YardCrap BIRDS

Got some of these today -

This is a very common bird at feeders unless you live where I do.  I get them as they migrate in Fall and Spring.  I live on the line where South Carolina and Georgia meet at the Blue Ridge Mountains.  I live right on the line, can see Georgia from my porch chair.  It is the nearby mountains and the river that make my place a very good place to watch birds.  All most anything might show up.

Today I got these:

You may be used to the adult who looks like this:   Those will be here by morning or the next day.  I always get Juveniles and Females first.

These are first year migrants, one male and one female.  Others will be showing up soon as my yard is a stop over feeding point as they head to South America.  (That is amazing)  I have out lots of SunFlower seed, but these two are at my frog pond for water.  They are large enough to be (maybe) OK there.  I have some monster Bull Frogs, and the smaller birds know to keep away until the temps cool.

My yard has a large Turtle Pond, a smaller Frog Pond and a Branch Pond.  The large pond (4000 gal) seldom is used by birds.  The Frog Pond (220 gal) and the Branch (100 gal) are in constant use by birds.  You would think in Winter it would be less, but no - it is more.  On the coldest days they are in there splashing around like they were ducks.  About 200 feet away is a lake where there are all types of Ducks and water birds.  I have never seen one at my crap.  You would think a Heron or the Fish Crows would drop by, but nope.  I guess compared to the large lake, my crap is not much of an attraction.  No matter as the birds think it to be excellent.
Here on the porch I have a running fountain that is not used much.  Where I sit (CatBird House) I keep a few tiny water feeders, and the small birds make constant use of them.  Actually, I added two more today.
Let me snap a photo if my camera will focus that close -

It is best for me to keep Water feeders small on the porch and just for drinking.  The bath area is in the yard.  A shallow bowl is easy to keep up as all you need do is dump a beer glass of water in, and it is flushed and ready to go.  Water is a big deal for birds.

Mrs House Finch

When I started my Bird Garden 15 years back, had none of these but did have a few Purple Finch.  Now I have many, many, maybe too many? House Finch.
The male is a colorful redish.  Perhaps the female is dull as she must sit unseen on the nest.

These are happy little birds.  They are the same size as a Gold Finch and have about the same diet.  At the feeders, they prefer seeds.  Any seed is Ok with them.  They also eat buds and berries.
I have them all day every day.  You have probably seen the feeders with ports where the Gold Finch has to hang upside down to eat.  House Finch can't do that.

Feeding the Finches is no big deal during most of the year (the same is true of most birds).  In Winter, they can eat ever how much you put out.  I seldom buy Niger any more, just regular and shelled Sun Flower.  I generally pick up as much as my Jeep can carry when it goes on sale.
Finches eat most of the food at my place.  I like them (who could not?), and their activity draws in many other birds who might not visit.

 

My two most numerous birds are Gold Finch and House Finch.  Some times when we have a lot of 'this or that' we forget how special and interesting they are as individuals.  Finches are fiesty and loud.  I like them.

He Is Back !!

This bird is a tough one (maybe not for you).  I know what it is (?) as I have this puzzle every year.

He is back today and took a bath.

About the best thing a 'porch bird watcher' can do is get off his ass long enough to build a water feature.  Many birds don't come to feeders, but all come to water.  My yard borders on a 150 mile shoreline, but many birds choose my crap over that.  I put in lots of cover and lots of places to land.  Places to land are very important as birds like to look things over before they 'plunge'. Hollies are good as they provide all that, and as a bonus produce berries.  Shallow is best.  Moving is great.  I also have a deep turtle/koi pond, and birds hate it.  

This could be a Tenneessee Warbler.  Probably it is a Pine Warbler or maybe not a warbler --> Yelllow-throated Vireo?  It is a dead match for a young Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Here he is getting reqady to 'plunge':

It is yellowish on the head and back on into the tail.  It has a solid eye ring.  It has two prominmante yellowish wing bars.  In the Sun, the belly is more white than yellowish.  Thhe yellow wing bars and strong eye ring should make this easy, but together they make it hard.

Until someone tells me better I am going with Chestnut-sided Warbler.  While it looks nothing like this, the juveniles do.  I snapped this bird last year and posted it in the YardCrap Migration Contest.  Until someone tells me better, going with that.

Half-time Break

Half time and so on the porch to 'tail gate'; I mean 'porch gate'.

Two migrants showed for me today.  I got a photo of both.  One is a blur and my guess is 'Yellow Warbler', but I don't know.  Too many leaves for my camera to focus, and it happens quickly.  You have to choose, either grab the camera or the binoculars, never enough time for both.  I should have grabbed the bino.

The other seemed to be my first Kinglet of the year, but I guess not.  So what is it - I don't know yet. Inside I will need to research my books.  If you know - please comment. I was damned lucky to get this shot as he was jumping quickly after bugs (like a Kinglet) in the Elm Tree.

I don't know much, but at least I am in the game.  As to games, got to get back inside for the second half of College Football.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Just saw this guy across the yard.
He is not a migrant and most Summers makes a nest just off from my chair.  This Summer he has been missing.  He is normally a constant at my feeders and one of my best bird friends (likes Beach Music).  Where did he go?
Better photos will be taken soon as he is back now.

These birds make a lot of noise.  They run around on a tree like a spider.  Up or down makes no difference to them.  They could give a damn if I am on the porch.

At my chair they eat eat suet and sunflower.  They hammer the Sunflower into tree bark to store for later, and the squirrel appreciates that.

They Keep Coming

Hummingbirds are keeping my attention these days. I sit on the porch and feel like I need to duck as they do their war games. I been feeding them for decades, but never had a hundred at one time.
I presently have out 11 quart feeders and they need filled ever other day. I am buying more sugar than a moon shiner.

They don't like the ones not in the 'array'. Apparently spreading feeders out to end the wars is not what they want. They like to mix it up.

This tiny frog noticed bugs are also attracted and planted himself in a good spot. That is cool as hell, but how did he get there with no wings?

In a couple weeks they will leave. I hope they have a safe trip and all return next year.

Blue Heron

Waiting Impatiently on migration.  It has begun, but I have not yet seen an example.
My backyard backs ups to a large lake so I get to see more than I might otherwise.  Snapped this guy who is a regular on the lake.

It is not too bad considering I was moving and off a distance.  He is around most days.   This is a very efficient bird and I guess why there are so many of them.  I believe they are in about every state and maybe every county.  To me it is a special bird due to the size I guess.

  My new lens is coming - some day?

Migration

Last year over on YardCrap put up a 'Migration Contest'.
It proved to be great fun.
I guess this year I am on my own, but I am excited due to the millions of readers now keeping up with this 'bird blog'.

The deal in the contest was to spot birds seen from your yard.  For me that is my porch chair.  Last year I only posted new bird photos (some kinda bad but ID worthy).  I will do the same this year and encourage all to join in.

Since YC readers deserve good effort, ordered a new lens for my old camera.  I doubt it will help as that was not my problem.  I use a toy camera - Olympus 4/3.  My lens is 50-200.  The new one is a prime lens at 300.

My porch field of view from my chair is under 75 foot and about the same in width.  How much 'bird fun' can one have in such a small area?  I find it to be mesmerizing.  I am endlessly entertained, but maybe it is the excellent beer and excellent music?

Too Many Hummingbirds

I have a lot of Hummingbirds this year.
I don't recall having had this many Hummingbirds in my many years of feeding the tiny guys.
The past couple years, I have had fewer than normal and have blamed it on Al Gore's wind mill farms.

I am not a casual bird feeder as I don't put up a feeder and in a month notice it is empty.
Right now I am going through 5 pounds of sugar in less than 3 days.  The people at the my local market tipped the cops off that I might be using all this sugar to make Moonshine.  Cops are my friends.  They came by and wanted to sample some, but all I make is beer and wine.  They were good with that.

I just made a movie, but utube won't let me register until I give them my phone number.  I don't even know where my phone is, much less the number.  Why do they need my number?
I have uploaded the 2 minute video to here:     Maybe you can download it?

http://yardcrap.typepad.com/P9020001.MOV

Here is a photo snapped from the video:

It is what it is and not too bad.  If you play a movie using my favorite player VLC, you can at anytime snap a shot of a hooter or in this case a hummer.  How cool is that?

I know yall are not keeping your feeders full.  If I had "a" feeder, would have to fill it every 15 minutes.  I have about 20 out.
I need to get up a new array for next year as this is getting wild.

 Maybe I could put a sign down on the highway and lure tourist here to see this.  I do have  fish ponds, etc.  The sign could be:

"For a donation of $25 to help me feed the critters, you get to take a photo of my birds and enjoy a glass of homemade wine." 

That sounds funny, but up the road is a pond where they sell a slice of bread for a dollar to feed the fish with.  My Koi are bigger than their fish.  Tourist flood in here, and there are few things available where they can spend their money.

All reading here can visit for free (wine included).