Hey y'all, how has everyone been? Ready for Thanksgiving? Can't believe it is next week - or that Christmas is so close! As you all may have heard, I'm homeschooling two of my young'uns this year, which is why I'm not on here nearly as much as I used to be. I guess I've become a (GASP!) lurker :shock: because I'm afraid if I start posting much, my 4042 addiction, that I tried to kick cold turkey, will take back over! :lol: Anyway, the reason for this post... my fourth grader has a chapter on birds in his science book, so I started looking around at things we could do to supplement the study, to make the study more interesting. I came across something that I had never heard of before - Project Feederwatch http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/ - which is headed up by the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University. Once you sign up to be a part of the study you then get busy setting out your bird feeders. A couple of weeks ago I put tube feeders and hoppers out, as well as hanging suet and a ground feeder. At first, the only birds I saw feeding were Goldfinches which was pretty exciting. We have quite a large flock of them that feed regularly now. The males have more yellow on them than the females, but they are not as bright yellow as the they are in the summer. Still, they are very pretty little birds and they make really cute little noises. Yesterday, the Mourning Doves finally found the ground feeder. We watched 5 feed yesterday. This morning there were 14! I saw one lone Carolina Chickadee trying to feed yesterday morning, but the Goldfinches were at the feeder at the time, so I don't know if (s)he ever got any and, unfortunately, I can't stare out of the window all day. We had a gorgeous pair of Blue Jays come over for a quick snack this morning. I also saw some kind of Sparrow, but I'm not entirely sure what kind it was. I think it was a Chipping Sparrow because it had brown on it's head like this one but I'm not 100% sure. And last but not least, I saw one of these beautiful fellows in the yard next door. I didn't see him come over and feed, but he seemed very interested in what the Doves were up too. (I guess seeing 14 Doves flocked around something might perk some interest, huh?) Also, did y'all know that Howell Woods offers birdwatcher programs? http://www.johnstoncc.edu/howellwoods/default.htm AND, did you know they let people hunt deer on their property? I didn't know that. Just goes to show that you do learn something new every day! Well, I gotta get off of here now but I just wanted to share about Project Feederwatch in case anyone else wants to join in. It isn't too late and it is pretty exciting seeing all these birds coming into the yard. Y'all take care now, ya hear!
Thanks, Ready, those are great bird pics. I get chipping sparrows at my feeders, too. Unfortunately, I also get a lot of European house sparrows, and they compete with the bluebirds for nesting space. My first juncos of the season arrived yesterday. I also have goldfinches, house finches, cardinals, mourning doves, Carolina wrens. I saw a white-crowned sparrow last spring, he just hung around for a week or so.
What a great post! I had a red cardinal show up at my feeder the other day, I was so excited. I get a ton of mourning doves, but they are too fat to feed on my small feeder, so they eat whatever is on the ground that falls out. I used to have a squirrell who would literally drop food down on the ground for them but I havent seen it lately.
Mourning doves do tend to be ground feeders. I've seen chickadees pick out the more desirables seeds, and throw the millet on the ground, then the mourning doves will come and eat it! :lol:
So THAT's where all of my birds have been lately. Stop stealing my birds Ready.:lol::lol::lol::mrgreen:
REALLY? mmmm, deer! Hey Ready, I hope you and doing great, I was in your neck of the woods this morning, but had to get back for an appt in Cary by 1. I'll call next time and come see you.
Update to add a cute little Junco and a bright red Cardinal to my official list of ground feeders now. :-D Harley, my Dad (hunts in Creedmoor) got a 170 lb, 10 pointer a couple of weeks ago. Middle boy went with him last weekend and got a 6 pointer. Not too bad for a 14 year old. Sorry about the bird theft, MSN.
Oh man, that's awesome!!! Tell them congrats from me. I can't wait to tell DH about it. He'll be sooo jealous :lol: 10 pt and 6 pt are very good!! Got pics??
My kids and I watched an amazing thing the other day. My son made a bird feeder and we placed it outside near his window so he could watch it. A male Cardinal would jump up on the bird feeder then jump to the ground and let the female eat the food out of his beak. They continued to do this for a good 15 minutes. We were just so amazed at how the male fed the female. Just wanted to share cause it was so cute.
WOW! A 10 pointer. And...way to go on the 6 pointer. Is that his first? How'd he handle it? Well...I guess there are enough birds to go around. :mrgreen: I was gone over the weekend. Bird feeder was half full when I left and now it's empty. Hungry little buggers. I have a feeder hanging at my kitchen window so the kids and I can watch them eat up close. I want one of those birdhouses I have seen where you can attach it to your window and occasionally peek in on the mom and babies. Great for the kids to watch.
Birds, Birds, everywhere! Hey Ready, I just watched a Robin collect some shreds of, something :? who knows what the kids have left out there, and when it's beak was slam full, it flew straight to your yard and into one of your cypress trees We have really gotten into the bird feeding and watching here too. DD#2 is VERY interested. I bought a bird book and we have identified most of the birds we see feeding. I've had a woodpecker coming around often and he was pecking on the HOUSE too :shock: I'm pretty sure I saw a Northern Flicker at the feeder a few times. Northern Flicker I think there is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker hanging around too. I've noticed several trees here with the tell-tale horizontel rows drilled into their trunks. Come over sometime and I'll show you. It's pretty interesting and fascinating. We get lots of Chickadees and House Finches and Doves, Juncos, Titmice, Cardinals, Jays, and a few Goldfinches but they don't come here often. What are you feeding your Goldfinches? I've seen several pairs of bluebirds too. I have a bluebird house I'm getting ready to put up. Oh, I forgot about "Pudgy" the squirrell who comes by to help himself to the feeder by the back window. The kids live him. He sits on the deck post and reaches for the feeder. They sit and laugh at him as he often looses his grip and falls only to scamper right back up there. Hope your robin keeps cleaning up my yard for me :mrgreen:
My 2 yo is infatuated with birds, has been since he was a baby. He obviously can't read or even talk yet, but is there a good bird book for young kids? I think my other 2 would like to learn a little too, and I know absolutely nothing about birds.
I just went to a local bird store and scouted their books. I've seen some good ones for kids. Lemme look and I'll post if I find anything. They are so much fun for the kids to watch.
Oh my gosh, that is so funny! "Pudgy" visits our bird feeder too, we love to see him (her?). I throw corn and peanuts on the ground for him and the doves, jays, cardinals, etc. One day I watched him leave our feeder and head in your direction. Now I know where he was going. No wonder he is so pudgy... he has no competition and knows where all the bird feeders are! :lol: I've seen everything you've seen (love to see the red-bellied woodpecker that feeds on my suet!) in addition to the GRACKLES and CROWS that have been devouring the food from my feeders here lately. :xI know they have to eat too, but they're so big and they empty them so quickly that it is frustrating. :banghead: I'd rather have a squirrel or two any day over the grackles & crows. I feed the goldfinches thistle. You have to get a feeder that is made for thistle, but they aren't expensive. Best wishes on that bluebird house. I had one for years and finally took it down for good after the sparrows killed 3 baby bluebirds that were in it, threw their bodies on the ground, and took over the nest. I was like, if the bluebirds can't have it, then YOU CAN'T EITHER! :evil: :lol:
Well, Mr. Pudgy gets around now doesn't he. I though he was coming from the yard directly across the street from us. I don't have any ground feeders now so I guess the Grackles and Crows like your yard better than mine :mrgreen: I agree, they eat up the food too fast. Hmmmm I would hate to have the same experience you have with bluebirds. I'd heard that the sparrows are nasty to them. Maybe I can find a solution. I actually have a thistle feeder but I had it too close to the other feeders and I think the larger birds scared them off. I've moved it now so we'll see. I'm really enjoying the birds. We will have to keep this thread going so we can share info and bird sightings. I love the little Junco's, don't you? They are just so cute. Any woodpeckers pecking on your HOUSE?? Silly birds. Hey, where do you get your peanuts from? I want to put some out here for Pudgy and the jays. I love the jays. Have I ever told you about the one we had when I was growing up, "Jay-bird"?
Yes, the little juncos are very cute! We haven't had any woodpeckers on the house that I know of, thank goodness. I got my peanuts and corn from Tractor Supply. They have good prices on their sunflowers too.
Just had a small flock of cowbirds at one of my feeders. I've been seeing these quite often here lately. Females are all brown, males are black & brown. Interesting story behind these birds... Hmmm, pretty smart birds! :mrgreen:
