Where are all the birders?

[csziggy]

Usually there are several new messages in the Birder group in the old forums!

We've got house finches nesting in our hanging impatiens flower basket on the front porch. So far they have hatched three chicks. It's been a challenge watering the plant without drowning the chicks and the parents get pissed if we have our dinner on the porch.

So we're moving the table to let them have some peace to raise their babies.

Our Everglades kites are back for the summer and the swallowtail kites have been cruising overhead.

[Gamey]

1. Kingbird raised her first brood

and is working on her 2nd

[Canuckistanian]

2. We have some Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at our feeder

I've never seen them before this year. The males and females are VERY different. The males are fat and colorful. The females look like hawks with eyebars,

Very unusual.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. I didn't even realize there was a birder group, so this will be interesting.

Although I just hate the term "birder", because I have stereotypes of life lists and obsession when I hear that word, I do a lot of "birdwatching". I specify that I am a birdwatcher because I can enjoy the hell out of watching starlings or sparrows as much as seeing a Rosate Spoonbill or Wood Stork. Love birds, hope to love the birder group.

[Jamastiene]

4. I had a first the other day.

Last week, I got to see an eastern towhee for the first time in real life. I had seen pictures, but had never gotten to see one in real life. The beauty of it was that it was in my own backyard less than 6 feet from the window AND it came back the next day about the same time.

They love whatever is in my yard. I don't even need to throw seeds out in this yard. The birds love my yard as is. It just seem to be full of whatever they need and want, naturally. I just watch and enjoy. There are all kinds of birds that just scratch around on the ground. Some stand and watch the others scratch around on the ground, then jump down and join in. There are tons of different species of woodpeckers that seem to love whatever bugs are on the trees in that jungle that is my backyard.

I can't believe I finally got to see an eastern towhee.

[csziggy]

5. Cool! See if you can get pictures to share

I had to stop feeding the birds a few years ago - the deer were eating 40 pounds of bird seed a night and ignored me when I yelled at them to go away. Then there were the possums, raccoons, foxes and squirrels that also ate the bird seed!

As long as we keep a water source, the birds are happy. If you don't poison the environment, let insects and varied plants grow, the birds will find stuff to eat most of the year.

We're redoing the landscaping around the house this winter and I may try to set up bird feeders I can hoist out of reach of the deer or just put them closer to the house - though that did not stop them from grazing on the pansies right next to the front steps. There has to be a way to feed the birds without feeding everything else in the neighborhood!

[tigereye]

6. well, you can use different kinds of feeders

suet feeders (at least since it has been colder, I live in the NE), seem to not be as attractive to squirrels as some other feeders and i have seen more types of birds, such as woodpeckers. OTOH, we rarely have deer in our yard. Good luck.

[csziggy]

7. It's still too warm here for suet feeders - they tend to go rancid

When it's over 70 F, which it still has been

Here is how bold our deer are - not only do the does regularly bring their fawns up to graze on the landscaping ( they know the coyotes won't come that close to the house), but last night we were greeted by a deer when we got home.

We turned into the last stretch of our driveway and had to stop because the cat was standing in the middle, not running out of the way as usual. Then I realized that a few feet behind the cat was a doe, just looking at us. She finally moved off to the side, but stood ten feet away as we drove by. I think she stayed there as we unpacked the car and went inside!

There have been a doe and her two fawns from this year hanging out under the big live oak just in front of the house. Since the branches reach nearly to the ground, making a canopy area under the middle, I think they are sleeping there during the day.