Bird feeder check off……….

For Black Oil Sunflower seeds…I bought one of these monsters…

B-72

* A larger version of the popular B-7F, this Classic feeder doubles the number of ports and perches to 12 to provide some dramatic bird feeding.
* Simple and functional, this classic tube feeder style with high quality construction is a favorite of songbirds and will provide you with many years of enjoyment.
* 12 well spaced metal clad seed ports give your birds plenty of ‘elbow room’ to prevent squabbles.
* 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.
* An internal seed baffle design directs seed to the ports so that the feeder empties completely without accumulating leftovers.
* Simply slide the die-cast metal cap up the hanger for quick, convenient cleaning and filling. Replenish the tube easily and quickly with two full scoops of our Seed Scoop
* The silver metal feeder base is equipped with drainage slots to keep seed dry and fresh.
* Hang this feeder from the attached metal hanger or pole mount it on our Garden Pole
* Completely assembled.
* Lifetime Warranty against squirrel damage.
* Made in the U.S.A.

They would so owe me for a new feeder because of my squirrels.

I’ll have to take pictures of my current feeder and what they did. I figured the thing was squirrel proof, in the sense that they could still eat from it without destroying it.

I am seriously thinking about trying to create a natural feeder this spring by hollowing out a log and some how locking a tamper proof cover.

You have a Droll Yankee feeder Pug?

I haven’t read the warrenty in years, but if I recall, it’s a lifetime replacement warrenty.

My squirrels must have soft teeth because my Yankee is well over 10 years old.

Nope.

Apparently it is a Stokes, the Zebco of bird feeders.

I really liked this one when I got it. Thought it would be squirrel proof since there is no plastic, metal screened and metal perches. It probably would still be intact like I said, had I not refilled it when it was empty a few days. Those guys get pretty ticked.

We had to remove one of those small feeders that you suction to the window. The squirrels would contort themselves, climb in and feed. Which was kind of cute. What wasn’t cute was them defending it from another squirrel and peeing on the window screen in the process.

I might just go with all platform feeders.

Or you could just leave the bag out there.

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What wasn’t cute was them defending it from another squirrel and peeing on the window screen in the process.

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So it’s not just the neighbors then?

No. We would not have taken the feeder down if that were the case.

If I brought the bag out of the garage, what would Ted eat?

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Ben, what do you have out for seed? Also, is your feeder by chance standing alone without any trees or shrubs nearby? This is important, birds don’t like feeding without some cover. Toss up a deadfall or even an artificial tree, they’ll come in Black oil sunflower seeds and a suet feeder should do the trick

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Don’t forget a thistle sock outside the window for the finches. I got a picture this morning of about 1/4 of our record number I have seen on it at one time. We got one of these…

Pretty nice, as I don’t have to fill it as much. I wish they made a metal version though. I can’t fill it past the bottom of the clear done, because there is no seal and it has warped a little.

Also the dang gummet sparrows like chewing holes in the sock at the seams and then the seed just trickle out. I have 2 different “brands” of socks and one is way more durable.

Thanks for starting the thread. Nice to talk birding with fellow IDOers. We’ll have to keep this up to date with the spring migrations.

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Spring migrations……..warm days at the camper with a beer and binos

Anyone ever seen this one? If you are on the river and hear a chicken like clucking sound very high in the tree tops then it’s this guy, a yellow billed Cuckoo. Finally saw one last summer. Very cool birds but elusive as hell

JJ:

Is that a vireo???

Mark

It’s a yellow billed cuckoo. 12″long-18″ws. Not a very good pic, notice his long tail which is pitched up in this pic. The underside of the tail has large black spots making it easy to id.

Wow, that is a cool looking bird (Cuckcoo). Here I thought it was neat when we got some Redstarts in our yard, although I see tham all the time on the river.

At an apartment I lived in, one spring I had a Harris’s sparrow hang out for a few weeks. Other than the Indigo Bunting, he was the coolest rare bird (to me) I had seen at my residence. They are almost twice the size of a House sparrow.

Spring will also bring the White Throated and White Crowned sparrows, who I like too.

I think I found the bird who makes the melon collie song. American Tree Sparrow. If you listen to the sound on that page it is pretty close, but the ones that come around here are slightly lower pitched and smoother, more deliberate.

a double breasted mattress thrasher been gettin’ chased around the house by the stiff necked woodypecker

Your wife has 4 boobs?

So here is the finch feeder in action. I also included a shot of the vandalized feeder. I was putting the pieces they ripped off back in when I refilled to keep the seeds from pouring out. Well they ran off with the 2 perches and one of the perch frames (For lack of a better word). So now I am missing the pieces to fix it.

I’ve noticed the Cardinals are chiming in a little at the crack of dawn again.

There was about 50 crows causing a commotion down the street this morning. I knew exactly what was going on so I grabbed the binoculars and drove down there.

I spent about 5 minutes looking up and down this pine tree that the crows were making passes at and then I spotted her just before giving up. A barn own. It was not hard to understand why she was hard to see, her camouflage was perfect for the frosting on the tree and the brown branches.

Pretty cool sight. I have only seen owls on our block around this time of year.

Did I mention that the tree is in a cemetery? All that was missing was some jack-o-lanterns.

Speaking of owls…for the last 3 years (that I know of) there’s been up to 3 owls at Lock #3.

One of them likes to sit on the rail and wait for a fish (dead I assume) show it’s self and it would fly down there and grab it, then fly into the trees.

Now I know nothing about owls, but one fella that was with me said owls don’t eat fish. As my luck would have it, he was sitting on the rail and right in front of us swooped down and took a fish off the water. He said if I wouldn’t have seen it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it.

Good owl.

Saw that silly owl last Wensday at dark,eating a shad.
And as I remember it,you wanted to show me a owl eating fish and what I saw was a fish eating owl.

I think he found a loophole Brian.

Leave it to Stuart.

Don’t they fly south for the winter or hibernate or something?

The owlets are in the nest now or very shortly.This is the best time of year to see the adults as they are trying to feed a couple hungry babies and are active 24/7.

Isn’t that weird? It seems weird to me, but I guess if penguins can keep eggs warm in the arctic, I shouldn’t be surprised.

I also read that Barn Owls are called Tigers of the sky for their willingness to prey on skunks and porcupines. I guess I’ll have to be vigilant and not leave ours outside alone.

I read that it is to give the young a head start on growth so they are hunting on thier own when other birds are starting to fledge.
I have a Red Tail in my woods that eats full grown grey squirrels off my bird feeders.But never when the camera is in hand.

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I read that it is to give the young a head start on growth so they are hunting on thier own when other birds are starting to fledge.
I have a Red Tail in my woods that eats full grown grey squirrels off my bird feeders.But never when the camera is in hand.

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That is exactly what I was thinking. That is was timed so that they could pick off all the other newborns later in the year.

I’ve said it before, we have had redtails and cooper hawks in our yard too, when they can slip by the resident crows. I have only seen the redtail take a squirrel once one fall. But then again, he doesn’t come by that often.

Michelle said the Cooper was chasing the song birds the other day. When I see him I am torn between chasing him away or watching the show. I have a lot invested in thistle, safflower and sunflower seeds in those song birds. The sparrows I don’t mind, but the finches, chickadees and cardinals he cannot touch!

I think my winter goldfinches have started moving on, migrating north. I have seen 1 all day. Last year there was a lull in activity from about now until the next month or so. I am not complaining. Thistle ain’t cheap! Those bastages can start feeding again when they got pretty colors to show instead of their drab winter feathers.

The gray Juncos are starting to come through. Won’t be long now before the White Capped and Yellow Throated Sparrows start coming through.

At work the past 3 days the Robins and Waxwings have been feasting on all of crabapple berries…..

Sad to say spring is coming…..

My yard was covered with Juncoes today,hope they hang around for awhile.

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My yard was covered with Juncoes today,hope they hang around for awhile.

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Cool. Funny how some birds refuse to feed from a feeder and will only feed from the ground. My Juncos stick around well into late spring.

Sounds like you guys have some interesting birds to watch. We have only the basics, chickadees, a few juncos the common sparrow,finches and about 7 to 8 morning doves. We were visited by a nuthatch a couple of times. we used to have two pair of cardnals that came around but haven’t seen them. The problem in my neighborood is to many cats roaming around. This spring I will be trying to live trap them, maybe then our flower beds by the house won’t smell like a litter box and we will get more birds to come in. Have fun watching your birds.

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Sounds like you guys have some interesting birds to watch. We have only the basics, chickadees, a few juncos the common sparrow,finches and about 7 to 8 morning doves. We were visited by a nuthatch a couple of times. we used to have two pair of cardnals that came around but haven’t seen them. The problem in my neighborood is to many cats roaming around. This spring I will be trying to live trap them, maybe then our flower beds by the house won’t smell like a litter box and we will get more birds to come in. Have fun watching your birds.

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We had a cat problem here too, but that kind of stopped when the guy on the corner put up signs looking for a cat he lost.

We have all those basic birds too, we just sometimes catch seeing some that are passing through. Yesterday the red tail hawk was back in the cottonwood in the backyard. Funny how quiet he makes it.

Still waiting for my white throat and striped sparrows. I think that will happen when the ground is exposed and the snow is gone.