hunting worms is out of the question....

In the warmer afternoons we've had box-elder bugs and lady-bird beetles emerging from under leaf-litter and bark, causing a lot of commotion among hungry dicky-birds. I'm not quite sure what the sand-hill cranes are doing to get by. They're spending a lot of time in fields plowed last fall.

[MrMickeysMom]

52. My birder gene just turned on recently… GREAT IDEA!

No kidding… I will look through my fridge and check the labels because I've gone through suet and thistle so fast this past week, it'll be a good thing to tie them over along with my usual sunflower seeds.

Thanks, Omaha Steve!

[RobinA]

53. Are Those Orioles

Close to the house? I put jelly and oranges out last year for the first time and the catbirds liked it, but no orioles. Everybody said it should be far from the house. We hear orioles, and my father saw one fly past the feeder, but they never went for the food.

[Omaha Steve]

55. Stay with it

Our feeders are about 30 ft from the house. Once you get one, you will get a flock fighting for more.

It helps to have a bird bath near too. The birds bathing sound attracts them.

[RobinA]

60. Thanks

30ish feet I can do.

[thecrow]

54. Thanks for the great pictures!

Love the Tanagers!

[dgibby]

57. Do you have a source

for the heavy duty feeding pole with the multi-armed top? I've been looking for one just like that. How tall is it?

The photos are beautiful! Thanks for sharing. I have 2 oriole feeders, an orange one like in your photos and another one that has a place to secure 2 orange halves and a grape jelly bowl in the center. It's covered so that the rain doesn't ruin the jelly. Can't wait until after this next snow to get them up, then hang the hummingbird feeders.

[RobinA]

61. Duncraft

I find that Duncraft has a good selection. I have purchased through local feed stores and such, but they can be hit or miss. If they don't have what you want give duncraft a try.

[Omaha Steve]

62. Yes on Duncraft

http://www.duncraft.com/


Click on Accessories

[dgibby]

67. Thanks!

Happy bird watching!

[DeSwiss]

58. Birders of the World UNITE!!!

- K&R

[TBF]

59. I had never seen hummingbirds

until we moved to Texas. They are tiny little buggers!

Awesome photos, Steve.

[Chiyo-chichi]

63. Steve, what kind of bird is this one?

[Omaha Steve]

64. Immature Brown-headed Cowbird

Detailed info here: http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/brown-headed-cowbird

[Chiyo-chichi]

65. Thanks.

[Omaha Steve]

66. Nobody has mentioned this yet

In that photo in the background is a Gold Finch eating sunflower chips.