Bird watching

[Steph_D]

Since we made it to where the big dogs can't get on the porch, I've been hanging up bird feeders again and we're getting quite a few. Now that I've got the new camera, I'm trying to get pics of some of the birds that come here. My favorites are the barn swallows. The zoom all over the place and eat TONS of bugs. Here's a bad pic of one in her nest.

We also have a LOT of starlings and some are nesting fairly close by.

Here's a female cardinal. She's plain, but oh so pretty.

And the hummers. We have 2 kinds here, but this one feller kept chasing the others away. He's just a little bit bigger than the others. Believe it or not, this is the same bird in both pics.

We have the prettiest little blue bird here, too. I don't have a clue what kind it is, but it's not a jay. I'm trying to get pics of it, as soon as it'll hold still long enough

:

 

[Miniv]

Isn't Spring GRAND?

We have the barn swallows (AND tree swallows!) and starlings nesting too........

Wish we had Cardinals.........We are still too cold for hummers. They probably won't be here for a few more weeks.

My husband's favorite sign of spring is when the Red-wing Blackbirds arrive. They are pretty at the birdfeeders. Our bigger of the two ponds has a bunch of reeds in it where they like to nest.

MA

 

[Fullmoon]

Hey Steph,

I'm just over the Arkansas border from you and I saw the prettiest bird yesterday. It was black with bright, I mean bright orange on it. I don't know what kind it was but I just stood with my mouth open because it was so pretty. I like the little yellow canary looking birds too! Neat pictures!! Robin

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

Those are GREAT shots of your hummers! Aren't they just amazing little birds? Ours just came back today, so I cooked up some juice right away for them, and before the end of the day they were on the feeder!

 

[Reble]

Thanks for sharing :aktion033:

 

[Steph_D]

Oh I just LOVE the red winged blackbirds :aktion033: They've been hanging around my small bird feeder, but I need to get a bigger one for them.

This isn't my pic, but Robin, are these the birds you're talking about? They're the red winged blackbirds.

 

[Pepipony]

Fullmoon, bet you saw a Baltimore Oriole, they have been renamed, but same thing LOL They love orange halfs nailed to a limb and grape jelly.

Steph, arent birds great!! LOL I have been feeding for about 8 years now, have several types of feeders set just out from my living room window. Started it when I was rather housebound. LOVE your pics!! I can never get nice ones. Wonder if your blue bird isnt an Indigo bunting? This time of year I have tons of babies coming up, right now its Chickadees, House finches and Cardinals. Its too cute watching and listening to the babies twittering for seeds

: Then I have a rather persistant Hummer who courts his lady. A male cardinal who constantly peels sunflower seeds and feeds his mate. Also have a downy woodpecker couple and red headed wood pecker couple. Wish I had your martins. I need to grow some gourds and start a colony.

Gotta say watching birds over winter is rather cathartic. Hubby calls me the bird lady LOL When spring comes my male hummer comes to the window and gripes at me untill I bring out his feeder.

: They just tickle me to peices LOL

 

[CyndiM]

Fullmoon the birds you have described are Northern Orioles or more commonly called Baltimore Orioles(orange and black) and the yellow one if it has a black cap and wings (male) are Goldfinches. Orioles love oranges and grape jelly.

I love listening to all of their songs this time of year.

 

[Fullmoon]

Well Steph, I'm not sure but the one I saw was bright orange, not red. Thanks guys, I'm going to put some oranges and grape jelly out so maybe I'll get another look at it. :aktion033:

 

[NMMack]

Those are Wonderful Pics!!! Thank You for sharing!!!

I love feeding and watching the birds too, we just found out that Orioles liked Grape Jelly, so I put some out on a lid on our feeder, and it wasn't long before they were gobbling it up!!!

: Our Hummers just came back too, so now I can say it is offically Spring for me!!!

:

Nancy

 

[Jill]

They are beautiful!

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

Fullmoon. This is a papa oriole, is this what you saw? If it is.........get out your grape jelly!

Steph. These are two types of blue birds that I have seen, the buntings are around, just a little more shy than the bluebirds. Maybe these are what you saw?

Bluebird - has a very obvious redish brown chest. Males are brighter than the females.

Blue Bunting - they are small like a finch.

P.S. These are photos I just found on the net.

 

[Sterling]

Awesome pictures! Nice camera! I did'nt have good luck with the hummers last year.

At first they started coming around, and I kept up the feeder, made sure not bugs and ants got on it etc...etc....but they only came by for maybe a month? Then they were gone and the feeder just sat there! Wonder what I did wrong? :no:

On the bright side we have for the first time in almost 18 years of living here a pair of barn swallows that made their nest in the hay barn.... ....they're so fun to watch, remind me of airplanes as they come in for the landing into the barn....but does this mean I have to cover up my hay bales once those little ones start hatching?

 

[sharon]

Great pics Steph! What kind of camera did you get? I'm still hoping for a new one.

When you mentioned a blue bird, I thought as other did that it's either a Bluebird or Indigo Bunting.

We have Bluebirds that nest here every year in houses my dad made.

Indigo Buntings are not common here, but I have seen one 2 times in the past 10 years. Guess they are just passing through.

We have our Coopers Hawks nesting here again. It's really fun watching them, but they chase away so many other birds and wildlife.

 

[Fullmoon]

Geri, that looks close to what I saw but this one didn't have the yellow color on it. The color part was all that deep bright orange. Just gorgeous. I haven't seen it since but I'm on the lookout!!

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

Fullmoon,

Yes, I guess it does look yellow, doesn't it. But I think it's just the photo color itself, the orioles are a very brite orange and then the black! Yehhh, I bet it's orioles! Get out the grape jelly, and if it is indeed an oriole, they will find it!

 

[Shari]

Beautiful pictures ! I miss having Cardinals around.

MA, no hummers? We had hummers coming in when it was still 30-40* out... we do not put feeders out for them. Granted it has been much cooler here this year...they arrived a couple of months ago.

Swallows were late though..about a month late.

 

[Miniv]

Beautiful pictures ! I miss having Cardinals around.

MA, no hummers? We had hummers coming in when it was still 30-40* out... we do not put feeders out for them. Granted it has been much cooler here this year...they arrived a couple of months ago.

Swallows were late though..about a month late.

No hummers yet! But the swallows were early - and so were the red-winged blackbirds! Oh, just this morning I enjoyed watching the red-winged blackbirds doing their mating dance in our back yard. The boys were competing for one little lady. :bgrin :lol:

MA