The Uncaged Bird -My first Hummingbird has arrived 4/26/2024
I'm quite surprised at the international coverage of Oddball's demise. She certainly had an impact, didn't she?
Hey did you read about the discovery of new bettong colony?? If I didn't know better, I'd have thought it was a mouse in that photo!! (A bettong is a very small and almost extinct marsupial)
joanne said:
I'm quite surprised at the international coverage of Oddball's demise. She certainly had an impact, didn't she?
Hey did you read about the discovery of new bettong colony?? If I didn't know better, I'd have thought it was a mouse in that photo!! (A bettong is a very small and almost extinct marsupial)
Glanced at the phrase Oddball's demise and thought you watched Trump's speech today.
did that too! That's just baffling and sad. There was a brilliant UK article comparing his performance so far to a Presidential version of The Office.
joanne said:
Found this picture of the American Cuckoo. Notice the unusual headpiece.
morganna and others fascinated by hibernation/suspended animation, here's a great story about our desert turtles and frogs reviving due to recent heavy rains in very very dry territory:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-17/summer-rains-awaken-dormant-desert-turtles/8281174
joanne said:
morganna and others fascinated by hibernation/suspended animation, here's a great story about our desert turtles and frogs reviving due to recent heavy rains in very very dry territory:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-17/summer-rains-awaken-dormant-desert-turtles/8281174
Awww, those critters are wicked cute!
shemademedothis just commented on the passing resemblance of the American cuckoo to our frilled neck lizard (in stance) and Komodo dragon - it's the hunch of shoulder and jut of chin, almost forcing that proud cresting of the headdress 
Pity about the colouring!
These magnificent Western Australian birds face an uncertain future if further land clearing occurs.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-24/carnabys-cockatoos-could-be-lost-perth-due-to-clearing-wwf-warns/8298830
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/opinion/sunday/what-dying-looks-like.html?ref=todayspaper
Beautiful story -- but you may tear up
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/opinion/sunday/what-dying-looks-like.html?ref=todayspaper
Beautiful story -- but you may tear up
mtierney said:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/opinion/sunday/what-dying-looks-like.html?ref=todayspaper
Beautiful story -- but you may tear up
That is very sad. As a cat rescuer I have held tiny kittens fighting to keep them warm. I like to remember the many we kept going. I worked on 2 that were brought into the JAC covered in blood. I cried thinking I was losing them as I tried to keep them warm and get them to take in milk. Two of us worked on them for hours. And yes there is a happy ending. Hope it won't scare the birds on this page to share their pictures. Ewok and Yoda. It enriched our community having a shelter.
rescuing species is such critical work, especially when we're surrounded by indifference and blatant corporate greed.
I shared this article with some US friends offlist, to discover you've mostly never heard of these amazing, small marsupials facing extinction. It's kind of Morganna to allow me to share it here, too: interest in wildlife, and passion for nature and for diversity are shared values among us:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-03/quokka-joey-signals-hope-for-northcliffe-population/8319994
OK tomorrow night this live stream on bird migration.
I want to try again to attract hummingbirds this year. (Failed the last two years, but I'm not giving up yet.) When do I need to start putting out the feeder (and flowers)? I don't have plantings so far, but I hope to do some of that later in the spring, but I usually try to hang a feeder next to a hanging blooming plant or two. (I know I'll need to be able to bring them inside if it freezes anyway.)
Any other advice?
was that a carolina wren I heard this morning? looked more like a sparrow tho, white belly, brown wings, didn't get enough time viewing him to figure it out exactly...
addiemoose said:
was that a carolina wren I heard this morning? looked more like a sparrow tho, white belly, brown wings, didn't get enough time viewing him to figure it out exactly...
It could be what you heard. We've had a pair of Carolina Wrens hanging around our house all winter.
they're so softly coloured! Nearly everything here is outrageously bold, yet we still have difficulty finding them against foliage or shadows.
This is such an enthusiastically written article, I can't resist listing the link. It's about a corner of south-west Tasmania that's home to the only two migratory parrots in the world, both facing extinction. The orange-bellied parrot is down to less than 50 parrots apparently 
The article has pics and descriptions of several birds and animals...
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/mar/08/first-dog-on-the-moon-goes-to-south-west-tasmania-and-totally-freaks-out
sac said:
I want to try again to attract hummingbirds this year. (Failed the last two years, but I'm not giving up yet.) When do I need to start putting out the feeder (and flowers)? I don't have plantings so far, but I hope to do some of that later in the spring, but I usually try to hang a feeder next to a hanging blooming plant or two. (I know I'll need to be able to bring them inside if it freezes anyway.)
Any other advice?
We are usually expecting them in April. I didn't get my first hummingbird until the first week in May but I'm going to start hanging a feeder in my old spot in April based on the weather. I am ordering some Crocosmia and Lobelia Cardinalis from a White Flower Farm catalogue. I tried planning Crocosmia last year and it didn't come up and I searched everywhere for Lobelia Cardinalis with no luck. I had great success with petunias in a hanging basket by the feeder. Aquilegia (Columbines) were a big hit and come back every year. I also planted red salvia. I had a few other flowers that were not as nectar rich but colorful to draw them. I'm also buying a different type of feeder, as the little plastic flowers in my old one easily collected mold. I'll post a picture of the type I'm ordering.
Give us a boost, pal?
( photo was taken from inside the house, away from window to avoid scaring the deer, who were at the rear of the property. I was amazed that I managed to get the shot, considering the distance, screening and some plants in front of the glass.)
mtierney said:
Give us a boost, pal?
( photo was taken from inside the house, away from window to avoid scaring the deer, who were at the rear of the property. I was amazed that I managed to get the shot, considering the distance, screening and some plants in front of the glass.)
My deer love to eat the seeds as well. I fortunately have not had many raccoons this year. They wipe out the feeder and I caught one shimmying up a Holly to get to a nesting box till he saw me running out shouting.
I put 2 of my bird houses up after cleaning and I'm getting ready to put out the little wren house.
@Morganna - your hummingbird photo is amazing! Just wanted to let you know that Crocosmia is going to be available at the MGC plant sale. Think I will also order some Lobelia Cardinalis this year, and put in some red salvia. It took a very long time for hummers to show up at my feeders last year.
Morganna said:
sac said:
I want to try again to attract hummingbirds this year. (Failed the last two years, but I'm not giving up yet.) When do I need to start putting out the feeder (and flowers)? I don't have plantings so far, but I hope to do some of that later in the spring, but I usually try to hang a feeder next to a hanging blooming plant or two. (I know I'll need to be able to bring them inside if it freezes anyway.)
Any other advice?
We are usually expecting them in April. I didn't get my first hummingbird until the first week in May but I'm going to start hanging a feeder in my old spot in April based on the weather. I am ordering some Crocosmia and Lobelia Cardinalis from a White Flower Farm catalogue. I tried planning Crocosmia last year and it didn't come up and I searched everywhere for Lobelia Cardinalis with no luck. I had great success with petunias in a hanging basket by the feeder. Aquilegia (Columbines) were a big hit and come back every year. I also planted red salvia. I had a few other flowers that were not as nectar rich but colorful to draw them. I'm also buying a different type of feeder, as the little plastic flowers in my old one easily collected mold. I'll post a picture of the type I'm ordering.
Sweetsnuggles said:
@Morganna - your hummingbird photo is amazing! Just wanted to let you know that Crocosmia is going to be available at the MGC plant sale. Think I will also order some Lobelia Cardinalis this year, and put in some red salvia. It took a very long time for hummers to show up at my feeders last year.
Morganna said:
sac said:
I want to try again to attract hummingbirds this year. (Failed the last two years, but I'm not giving up yet.) When do I need to start putting out the feeder (and flowers)? I don't have plantings so far, but I hope to do some of that later in the spring, but I usually try to hang a feeder next to a hanging blooming plant or two. (I know I'll need to be able to bring them inside if it freezes anyway.)
Any other advice?
We are usually expecting them in April. I didn't get my first hummingbird until the first week in May but I'm going to start hanging a feeder in my old spot in April based on the weather. I am ordering some Crocosmia and Lobelia Cardinalis from a White Flower Farm catalogue. I tried planning Crocosmia last year and it didn't come up and I searched everywhere for Lobelia Cardinalis with no luck. I had great success with petunias in a hanging basket by the feeder. Aquilegia (Columbines) were a big hit and come back every year. I also planted red salvia. I had a few other flowers that were not as nectar rich but colorful to draw them. I'm also buying a different type of feeder, as the little plastic flowers in my old one easily collected mold. I'll post a picture of the type I'm ordering.
Wow didn't know they were coming in. Thanks the photo was a lucky shot. Those hummers are wicked fast!
Here is the new Hummingbird Migration Map. Let's start tracking!
http://www.hummingbird-guide.com/hummingbird-migration-spring-2017.html
The closest sighting is Durham, North Carolina!
Neat map Morganna! Sac, I'm with you...going to try again this year after not having hummers last year. Hoping more hummingbird luring flowers will do the trick. Thinking about trying Phlox, Daylily, Alcea, and Echinacea.
mtierney that deer pic is hilarious!
I'm thinking of this feeder. The old ones with the plastic flowers and bee guards collected black mold and I found it hard to clean. This is supposed to have a comfortable design.
That is so sad. its been a very mild winter here. My thoughts are turning to Spring. Hope you get a break in the heat and the turtles survive.