BIRDS

[HemlockKing]

Pileated woodpecker who has been living here for a couple months has finally found a mate after weeks of hammering his tree and making calls in the search. The female seems much bigger I'm not sure if that's common in woodpeckers, it can't be another male because they don't share the same home. White breasted nut hatches are still keeping on, female hardly leaves the box for the last 3 weeks. Pretty sure the eggs should be hatching any day. Can't wait to meet their offspring.

[KEC]

Mockingbirds immitate at least 30 other species of birds. They will go after anything that gets near the nest or young. They also sing at night; a few years ago one sang by my neighbors' house at midnight-2:00 am. I have bluebirds with a nest that survived our recent cold and snow. Babies now nearly ready to fledge and temps in the 80's.

[Hilltop366]

a few years ago one sang by my neighbors' house at midnight-2:00 am

Reminds me of camping on the river and having a sawit owl start up 20 feet behind my tent, they make a sound that is somewhere between a whistle and a hacksaw on sheet metal up to 100 to 200 times in a row and then stop for 20 seconds and start again over and over and...... then I scared it away.

[SwampDonkey]

Heard the bittern yesterday around the beaver pond.

There have been local bluebirds sighted within 5 miles, just not at my boxes yet. Tree swallows have claimed one box.

[HemlockKing]

I believe the white nut hatches have some eggs that have hatched, male and female are coming and going often, when female does go inside, stays near the hole opening. 

[Crusarius]

I saw a scarlet tanninger (sp) the other day. was very happy to see him eating the stupid gypsy moth caterpillars. to bad that was the only time I have seen him and he couldn;t have eaten that many.

[SwampDonkey]

Well, this morning the bluebirds arrived here.

I only see a scarlet tanager once maybe every few years up here, they love the thickets like alders.

[ESFted]

Love watching the birds.  We have several well stocked back yard feeders...and a full compliment of local and transient feathered friends.  Humming birds are a favorite.  Bluebirds, cardinals, gold finches, titmice, juncos etc.  Been trying to get Orioles to stop by with grape jelly feeders, but no luck so far.

My most memorable bird memories are from the days my folks had a camp on a big lake in Ontario.  Sometimes I would wake on a quiet night to the sound of Whip-poor-will's in the woods around us, and Loons out on the lake.  Loons sound so mournful.




Whip-poor-will's




Loons

[thecfarm]

I've had very good luck with this Baltimore oriole feeder.
Baltimore feeder

I go to dollar general and buy their brand of grape jelly. We had 2 coming at one time last year. I bought one feeder but one would drive the other off to feed. So I bought another feeder to stop that. Would have 2 at one time. For some odd reason they would not eat the oranges.  ??? I guess they liked the grapy jelly better.

[HemlockKing]

Female pileated wood pecker has been visiting showing up every morning around 730. A squeaky call,  not typical pileated call. After these calls the male that lives in my yard will slowly start "thumping" inside his house to lure her his way. They have done these for the last few days. I did see them both inside yesterday morning. 

[doc henderson]

 

 

 

this is an example of ones we make, using little plastic cups from WM.  metal stove cover for a lid,  Libby off behind the fence scratching.   we have several orioles this year.  I am told they will reuse a nest from year to year.

[HemlockKing]

 

 Hi bud!!

[KEC]

SD, Learn to recognize the song and call note of Scarlet Tanagers and you might be surprised at how much more often you find them. They spend a lot of their time in the canopy of tall trees in the woods. The song is similar to robin, but very burry sounding. The call note is a sort of Chip-burr.

[DDW_OR]

woodroe, If you see an Ovenbird running along the ground near you with wings drooping, it is doing a distraction display to lead you away from its' nest. I have a pair of bluebirds near the house with eggs and a pair near the house with babies. The nest with babies had eggs during recent cold and wet snow and I never thought they would pull through; temps are now warm.

Ah yes, the broken wing trick, seen partridge doing that.
Thrushes are back and filling the air with their flute like songs.
Now to learn the difference between the wood and hermit thrush songs.
Its quite a chorus out there this time of year. Being surrounded by mixed woods forest
in a 3 acre opening helps.

Search Results for hermit thrush | All About Birds All About Birds
we have the Hermit Thrush
or maybe the Swainson's Thrush
sounds more like the Hermit. my favorite bird song, especially when it echoes
Hermit Thrush Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

[HemlockKing]

woodroe, If you see an Ovenbird running along the ground near you with wings drooping, it is doing a distraction display to lead you away from its' nest. I have a pair of bluebirds near the house with eggs and a pair near the house with babies. The nest with babies had eggs during recent cold and wet snow and I never thought they would pull through; temps are now warm.

Ah yes, the broken wing trick, seen partridge doing that.
Thrushes are back and filling the air with their flute like songs.
Now to learn the difference between the wood and hermit thrush songs.
Its quite a chorus out there this time of year. Being surrounded by mixed woods forest
in a 3 acre opening helps.

Search Results for hermit thrush | All About Birds All About Birds
we have the Hermit Thrush
or maybe the Swainson's Thrush
sounds more like the Hermit. my favorite bird song, especially when it echoes
Hermit Thrush Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

I have lots of Swainson a thrushes. They are a very curious bird, when outside they will stalk me, follow me around, land on the ground close to me and stare at me lol , anyone else notices this with this bird?

[HemlockKing]

They have a alarm chirp that very much sounds like the chirp the downy woodpecker makes, also sounds like a red squirrel, I'm finally developing the ear for each 3, although hard, they really do sound the same.

[DDW_OR]

I have lots of Swainson a thrushes. They are a very curious bird, when outside they will stalk me, follow me around, land on the ground close to me and stare at me lol , anyone else notices this with this bird?

none do that here.
more evidence that i have the Hermit
the only animal that follows me is the cat, when he is not hunting.

[Chuck White]

Could be that when they're at their winter migration location, people started feeding them, and that's what they are looking for now!

[HemlockKing]

Could be that when they're at their winter migration location, people started feeding them, and that's what they are looking for now!

It could be but I don't get that impression honestly, they are very cautious, and won't get too close, but try to be lurking in bush maybe 25 ft away, fleeing if you go towards them.

[DDW_OR]

could be they are looking for what you scare up as you walk

[Ianab]

could be they are looking for what you scare up as you walk

Some insect eating birds make a habit of hanging around large animals to catch the insects they stir up. The local fantails and swallows will congregate around a herd of cows in the winter when insect food is scarce. You or your farm bike is just a different looking cow, and fantails will land if you are still and quiet. The swallows are faster flying and just swoop past. 
We were out at a local reserve which is predator fenced and has some of the rarer native birds living there. The NZ robins (they look nothing like a Nth Hemisphere Robin, but that's their name) are pretty fearless and will sit 3ft away from you hoping you disturb something. Scuff up some leaves with your shoe, take a step back and there are in there investigating. 

[Skip]

Excavation company I worked for once was doing dirt work for the Cabelas store here . Hawks would circle above the track hoes waiting for something to get flushed out, was neat to see how fast and accurate they are .

[KEC]

Red-tailed Hawks will hunt over hayfields while mowing, raking and baling, as will coyotes. They mainly are after Meadow Voles but also rabbits and birds that ran afoul with the mower.

[woodroe]

Seems to be an off year for Tree Swallow nesting. Not sure whats going on but of 
6 bird boxes only seem to have 1 box occupied and can hear some chirping from it at times.
Last year they were all full. Anyone else seeing this ? I'll have to have a peak in the boxes 
to investigate further. 

[Chuck White]

We've seen a few BarnSwallows here lately!

Nowhere near what there will be in another 3-4 weeks!