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Across the Fence:  Bird Watching  |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 30 2006 : 3:52:11 PM
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Does anyone else love watching the birds that reside around their homes and farms? Our April hummingbird wars ended towards the end of May with just a few stragglers..presumably they've headed further north for breeding. Now they are beginning to return and the feeders are starting to be drained quickly once again. It always amazes me how much those little bodies can consume!
I have a red-headed sapsucker who "owns" the tree outside my living room window. This week a new guy in town decided to share the tree and the fight was on. I think he must have eventually won, as he and his wife have resumed the trunk whittling.
The young jays are out of their nests and I could do without so many of them. Talk about demanding youngsters!
I rescued a young flicker that flew into the side of the greenhouse this week. He was just a fledgling, so I put him in the shade beside the barn where nothing could get at him. I hope he was okay.
Both my birdhouses in my garden have baby tree swallows in them and mom and dad are busy trying to feed their families. There's quite a racket when they approach the boxes, so I would think they will be ready to fly soon. I hope so, as it's got to be really hot in those birdhouses.
Di
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2006 : 4:46:26 PM
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Isn't it wonderful to have a place where birds want to come? We had Carolina wrens nest on our porch and 2 little hatchlings appeared 2 weeks ago. They have fledged and I see them every now and then in the yard.
Outside my kitchen window, a pair of Eastern bluebirds have chosen to nest in one of our boxes! We know there are babies because it is a flurry of activity out there. The only thing they do not like is when I am washing dishes. They eye me warily from the top of the house.
We also have a pair of goldfinches, tufted titmice, chikadees, jays, nuthatches ( that sound like baby squeaky toys!), purple headed finches and sparrows. I love having them here! Our hummingbirds will show up in about 2 weeks. I'm ready for them.
Karin |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2006 : 6:24:09 PM
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Ohhhh I miss the many birds from the states and north america(actually in Australia I saw wonderful and neat and/or colorful birds, so neat!!). Here in the new house (we moved more to the countryside in Feb.) we do see more birds but not many. But we have tons of butterflys! The kids and I have enjoyed them immensely. But I have borrowed several Ortho books and have a few of my own on attracting birds and butterflys and bats and toads n such and I can not wait to have them! I love to hear the songs and see them all about!! Think of me next time you all see a tufted titmouse or a cedar wax wing or chickadee or....  well you get the idea!
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2006 : 7:26:52 PM
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I love bird watching. I love it when I get a few minutes to actually sit in my garden & watch. Birds, butterflies & ladybugs are my favorite to watch.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2006 : 8:12:02 PM
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I do..I have a drake elm in a flower bed right outside of my kitchen window and in it I have a handmade clay bird feeder, a big birdhouse that looks like a barn and says "see Rock City" then there is a bird bath set to the side, and a shepherds hook with a hummingbird feeder and a large cedar feeder on that then in my courtyard area I have 2 feeders hanging from plant hooks. I buy black oil sunflower seeds and the regular birdseed mix but find that I attract more variety with the blackoil sunflower seeds. I have cardinals, bluejays, cowbirds, starlings, wood thrushes, house finches, house sparrows, mockingbirds, mourning doves, Eurasian collared doves(I even have a nearly pure white Eaurasian collared dove that visits, it has very light pied marking on it's back in a cinnamon color and it definitely stands out from the crowd) and some tiny warblers from time to time visiting.As well as a squirrel once in a while. So it's heaps of fun.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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berries
True Blue Farmgirl
475 Posts
gloria g
Florida
USA
475 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2006 : 07:24:46 AM
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Yes, bird watching is the norm at our place. My husband is a naturalist, and works at a park near Houston Texas. He does educational talks, pontoon birding tours, private estate birdwatching. We have around 20 nest boxes for all sorts of birds coming though, and lot's and lot's of babies. He has around 10 feeders up, also lot's of old fruit, and watermelon. Butterflies and moths love old fruit! It doesn't look real nice, but I put all scrapes of food and fruit out for all our critters. We have racoons, a bob cat, a red fox that comes by every now and then, lot's of deer, bunnies, even little rats and mice. They look like little pin balls darting back and forth into the higher weeds and grasses. We love all the animals. Barn swallows have nested on our back porch for three years now, and they are my favorite along with the Eastern Bluebirds. We have had 4 boxes with bluebirds this year. What a site! In one day, I saw an indygo bunting (all blue), a painted bunting, and the Eastern Bluebird. So beautiful! My husband has a old website, I don't know if it is kept current, but you could check it out if you would like. www.christmascreek.com That's what we call our place!
Anyway, enjoy your nature trails! Oh, he also writes a weekly newspaper article in our community about enjoying your nature trails! :>)
Thanks for listening!
gloria g.
Richards, TX
strawberry fields forever and ever! |
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YiberryYadeeKarin
True Blue Farmgirl
343 Posts
Karin
Spokane Valley
WA
USA
343 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2006 : 7:57:47 PM
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Gloria,
I wish I'd known you and your husband when we were in the Houston area in May. I would have LOVED to have seen the area where you live and all of the wildlife, etc. In my "former life" (pre-marriage and kid), I was a naturalist interpreter with the Park Service in various locations across the U.S. I always love visiting out of the way, nature-related places. I'd really wanted to visit Sabine NWR on our trip but after the hurricanes, it all sounds pretty dismal. We were only in Houston a couple of days, courtesy of my Australian friend, and were busy with the Space Center and a museum, but I would have gladly made some time to see some of the other side of Texas.
Keep sharing stories about your birds and critters! Karin |
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berries
True Blue Farmgirl
475 Posts
gloria g
Florida
USA
475 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2006 : 8:06:13 PM
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Hi Karin, anytime you come this way, and plan to be here, I would love to meet you. I am a quilter with a studio, and have a queen bed, bath, frig, microwave, coffee etc. You could stay with us! It is separate from our home, so it's your private space away in the woods. We are in the Sam Houston National Forest and very private! I never venture past 1960 in Houston. To much traffic! :>) I work at home, so the only need I have is to go grocery shopping, and of course the quilt shops! But you are more than welcome to call anytime/email and I'm sure my husband would love to show you around as well. He loves what he does! So put our number on file, and please let us hear from you! Thanks for sharing!
gloria g.
Richards, TX
West of Huntsville - north of Houston :>)
strawberry fields forever and ever! |
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sonflowergurl
True Blue Farmgirl
349 Posts
Katee
Tampa 'Burbs
FL
USA
349 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 08:29:41 AM
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We've had tons of curlews and sandhill cranes wandering through our yard lately. The curlews (about 60 of them in the flock) seem to really love yards after they've been mowed. They wander our neighborhood and visit daily. The cranes love to squawk at our dog when he's outside. I love watching the mom and dad raise their baby from a funny fuzzy awkward looking bird until it grows to full-size and it's red head feathers come in. (The cranes like to eat the bird food that's fallen to the gound under our birdfeeder too.)
We also have bluejays and cardinals, and a mockingbird that loves to sing most of the day away. The woodpeckers crack me up when they decided to pound on the metal posts on our carport.
Katee
A life without love is like a year without summer.
"Looking Toward the Son"---- http://sonflowergirl731.blogspot.com
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Across the Fence: Bird Watching |
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Bird Watching
