Back yard bird watching

[chesterfieldzoo]

We bought mallard ducklings for easter one year. They were a lot of fun. Ducks don't quack until about 4 months. I released them at a sanctuary I had made prior arrangements with and they joined the other wild ducks there. We had easter ducks several times - it was so much fun.

[KathieB]

One spring when I was living in northern Virginia, there was a lot of rain following unusually heavy winter snows. A very large puddle formed beside the dirt road. A pair of Canada geese reared a family there before the puddle subsided. I wonder how confused they were the next year when there was no sign of their former home.

[kat57]

Henrietta must have been very unusual,because we had her almost 2 years and she never quacked or flew,for that matter. She did later lay eggs for her new owners when we had to move,something she never did while we had her.) We had a Siamese-mix male cat who was her buddy-he would be sunning himself on the stone patio and she would come up and peck at his fur. Mom always said she was preening him. Tommy never clawed or bit her,although he had a look on his face that said"What in the world is she doing?!?" She would eventually get tired and crouch beside him where they napped for hours.

[Deb]

OMG guys! I can't believe what I just saw out at the backyard feeder. I was just sitting there minding my own business when I glanced up and saw a parrot sitting on the feeder, munching away on seed and casually surveying the yard the way a new patron would survey a restaurant to decide if he wants to make it a regular stop in his day. I 'bout fell off my chair! It took about a second to remember the flock of peach faced lovebirds reported in Phoenix to realize what I was seeing, then I just grabbed my opera glasses and watched him with total awe until he decided to be on his way.

That was a wild parrot!!!

The peach faced lovebirds are small parrots and native to Africa. There was a private aviary in Phoenix that was damaged in a wind storm a few years ago and about 30 pair of domestic peach faced lovebirds escaped. They've adapted so well to the environment that the flock has grown and was accepted as "native" to the Phoenix area a couple of years ago but I wasn't holding out much hope that I'd see one here almost 30 miles south of the spottings. It's no wonder I almost swooned yesterday when I saw one of the darlings that I've been hoping to attract! <happy dancing>

I've filled all the feeders and baths early this morning and if he's still in the area, he'll stop back in for a refreshing dip and a snack. With luck he'll decide to stay and bring his family. The other birds were a bit taken back by his appearance and size but they'll get used to him if he comes around often enough. They're sooooooooo pretty! That neon green and electric blue are breathtaking and even more beautiful for being unexpected.

Here's a picture of one (unfortunately I didn't have my camera on the patio altho I'll keep it by my side now). Isn't that the prettiest little birdie!

[KathieB]

Neat, Deb! Love watching the birds, but the appearance of an exotic is especially exciting!

We've seen some kind of parrots here in New Orleans, too, at a cousin's feeding station. A flock of 3 to 4 dozen, quite impressive. Not sure if they're escapees or have moved in from Central or South America. Katrina wreaked havoc with birds and animals. Nine years later, some have reestablished, some are still missing in action and others have moved in.

[chesterfieldzoo]

They are cute, but they bite like heck. A funny note about them - the females will take nesting material and stuff it in their tailfeathers to transport to the nest.

[chesterfieldzoo]

The parrots Kathie saw in New Orleans in a large flock was most likely Quakers. They adapt very easy. There is a real problem with them in Pennsylvania I think.

[chesterfieldzoo]

I would love to go and see these guys! They are wild now in San Francisco. There was a movie made about them. I would not want them in my yard though - I can't even imagine the kind of destruction they would do. I know what my parrots can do to plants and toys, I wouldn't want a whole flock rampant in my yard.

On the plus side, we are just days away from the hummingbird migration coming through! I am pulling out my feeders today and getting them ready. As soon as the chance of freezing passes, I will put them out in hopes of getting more to stay here.

[havanaholly]

It's supposed to get down to freezing here tonight. On our way to the hardware store we stopped at a consignment-type store that had a Coach House RV on its lot (it was 'way overpriced for its age, but we're just beginning to shop for a replacement for our 6+ year old, well-used unit), and they had a pet African gray parrot in the office. Deb, be sure to post your lovebird's picture if he'll let you get one.

[kat57]

How awesome it must have been to look up and see that Lovebird,Deb! They are gorgeous birds. But,yes,their bite is very strong-stronger than just about any bird of any size comparison. "Lovebird" is a misnomer.They can do great harm to other birds,even ones bigger than them. They can also be very good pets,but I was bitten so many times by a couple of the ones I had,let me tell you! LOL Hopefully they won't bully your other wild birds away from the feeders-I really don't know anything about the wild flocks' behavior-maybe they behave better when they are free. Still,such rare beauty to see!

I had a wonderful siting myself today-as I I drove in from work,a beautiful bright blue bird flew away from the driveway. What was that?!?,I thought. A few minutes later my son called me to the kitchen window-there was now a whole flock of blue birds in that dirt driveway and a couple had come up close,just under the kitchen window-Indigo Buntings! Oh,my word,they are so beautiful!! Blue is my favorite color and here were dozens of little blue feathered jewels pecking away for insects or weed seeds(at least I just read that's what they like). After about a dozen hours of pouring rain yesterday and last night,they were such a gift to see!! I only saw one lone one once many years ago at my old place,so this is just amazing to me. We haven't put any seed out yet,but I will definitely be making a trip to Walmart for some soon!!

[Stacey6163]

Those Indigo buntings are gorgeous birds, we have some that come back each year to nest. I am looking forward to the hummingbirds arrival, they are both beautiful and entertaining. I put out seed and suet today as we have a few inches of snow on the ground, 70's yesterday, snow and freezing temps today. Poor little birdies don't know what to think.

[chesterfieldzoo]

Stacy, you should put your hummingbird feeders out in the next day or two at the most. I just checked the migration map and they are just entering Michigan today. I should have some tomorrow, you should have them in your area tomorrow or thursday.

[Deb]

Ooooooooh, Stacey and Deana, if you can get pictures, be sure to share them, but most of all, focus your enjoyment on the pure joy of watching those darling birds. I SO envy you being in a migration path. Seeing that many hummers all at once must be beyond words.

My new friend has decided to take up residence in the back yard and I've dubbed him "Chatty Charlie", or just Charlie for short. I haven't been able to determine exactly when the flock of peach faced lovebirds was released into the wild in Phoenix so I don't know how many generations they are from being domestic, but Charlie sits up in the tree with his head tipped to one side, curiously watching me while I fill the feeders. He didn't mind my talking to him and I swear he laughed at my attempts to whistle. So far he's the only one I've seen so chances are he's a solitary bird who was blown off course and separated from his flock. I hope that there are others close by and he finds a mate because he's definitely decided to live in one of my trees. (To be honest, I'm not sure if Charlie is a he or she because apparently they're very hard to sex so I'm just going on the assumption that he's a male unless he lays eggs)

The other birds have been very accepting of him except for thinking that he talks too much and his mother dresses him funny. The finches can be pretty aggressive at times but they act like he's been there all along. I've watched tranquil doves body slam hawks into the side of the wall in my backyard so I'm not worried about Charlie hurting anyone. Even my little territorial flock of sparrows don't mind him being around and believe me, if they did he wouldn't stay for long! A much-loathed grackle appeared in the yard yesterday and before I could get up to chase him off, a group of five sparrows launched themselves at him, pecking and clawing till he took flight and off they went after him til he was out of the neighborhood. The sparrows came back and two of them stood guard for awhile to make sure it didn't come back. Who knew that they had their own little security detail out there!!!

I do have pictures of Charlie and as soon as I can find one that's not too blurry, I'll resize it and introduce you to him. He's a darling and I love him already!

[chesterfieldzoo]

Deb, take a little patio table and put it out in the yard near where he eats and leave an old magazine on it. If you new buddy comes down and starts cutting strips off it and stuffing them in his tail, he is a she. Just an idea.

[Deb]

The sparrows started bringing out the babies to the feeders today. Awwwww. They're so cute the way they flap their little wings so fast and hardly get anywhere. it's like their gear ratio is severely off. LOL!

[Stacey6163]

I have three feeders filled and ready for the little hummingbirds, I can't wait for them to get here. It has been gorgeous here the past few days, I've been busy setting up birdbaths and hanging new feeders and the birdhouses I made. Now to wait and see if anyone moves in.

[chesterfieldzoo]

It is going to be nice out today, so I will haul out the birdhouses and hang them up. Rake leaves in preparation for pond cleaning wednesday and set up my birdbaths. Plus I need to clean up the seed debris from over the winter. I wish I had a better place for the feeders, but anywhere else in the yard can't be seen from any of my windows.

[havanaholly]

As we were finishing up the hitching of the camper to the truck and I was sitting in my seat waiting for DH to finish a fat little sparow came diving out of the trees to land on his side mirror; said sparrow then hopped around to face off in the opposite direction, giving me The Look and taking off again.

[Stacey6163]

John had mentioned he saw a hummingbird the other day, I have a feeder out front filled and ready for them but was holding off on the others until they got here. I was sitting at my work table and looked out to see one drinking in the buds and flowers on the shrub, he went to several of them and then flew right over to the window and looked in at me like here I am , where's the syrup. It was so cute, later on today there will be feeders out back for them too.

[havanaholly]

Hummingbirds are such a treat to watch, and you can't miss that sound. There's an RV campground near Cedar Key, FL, that one of the favorite attractions for me was sitting out watching and listening to the wee hummers as they checked out all the feeders the full-timers hung out for them.

[KathieB]

Yesterday L and I enjoyed watching a couple or three hummers (who can tell them apart?) at our feeder. We were sitting on the patio right under them, but they didn't much care. They'd take a sip or a long drink then zip off, only to return a few minutes later. Precious.

[chesterfieldzoo]

I have my full assortment of birds back now. Hummingbirds, cardinals, goldfinches, and yesterday the orioles came back. I ran out and stuck an orange on a hook and they have been loving that. I am going to get a jelly feeder for them this weekend.

[Deb]

Deana, look at Lowes for the jelly feeder. I saw the most adorable one on their website shaped like a miniature porch swing with two jelly compartments. It is *so* your backyard. Teresa Martens told me that grape jelly works best for oriels.

Kathie, I had two little hummers arguing over who gets the red kalanchoe blossoms this morning. One was a black and white hooded hummer who looks like he's wearing a tux and the other was my little green female. They jousted in midair with their beaks making sounds like light sabers in a Star Wars scene, then the tux took off. My little green darling actually buzzed up to the coffee table beside the loveseat and perched on the edge to rest. She was there for at least fifteen or twenty seconds, then she gave me a look like, "do you believe the nerve of some people?" and then she went off to have her snack, took a drink from the feeder and off she went to do hummingbird things. They're soooooooo cute close up. They have such tiny little feet!!!

I've had a western tanager visiting lately. He's gorgeous with his neon orange head, fluorescent yellow body, and black striped wings. He's also fluffy with a face like a teddy bear. He wasn't that interested in the seed I had out so I got some birdie trail mix and moved the side feeder to the oleander bushes where the big doves can't get to it. The finches think they've gone to heaven with gifts of almonds and raisins. Who knows if the tanager will come back but I hope so. My little love bird pops in once in awhile but I haven't seen him at all this week so he may have gone to find a mate elsewhere.

[Stacey6163]

I went to the feed mill today for a bunch of stuff and got a big bag of bird seed and a couple of pounds of thistle seed, the finches are thrilled. I have a couple of pair of orioles that have taken over the one hummingbird feeder, they were feasting on that as well as their grape jelly, spoiled little things.

[Missymew]

The Robins returned about two weeks ago. Love hearing their song. They're attracted to our garden as Ray keeps our birdbath nice and fresh. We also keep it safe by having trellises surrounding the birdbath so that cats can't leap up and catch the birds while they're vulnerable in the bath.

We have a junco (they usually fly in and stop and feed up over about a two week period in Spring and Summer while heading further north and then back south again) that mated a couple of years ago with a sparrow (they're of the same family but seldom mate). Its so exciting having them stay all year round and the baby junco-sparrows are juncos with one or two sparrow feathers.

The chickadees are busy making lots of "mating" calls; however, they'll head down to the ravines soon to nest. Of course, there's our resident squirrel and her latest "beau" or "paramour". He's much bigger than her and has different markings. Trinity (my little black cat) and I love to watch them through the window. Ray's job is to be sure there are lots of peanuts in the feeder to encourage them to come up close to the window for us to have a better look.