Follow up suet question - any recommendation on type to buy? Nut, fruit, combo? They seem to sell in bulk (12 pack) on Amazon.
You can get suet cakes at our local Shoprite in West Orange. I switch between orange and berry. I wouldn't buy a 12 pack. They are greasy and get rather messy in the heat. I use them more in the winter but you might put one out when you set up so that the birds see you have an upscale outdoor cafe. If you can squeeze in a bird bath, I highly recommend them. So much fun and the birds do need water.
Once you are settled in, you are welcome to come and see my set up. The Piliated Woodpecker was at a distance in a large tree on my street. I almost fainted. I ran for my camera and snapped a blurry picture.
I once missed an opportunity to capture a picture of either a Red Tailed Hawk or an Eagle on the ground on my street. I had the choice of watching him or gambling and running for my camera. I chose to stand frozen in place.
I read that New Jersey has more migratory birds than any other state because of its location. It's a great place for birding.
You can get suet cakes at our local Shoprite in West Orange. I switch between orange and berry. I wouldn't buy a 12 pack. They are greasy and get rather messy in the heat. I use them more in the winter but you might put one out when you set up so that the birds see you have an upscale outdoor cafe. If you can squeeze in a bird bath, I highly recommend them. So much fun and the birds do need water.
Once you are settled in, you are welcome to come and see my set up. The Piliated Woodpecker was at a distance in a large tree on my street. I almost fainted. I ran for my camera and snapped a blurry picture.
I once missed an opportunity to capture a picture of either a Red Tailed Hawk or an Eagle on the ground on my street. I had the choice of watching him or gambling and running for my camera. I chose to stand frozen in place.
I read that New Jersey has more migratory birds than any other state because of its location. It's a great place for birding.
I went on a guided bird walk in Central Park last year, and the guide said the best birding was really on the other side of the Hudson--in NJ. Thank you for your neighborly invite- I plan to take you up on that. You mentioned Shoprite- is that the closest supermarket to SO? Is it a good one? There doesn't seem to be a large supermarket in SOMA. We haven't explored much of West Orange yet.
I went on a guided bird walk in Central Park last year, and the guide said the best birding was really on the other side of the Hudson--in NJ. Thank you for your neighborly invite- I plan to take you up on that. You mentioned Shoprite- is that the closest supermarket to SO? Is it a good one? There doesn't seem to be a large supermarket in SOMA. We haven't explored much of West Orange yet.
It's a good supermarket. I can even get vegan cheese there. Maplewood has a good Trader Joe's. We have a big Whole Foods, in West Orange. PM me on MOL I'll give you my contact info.
Incredibly exciting! An hour ago we glanced outside, over to the house across the lake and to the right. There together with the usual late afternoon flock of ibises, little jabiru and two black swamp hens was a magnificent pelican!
Back to us, of course, and mostly squatting so it was difficult to take good pix. D did try; they’re a little blurred. (And they’ve uploaded in reverse order)
Wow, that's exciting @joanne ! I think last year when you had a picture of a pelican I made a stork reference. Delivering babies. I just now looked at the pictures and had the same thought. Are storks even in the same family? Or related to the Ibis? I saw stork nests in Morocco. Their images are stuck in my fairytale brain, flying through the clouds carrying infants. Would that it were that easy.
Just found this so my reaction must be to the Ibis.
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family called Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes. Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons and ibises, but those families have been moved to other orders.[2]
Our jabiru (and the South African ones, I think some are migratory between here, South African and possibly South America) are a kind of stork - but not all of them wade. I believe (but could be wrong) we have some that live on vast grassland plains in Central Australia, in areas where the lakes often dry out. It’s a big event when they flock back for the inrush of water, and breeding.
Our nursery rhyme imagery tends to follow commercial trends from the northern hemisphere, so yeah, the traditional short plump stork with strong scooped yet pointy beak is the one we ‘see’ bringing babies. Which is silly, because I was apparently ‘found’in the toyshop, my brother was found in the cabbage patch (we lived in an apartment with no garden!), and our older sister was ‘found’ on the plane that brought our parents from Europe to Australia.
From my trip to the Galapagos in 2005. This image was captured on Rabida Island.
What a majestic creature. He looks like something from Fantastic Beasts! Anymore birds from the Galapagos?
These two Blue-footed boobies were a little shy when I pointed my camera at them. Or, maybe, it was just my poor timing. But, at least you can see their feet.
So I’m in Queensland. I live on the Gold Coast, which is south of the State capital, Brisbane. (The Gold Coast is an incorporated City; I’m in the northern part, not too far from the theme parks and movie studios; and also the millionaires’ marina islands & fancy homes)
Marksierra lives in Melbourne, the capital city of the State of Victoria. Aussies would tell you that Melbourne is the arts & culture capital of Australia
So I’m in Queensland. I live on the Gold Coast, which is south of the State capital, Brisbane. (The Gold Coast is an incorporated City; I’m in the northern part, not too far from the theme parks and movie studios; and also the millionaires’ marina islands & fancy homes)
Marksierra lives in Melbourne, the capital city of the State of Victoria. Aussies would tell you that Melbourne is the arts & culture capital of Australia
First hummer just returned (Off of Prospect, near Underhill Field) after a couple of weeks of nesting. Went to my cuphea flowers, not the nearby feeder.
Time to get other feeders up for when the babies show up.
First hummer just returned (Off of Prospect, near Underhill Field) after a couple of weeks of nesting. Went to my cuphea flowers, not the nearby feeder.
Time to get other feeders up for when the babies show up.
I had one visitor around the 12th after a long lull, Then nothing. And my Honeysuckle is rockin' out.
Need help identifying a bird. Was in SO last night, and near the Junior High School were some type of swallows. Not barn or tree swallows, maybe bigger and darker? Very chattery and great fliers. New to me
Need help identifying a bird. Was in SO last night, and near the Junior High School were some type of swallows. Not barn or tree swallows, maybe bigger and darker? Very chattery and great fliers. New to me
On a post we recently talked about finches and the variation of color. This is my favorite House Finch that I think is often confused with the Purple Finch. This one is more orange and bright but the color is on the head and chest. Wings are light brown. I have quite a few this summer so I'm wondering if there is a nest around.
Once we had a House Finch build a nest and lay eggs in an evergreen Christmas wreath we had kept on our front door way too long. No one was allowed to use the front door for weeks!
Not blue, which I think is a tree sparrow (and magnificent). Do you have chimney swifts here? I saw them again today near Floods Hill flying low to the grind and chattering.
Not blue, which I think is a tree sparrow (and magnificent). Do you have chimney swifts here? I saw them again today near Floods Hill flying low to the grind and chattering.
Did you open the link? Any photos there look close?
I spotted a tiny Hummingbird at the feeder this week. Mostly my yard has been filled with Grackles and Cowbirds so with all of the dusky hues it looks a bit like Halloween arrived early.
We use various versions of this:
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/204524/frankie-friends-wild-bird-food
All shelled and premixed so we don’t have to worry.
There’s another mix by Harmony that’s similar, with more native plant seeds when they’re available. The package sizes and prices don’t easily align though, so it’s hard to budget