how where the sunfish biting Tom ????????
Northerns had the sunfish spooked out of the area yesterday Glenn. Water’s a bit cool there yet for a decent sunnie bite. They should show up soon if the deeper water keeps inching upward in temp, but the forecast is calling for rain just about all week long and cooler temps. That’ll slow the sunnies down.
I think both a merganser and a wood duck were laying in the duck house in my yard.
the merganser started incubating and the wood duck was pretty annoyed.
the wood duck pair kept hanging around and would check the house whenever the merganser would leave to feed.
I moved a second house that wasn’t being used this year and the wood duck has now occupied house number 2.
they are only about 25 feet apart.
Just saw some yellow warblers heading through Woodbury!
Also had 3 male and 2 female Red (Ruby) Breasted Grosbeaks show up here in St Paul today. Actually first time we have had them here at the feeder.
-J.
Saw the first oriole tonight and some charcoal colored bird that was checking out the suet that I didn’t recognize. Wasn’t very scared of me, right until I tried to take a picture
More than likely a catbird,poomunk.
Those Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks are beautiful birds.
With all this Catbird talk, I had to google it.. I haven’t seen any of them but I do have a couple Brown headed Cowbirds hanging around. Could it be all the cattle in the surrounding the area?
The Rose Breasted Grosbeaks are back again, along with about 3 pairs of Gold Finches. I did, for the first time this year, see the Oriole last night while eating dinner. Don’t recall seeing any of them last year. I’ve seen all the woodpeckers except for the Red Headed Woodpecker. I have a pair of Pileated, at least a pair of Downy’s, and I’ve seen the male Red Bellied at the suet cake the last few days too.
Also, Its been pretty cool to hear a pair of Great Horned Owls after the sun sets and the bedroom windows are open. I’ve only seen them a couple times in the yard. Once was a morning a couple weeks ago. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, enjoying some quiet time watching the sunrise. The pair was sitting 10 yards from my bedroom window in a Maple tree I have in the front yard. It was neat to sit there and watch them. Don’t get to see that stuff everyday.
A pair of owls would be a cool couple to have around, but with all the park apparatus along the stream, river and bike paths near us the larger birds of prey take a beating. We’ve already found one dead Great Horned close to our back yard this spring. Sharp-Shinned hawks really get beat up here chasing birds at the feeders. I put three or four of the hawks in the garbage can just from our yard alone each spring/fall when they are here in numbers while migrating.
As I was typing this just now a female Oriole landed in the shepards hook holding two suet feeders right outside the window. I have the camera right here but she wasn’t too happy with me moving to turn it on..
Hummingbirds showed up yesterday and got busy on the HB feeders.
More than likely a catbird,poomunk.
Those Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks are beautiful birds.
Looked up a picture, yup definitely what I saw.
indigo bunting made an appearance at the feeder tonight.
Anyone know a food that Orioles like that won’t attract bees?(as in not nectar or oranges)
Slightly off topic.
Our fence has a flat wooden top. Sometimes the squirrel will lay down and hug it like they are chilling. It’s cute. They only reason I can come up with is that they like the warmth from the fence? Anyone else see this? Any ideas?
Kind of like this, but the other fence has like flat 2X6 running down the top, so it’s more flat. And they will lay flat on their belly with their arms and legs dangling.
IMG_0816.jpg
Our neighbor’s fence has similar horizontal webbing in it and I see squirrels doing that quite often. I think its a toss-up between the sun’s warmth and the flat surface being real stable.
FOUND ONE!
After giving my Droll Yankee feeder to the favorite daughter (I wasn’t around enough to keep it full) I found one on Amazon that’s $40. less then what I paid for the first one.
Droll Yankees B-72 Classic Bird Feeder,12 ports 4 lbs. capacity
Construction- UV-stabilized polycarbonate and stainless steel bail wire
The clear UV Stabilized Polycarbonate feeder tube keeps the seed level visible, a key to attracting birds, and is perfect for holding 4 lbs. of seed
The silver metal feeder base is equipped with drainage slots to keep seed dry and fresh
Lifetime Warranty against squirrel damage, Made in the U.S.A.
I don’t like having to fill a feeder everyday. 
I saw a bird in our yard the other day that I’d never seen before. The Merlin bird app nailed it, though–an American Redstart.
american-redstart-laura-gooch.jpg
Ahhh the old Setophaga ruticilla is a pretty bird!
Like I knew what it was.
Our hummingbird will only go to the hibiscus. I even moved the feeder next to it.
I didn’t think hibiscus had much nectar, I noticed he actually goes under the petals, not the center of the flowers. I actually pulled the flowers of and licked the green cup left behind. I can confirm it’s loaded with nectar. 
I saw a pair of horned grebes on Osakis. Very cool coloration.
The past 3 nights, we have been woken at 3 a.m. by barred owls. Awesome birds, awesome calls, but at 3 a.m., it gets a little old.
One night I saw one sitting on the shepherd hook that a feeder hangs from, presumably picking off the mice that come out and eat the seed that drops to the ground. 
We have barred owl. Man they sound cool when two get together and start barking at each other.
Man they sound cool when two get together and start barking at each other.
Yes, they do. They’d sound cool at 10:00 p.m. though. 3:00 a.m. I can do without.
Growing up in the middle of the state that was recovering from DDT and other concerns…I’m thinking I saw 3 great horned owls when I was about 20 and didn’t see another owl until I was well into my 30’s.
Not a dig Ralph, but I’m happy to hear they are enough around to be a problem.
I saw a bird in our yard the other day that I’d never seen before. The Merlin bird app nailed it, though–an American Redstart.
The one in your picture is really a nice orange. They’ll color anywhere from orange to a bright red. Nervous little critters. They are fun to watch.
On my feeder (sunflower seeds) I have a black bird with Orange and White on it’s wings.
Oriole?
Could be Dutch. Its not uncommon for the Oriole to have white wing patches, some more than others.
Thanks Tom, I don’t know one from another 
I just feed ’em.
So, I’ve got a male Bluebird that has been coming to the feeders for about a week now, which is great! Now I hope they are using the bluebird house out front this year. Last year no one made a nest in it. Now my question to you guys is, what color are the females? I have what I assume is the female blue bird but this thing is purest blue I think I’ve ever seen! Just a little bit of a dark grey on the wing tips. Pure blue head, breast, back, & tail. The reason I ask is because I can’t tell if its a female Bluebird or a Indigo Bunting?
Like I said, with the Male Eastern Bluebird around, hard to believe its anything but a female Bluebird. But its just such a pure royal blue that I couldn’t determine what it was. I ran to get my phone for a picture, but with the sunshine reflecting off the window I couldn’t get a good picture..
Did it look like this?
Also an Indigo Bunting will appear to be black when the sun isn’t hitting it right.
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