The Uncaged Bird -My first Hummingbird has arrived 4/26/2024

so yellow!

oots said:

so yellow!

 Well color me green with envy!

Morganna said:

 Well color me green with envy!

 we just counted 17 goldfinhces in our tree and feeders!

not sure how well you can see them here

at least 11 in the tree and 4 in the feeder

oots said:

not sure how well you can see them here

at least 11 in the tree and 4 in the feeder

 I've never seen such a flock! Is this Maplewood?

Morganna said:

 I've never seen such a flock! Is this Maplewood?

 yes, it was quite a scene.  we get plenty of finches everyday, but this was extraordinary- they were everywhere.

oots said:

 yes, it was quite a scene.  we get plenty of finches everyday, but this was extraordinary- they were everywhere.

 I had a couple of days last year when my garden was filled with Cedar Waxwings. In 25 years I have never seen even one but they stayed for about 3 days stripping my Holly Trees of their berries. I took dozens of photos. It was magical.

Thanks for capturing this event!

Morganna said:

 I had a couple of days last year when my garden was filled with Cedar Waxwings. In 25 years I have never seen even one but they stayed for about 3 days stripping my Holly Trees of their berries. I took dozens of photos. It was magical.

Thanks for capturing this event!

 I have only seen a Cedar Waxwing once in upstate NY. They are one of the prettiest birds I have ever seen. Let’s hope they visit NJ again! 

birdwatcher said:

 I have only seen a Cedar Waxwing once in upstate NY. They are one of the prettiest birds I have ever seen. Let’s hope they visit NJ again! 

 I'll flip through this thread to check the date.

I'm pasting this as I couldn't snag the link;

I get many questions recently about when Baltimore orioles will be arriving in certain areas of the country. Birders want to know when they should start putting out their oriole feeder to try to attract this beautiful bird to their backyards.

This can be a tricky question to answer, as it depends on how migration progresses throughout the spring. But I can offer you the resources for you to keep track of oriole migration so that you can see when orioles will arrive near you.

One helpful tool to see where bird species are being reported is eBird. This tool gives you a migration map to track where Baltimore orioles (or other birds) are moving if you check back frequently. As a general guideline, these backyard favorites reach the Gulf Coast by late February or early March, pass through the southeast in April, and usually have made it northward by Mother’s Day. Make sure you have the grape jelly, oranges and sugar water ready!

Also Global Bid Day is coming! May 8, join the count!

https://ebird.org/news/global-big-day-8-may-2021

Oh to be in the Alice Springs region of central Australia right now to watch the budgerigars in full flight!

Abundant food following drenching rains have led to perfect conditions for these iconic green and gold Australian birds to feed and breed.  And they're making the most of it!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-19/budgies-swarm-red-centre-magic/100075086

Hopefully some orioles will pass by. I have oranges out in all sorts of configurations. And grape jelly. And hummingbird feeders and flowers.... Dang it. They better show. ;-)

bikefixed said:

Hopefully some orioles will pass by. I have oranges out in all sorts of configurations. And grape jelly. And hummingbird feeders and flowers.... Dang it. They better show. ;-)

 I have Clementines in a suet feeder and hung another with craft wire threaded though.

I rigged up a small plastic container hung by craft wire and put in some jelly but I found a better solution. I screwed off the bottom of the feeder below, It has the ring for the oriole to sit on, the cup can be filled with jelly and there are holes that can be threaded with wire to hang. You set aside the glass and the top as those holes are too small for the bird. I have the other type the Humzinger for the Hummingbirds.

I've been looking at small glass jars or dishes but with the abundance of raccoons and squirrels, I wasn't sure that glass was the way to go.

.

Robins in the garden.

joanne said:

Bird perch maintenance matters:  does anyone have a good cleaner for poop, please? Something that makes it easier to clean off the next lot? My painted balcony/deck edge is a mess no matter how often I clean it. 

 We have a brand new deck and hoping to prevent this.  Our feeders are around the corner on the adjacent side of the house, not right at the deck, but I'm sure the birds will decide soon that they like perching on the rails, so I'm also interested in suggestions.

birdwatcher said:

Morganna said:

 I had a couple of days last year when my garden was filled with Cedar Waxwings. In 25 years I have never seen even one but they stayed for about 3 days stripping my Holly Trees of their berries. I took dozens of photos. It was magical.

Thanks for capturing this event!

 I have only seen a Cedar Waxwing once in upstate NY. They are one of the prettiest birds I have ever seen. Let’s hope they visit NJ again! 

 There was a family of them at South Mountain Reservoir two years ago? 18 months ago? I was so surprised to see them; it was a delight! I was sputtering.

Morganna said:

Robins in the garden.

 The robins have made a nest in our rhododendron next to the path to the driveway. Same place as last year. Mama and/or papa have already made their peace with me. As long as I move slowly, they will stay on the nest. Otherwise, they fly out at breakneck speed. 

marylago said:

 The robins have made a nest in our rhododendron next to the path to the driveway. Same place as last year. Mama and/or papa have already made their peace with me. As long as I move slowly, they will stay on the nest. Otherwise, they fly out at breakneck speed. 

 They built a nest across from my art studio last year. With all of the nesting birds over the years, this was the only time I got to see a first flight!

more birdies 

Morganna said:

.

 the berries make this scene ( the mourning doves)

oots said:

 the berries make this scene ( the mourning doves)

 I have Hollies everywhere and they are much taller than the house. There is a legend that they warn people that they guard a witches house. Another belief is that walking between a pair of Hollies is a gateway to Fairyland. I like either version. 

oots said:

more birdies 

 Gorgeous shots. 

Morganna said:

 I have Hollies everywhere and they are much taller than the house. There is a legend that they warn people that they guard a witches house. Another belief is that walking between a pair of Hollies is a gateway to Fairyland. I like either version. 

 so are you a witch?  The smiley face did not come out in the reply!

oots said:

 so are you a witch?  The smiley face did not come out in the reply!

 The more pertinent question, to quote Glinda, is "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

Definitely a good witch.

Saw a red-winged blackbird today, but no chance for a snapshot. From my quick reading, he’s not that rare, but that does not dim my enthusiasm!

Saw a White Breasted Nuthatch at the feeder. It's been awhile since I've seen one. Seeing Black Capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice. Still putting out Clementines. Still watching the Nyjer feeder and the Humzinger. 

The magpies are my favourites!

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/video/2021/apr/29/thousands-of-corellas-take-over-suburban-australian-street-video

Video alone - 

https://youtu.be/2N4-mdcpCt4

First male Hummingbird spotted in my yard this morning out here in Western Morris County. 
A bear destroyed my regular sunflower feeder the other night so I grabbed a cheapish plastic one at HD. The hummer was hovering near it, confused since it was red. Swapping it out today for a better seed feeder now.