The Uncaged Bird -My first Hummingbird has arrived 4/26/2024
joanne said:
when you come here, there are magical hilltop places to visit where you can sit and sip cups of tea then suddenly be surrounded by clouds of rainbow lorikeets, or wild budgies, etc.
Or visit us and feed ducks and assorted water fowl, then visit a nearby butterfly farm with a feeding house (true! It’s in Gaven, look it up), then go feed pelicans by the hundreds beachside at Labrador, while whale & dolphin spotting... happy sighs....
Hang on! Have I missed something?
Is Morganna coming to to Australia to visit? (This question asked from an Aussie perspective.)
To ask from an American perspective ... is Morganna going to Australia to visit all your wonderful wildlife, joanne?
LOL. I would love to go to Australia! The closest that I got were my visits to Bali. Lots of Aussies used to hang out on Kuta beach. I stayed at the Tanjung Sari.
I used to travel all over the globe but stopped when I took on this big house. Besides with the oddball in the Oval Office who knows if I could get back in if they got me out of the country. If they have been following me on MOL or FB, they are anxious to get rid of me.
that was such a pretty video - thank you!
This link is to an article on prehistoric pink flamingos (two species) that once lived in Central Australia. Who would have guessed??
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-14/flamingo-fossils-found-in-outback/9519236
Also, we had some greedy little beggars nagging us for sunflower seeds at lunchtime today. They'd missed out at breakfast because they couldn't get through the waterlily field and had been waiting for the neighbours across the lake to throw out their seed/lettuce/bread mix. I was quite in awe (and giggles) at the determination and strength shown to break through the lilies to get here! Note the feet on those swans; they're huge, and so strong! When the swans 'duck-dive' into the water, their feet flail inelegantly above their tails and they look anything but regal.
The mane-headed ducks, however, were in fine form spreading wings so that the secret teal feathers shone like jewels. A couple of the ducks (males, I'm guessing) kept jumping at each other, breast to breast, out of the water but away from the lake bank. They looked like footy players taking a mark, or brash boys challenging each other. Their feet were well clear of the water
So when do we put our hummer feeders out? This little guy is going to wake up soon!
mumstheword said:
So when do we put our hummer feeders out? This little guy is going to wake up soon!
https://twitter.com/TomHall/status/970369238404808705?s=19
Too cute.
Here is the migration map and the last post looks like North Carolina 3/7. I'll put mine up in April, keeping an eye on the map and checking other sources. Last year's date is somewhere on this thread. I'll do a search and post in the heading.
https://www.hummingbird-guide.com/hummingbird-migration-spring-2018.html
joanne said:
that was such a pretty video - thank you!
This link is to an article on prehistoric pink flamingos (two species) that once lived in Central Australia. Who would have guessed??
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-14/flamingo-fossils-found-in-outback/9519236
Also, we had some greedy little beggars nagging us for sunflower seeds at lunchtime today. They'd missed out at breakfast because they couldn't get through the waterlily field and had been waiting for the neighbours across the lake to throw out their seed/lettuce/bread mix. I was quite in awe (and giggles) at the determination and strength shown to break through the lilies to get here! Note the feet on those swans; they're huge, and so strong! When the swans 'duck-dive' into the water, their feet flail inelegantly above their tails and they look anything but regal.
The mane-headed ducks, however, were in fine form spreading wings so that the secret teal feathers shone like jewels. A couple of the ducks (males, I'm guessing) kept jumping at each other, breast to breast, out of the water but away from the lake bank. They looked like footy players taking a mark, or brash boys challenging each other. Their feet were well clear of the water
Thought this post could use a little background music.
That hummingbird is soooo cute and funny!! (I've started calling D "Darth Vader" when he wears his CPAP mask)
Aussie swans are def not Swan Lake material; not even the Les Trocs version 
mumstheword said:
So when do we put our hummer feeders out? This little guy is going to wake up soon!
https://twitter.com/TomHall/status/970369238404808705?s=19
Last year I put mine up the first week of April but didn't spot a hummer till the end of the month. They make it up to NJ in early April so I'm going for April Fool's Day again just in case. Also keep an eye on the weather and what flowers are blooming, they follow them up the coast and if we are sparse here they will need the feeders. Also remember its the boys first.
Saving the Phillippine Eagle https://www.facebook.com/birdofpreymovie/videos/227124841167953/
Morganna said:
mumstheword said:
So when do we put our hummer feeders out? This little guy is going to wake up soon!
https://twitter.com/TomHall/status/970369238404808705?s=19
Last year I put mine up the first week of April but didn't spot a hummer till the end of the month. They make it up to NJ in early April so I'm going for April Fool's Day again just in case. Also keep an eye on the weather and what flowers are blooming, they follow them up the coast and if we are sparse here they will need the feeders. Also remember its the boys first.
Thanks. This is only my 3rd season with hummers here and the last 2 years I was late in putting them out due to having surgeries, so I wasn't sure.
Since we are planning our gardens for a feathered friends let's "Pitch in a Patch for Pollinators."
yumm-o! What a clever kookaburra!
I’m getting the most melodious concert while frantically making my last Seder preparations! This little chap (and his occasional friends) has been acting as Royal Ministrel for the last hour, bringing a bit of iconic bush right here, the heart of suburbia. 
Black, grey and white markings, not a magpie; butcher bird perhaps but seems more like a happy non-laughing kookaburra or kingfisher.
(Photo had to be taken from inside the house, I didn’t want to scare him)
Morganna said:
My first Wild Turkey of the year shows up on Easter Weekend!
Do they migrate? Where was it all winter???
Scully said:
Morganna said:
My first Wild Turkey of the year shows up on Easter Weekend!
Do they migrate? Where was it all winter???
Good question. I think the females find a spot to have their chicks on their own. Just like deer. Does travel with their sisters and their fawn. In spring, they send their yearlings away and have their new fawn usually twins. In the late fall or winter I often see a flock of turkeys, as many as 12. Similarly I will see more deer later in the season and in winter a herd of a 12 or so. They are more consistent then the turkeys and far less aggressive. Check out the males leading an attack against the postman.
I was surprised that the turkeys roost in trees. The pictures in the snow were from a few years ago. I didn't see any around this winter. Of course the female that is hanging out by my bird feeder now, will be quite surprised by the fox invasion if she plans on nesting.
Back to hummers: they're heeeeeeeere!
mumstheword said:
Back to hummers: they're heeeeeeeere! http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html
I changed the title for their arrival. I'm putting my feeder out tomorrow. This is about the time I hung my feeder last year although it was so much warmer. It took a couple of weeks for me to spot the first boy. I'm hoping that we get a warm spell so that they have enough flowers to supplement the few feeders.
As for the nests, I hung nesting material for them last year but I never saw them use it. I'll try again. Unfortunately I have tree work that needs to be done because of the storm so I'm delaying hanging my bird houses for the rest of the winged visitors.
joanne said:
very sad flamingo news: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-07/australias-only-flamingo-dies-at-adelaide-zoo/9629544
I had no idea that they had such a long life expectancy.
mumstheword said:
Morganna said:Your photos are marvelous!
Seen at the feeder.
Thank you! I've got some new ones to post.
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