Sounds cool. I'm getting a lot of action at the suet cage but I'm taking it in at night to deter the raccoons. The nyjer feeder is getting no traffic and I tried adding nyjer to my other feeder but the birds ignore it. Anyone getting any nyjer diners?
No! No goldfinches at the nyjer feeders. I occasionally a female poking into other feeders though. I can hear them around. I just wish they were more sociable over at Fallen Oaks Manor. I get mourning doves and some sparrows/finches sampling it sometimes though.
Luckily I haven't seen any raccoon damage lately.
I’m still perfecting my suet recipe over the summer and trying new ways to do stuff. A plastic egg carton is a good device for making suet "balls". I put them in a cylinder. Starlings, grackles, sparrows, and mockingbirds can hold onto it though. I still make it like a paste and put it onto the stick feeders. They don't last the day. Now the birds who use those feeders wait for me to come out each morning when I rinse the birdbath and fill the feeders.
I'm seeing Hummingbirds! The Honeysuckle has lost it's blossoms but a small bird, maybe a juvenile sat on the feeder yesterday. Saw one buzzing around the day before as well so keep your eyes open.
I'm seeing Hummingbirds! The Honeysuckle has lost it's blossoms but a small bird, maybe a juvenile sat on the feeder yesterday. Saw one buzzing around the day before as well so keep your eyes open.
Yay! I will refill my feeder. On a different note, there is a bird walk scheduled for 6/26 in Maplewood Memorial Park at 7am. I think through their conservancy. It’s open to 12 people. Sign up is via email to laratomlin.art@gmail.com. Hope some of my fellow birders here on this post will join.
Searching for a new home when you’re renting in a buyers’ market is exhausting; doesn’t leave much time for social correspondence, sorry!
Not much to report from these southern Antipodes: strangely, we’re not getting our usual visitors to the big seed-blocks either. Even though the blocks are formulated for wild birds, the mix has been reformulated in the last 10 months, and our birdies just aren’t as excited any more. Too many small seeds in too tight compression for their large beaks. So pigeons come, a couple of maggies, maybe a smaller pied butcher bird or crow but nothing really exciting as in previous years.
We have three adult swans resident on the lake this winter - one mated pair, and we think one of last year’s cygnets has returned to nest. The pair make daily courting flights overhead that are so dramatic and breathtaking you feel you’re witnessing aerial ballet - of course, sunlight gets in the way of photography!
Flotillas of ducks turn into flying squadrons in the blink of an eye; I have no idea what the secret signal is, but all of a sudden 30-50 ducks will rise as one and elegantly curve in a tight loop tracing the lake banks as they gain altitude (or perhaps as they’re swooping in over rooftops and trees, coming in for a water landing). Again, breathtaking, and too swift for a pic.
Yearned for an opportunity to use this phrase, my property is host to "a murder of crows." Truly never heard such crowing. It was coming from the wooded portion of my land so I assume there is a nest. They were heard not seen until yesterday when a noisy rascal perched on my roof, beak held open, emitting those raucous calls that I love.
My friend told me she's heard them lately but hadn't heard them for quite a few years. Anybody else noticing them?
Yearned for an opportunity to use this phrase, my property is host to "a murder of crows." Truly never heard such crowing. It was coming from the wooded portion of my land so I assume there is a nest. They were heard not seen until yesterday when a noisy rascal perched on my roof, beak held open, emitting those raucous calls that I love.
My friend told me she's heard them lately but hadn't heard them for quite a few years. Anybody else noticing them?
I hear and see crows often in the area. I used to have a family of crows that lived in a tree near my house -they were there for years, but seem to have moved on. They have an amazing range of vocalizations, and I loved to listen to them carrying on their crow business. But even though "mine" moved on, I've heard them around the neighborhood.
I take walks often in the morning and once not long ago I heard a "crow party" in progress, or that's what it seemed like to me. A couple of voices "talking," and then a LOT of them erupted in what sounded like laughing. That settled down and then it was just a couple voices again.
Maybe it was Crow Vaudeville? Certainly entertained me.
I hear and see crows often in the area. I used to have a family of crows that lived in a tree near my house -they were there for years, but seem to have moved on. They have an amazing range of vocalizations, and I loved to listen to them carrying on their crow business. But even though "mine" moved on, I've heard them around the neighborhood.
I take walks often in the morning and once not long ago I heard a "crow party" in progress, or that's what it seemed like to me. A couple of voices "talking," and then a LOT of them erupted in what sounded like laughing. That settled down and then it was just a couple voices again.
Maybe it was Crow Vaudeville? Certainly entertained me.
I'm certain that I read about Crow Vaudville! Perhaps in Variety. Yes I'm sure of it!
Yearned for an opportunity to use this phrase, my property is host to "a murder of crows." Truly never heard such crowing. It was coming from the wooded portion of my land so I assume there is a nest. They were heard not seen until yesterday when a noisy rascal perched on my roof, beak held open, emitting those raucous calls that I love.
My father, a life-long birder, taught me that noisy crows about a tree often signify an owl or other raptor is trying to hide. This trick helps me find owls during the daytime
My father, a life-long birder, taught me that noisy crows about a tree often signify an owl or other raptor is trying to hide. This trick helps me find owls during the daytime
We have Hawks soaring above regularly but an Owl, ! I would swoon. Owls were my favorite birds since childhood with Ravens a close second.
I'm pretty sure that I've seen an occasional Raven around Essex Green shopping mall in West Orange.
There was an old one in the Turtle Back zoo, alone in a cage. I foolishly asked if I could rescue him and offered to build a large elaborate flight cage on my property, I figured their might be a way around the permit issue. Years later as we fight to stop the expansion of the zoo, I have realized the care of animals is less important to them than public entertainment.
I finally, FINALLY, *F*I*N*A*L*L*Y* have a hummingbird coming to my feeders. I caught a glimpse of what I thought might be one checking out my bee balm but wasn't sure. So, I cleaned my feeders again, whipped up some fresh sugar water, and put it out. I saw it last night and this morning. I hope it brings some friends.
I finally, FINALLY, *F*I*N*A*L*L*Y* have a hummingbird coming to my feeders. I caught a glimpse of what I thought might be one checking out my bee balm but wasn't sure. So, I cleaned my feeders again, whipped up some fresh sugar water, and put it out. I saw it last night and this morning. I hope it brings some friends.
I'm seeing a lot of activity. My Honeysuckle has gone wild and is getting more attention than my feeder. Congratulations on your visitors.
My father, a life-long birder, taught me that noisy crows about a tree often signify an owl or other raptor is trying to hide. This trick helps me find owls during the daytime
We have Hawks soaring above regularly but an Owl, ! I would swoon. Owls were my favorite birds since childhood with Ravens a close second.
I'm pretty sure that I've seen an occasional Raven around Essex Green shopping mall in West Orange.
There was an old one in the Turtle Back zoo, alone in a cage. I foolishly asked if I could rescue him and offered to build a large elaborate flight cage on my property, I figured their might be a way around the permit issue. Years later as we fight to stop the expansion of the zoo, I have realized the care of animals is less important to them than public entertainment.
We had that exact situation a few weeks back. A bunch of crows making all kinds of noise in our next door neighbors' backyard. Turns out there was a great horned owl up there and after about 30 minutes he got fed up with it and flew off. It was great to see!
We had that exact situation a few weeks back. A bunch of crows making all kinds of noise in our next door neighbors' backyard. Turns out there was a great horned owl up there and after about 30 minutes he got fed up with it and flew off. It was great to see!
I have yet to see an Owl here! I have a vague recollection of seeing one as a teen in Queens. Remembered it as a Snowy Owl. My property is half wooded so I thought I might get a stopover from the reservation but nothing.
I did see what I'm pretty certain was an Eagle on my street. I was across the street and he was devouring prey on the ground. Dug through pics online to make sure it wasn't a Hawk but I became convinced I spotted an Eagle during migration.
I saw that. I keep my bird baths very clean. I'm debating what to do about the feeders but they are fresh each day and I haven't seen any ill birds. Actually summer is more a time for the bug, berry and worm crowd in my yard. Thank you for sharing it.
Some avian updates, from MOL’s newbie birder: Saw a goldfinch for the second time ever. In a bush while I was stopped at a light in Chatham. Proving you’ve always got to be on the lookout! I’ve wondered if I’d be able to tell the difference between a grackle and a crow. Then I saw a (definite) crow perched on a closed dumpster with someone’s forgotten container of leftover food, and he was studying it like he was going to be asked to take a test. So much larger than a grackle, no comparison, really. And I have no doubt that within about 90 seconds he was feasting on whatever was in that container.
And for those who are local, there is a sculpture at the Reeves Reed Arboretum you are going to fall in love with. Hopefully my photo will upload…
Forgot to add when I posted the Hummingbird shot, that I saw what looked like a Scarlet Tanager in the wooded part of my property. Ran to get my camera but I was not quick enough.
No! No goldfinches at the nyjer feeders. I occasionally a female poking into other feeders though. I can hear them around. I just wish they were more sociable over at Fallen Oaks Manor. I get mourning doves and some sparrows/finches sampling it sometimes though.
Luckily I haven't seen any raccoon damage lately.
I’m still perfecting my suet recipe over the summer and trying new ways to do stuff. A plastic egg carton is a good device for making suet "balls". I put them in a cylinder. Starlings, grackles, sparrows, and mockingbirds can hold onto it though. I still make it like a paste and put it onto the stick feeders. They don't last the day. Now the birds who use those feeders wait for me to come out each morning when I rinse the birdbath and fill the feeders.