Backyard bird watching

[2na]

50 lbs of black sunflower at $28 at Ocean State now; wasn't it $25 just a few weeks ago and $20 around the 1st of the year?

As much as I want spring to get going it is nice to be able to see all of the migrants coming back. Without the leaves on the trees I never would have seen, nevermind ID'd, the blue grey gnatcatcher I saw yesterday. Anyone else see anything new recently?

I got a Canadian warbler about this time last year. I noticed that last weekend after that little shot of warm weather and heavy rain a lot of stuff was back - pine warblers, chipping sparrows, house sparrows and robins most conspicuously.

[Sweetwater]

Two years ago, we had an artificial wreath on the front door that became the nesting site for a house finch and her brood. The wife, "kids," and I watched the eggs and hatchlings through the window until my neighbor's dog (a german shorthaired) decided to eat the babies.

Well, the next year, the house finch came back and laid another clutch. Since the dog was no longer around (RIP Maddy) we thought we were safe only to come home one day to find that the neighbors' (same ones) cat was going after the hatchlings.

This year we are not putting the wreath up.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Sweetwater

Two years ago, we had an artificial wreath on the front door that became the nesting site for a house finch and her brood. The wife, "kids," and I watched the eggs and hatchlings through the window until my neighbor's dog (a german shorthaired) decided to eat the babies.

Well, the next year, the house finch came back and laid another clutch. Since the dog was no longer around (RIP Maddy) we thought we were safe only to come home one day to find that the neighbors' (same ones) cat was going after the hatchlings.

This year we are not putting the wreath up.

On man. I'd hate to have neighbors like that. Next thing you know, the police are going to be sent to your house because their daughter's boyfriend set off your home alarm system.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by 2na

50 lbs of black sunflower at $28 at Ocean State now; wasn't it $25 just a few weeks ago and $20 around the 1st of the year?
.

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yeah the price jumped (jacked UP ) again so BJ's became the better deal AGAIN
because the mixed seed is a total rip off

so i bought a forty pound bag at BJ's and it turned out to be a moldy batch and so i had to GO BACK AND return it....

Been trying to grow my own Russian mammoth sF's but the dammed field mice are digging them up...bastids .....set the metal trap for em with half a suet cake in it... he'll be in there in the MORNING.... I HOPE/

[Raven]

[bayviewrr]

Just found this post. I am glad I am not alone. I love feeding and watching the birds. I have a feeder and two suet cages right outside my door. I also feed the squirrels with corn blocks hung from a bungee cord. It is really funny to watch the squirrels hanging off the bottom of a bouncing brick of corn.

With feeding the squirrels it was really important to get a squirrel proof feeder and yes, they actually exist. I found one that has a cage over the feeding holes that slide down from the weight of the squirrels. Works perfectly. Squirrels don't even bother to try anymore.

All winter I have had cardinals, carolina wrens, red and white breasted nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, house finches and morning doves. Things are starting to migrate now and we get a HUGE migration out here on the island. The cow birds showed up last week along with a yellow throated warbler and have had a baltimore oriel on the suet cage for the last week. I also have a pair of mallards nesting in the yard. Over the next few weeks the bird population will explode. In past years, from my property alone I have identified over 100 different species. Its a cool hobby.

[2na]

and here is this morning's returning migrant

[Raven]

does he have a green card ?

[2na]

doesn't look like he needs one