The Uncaged Bird -My first Hummingbird has arrived 4/26/2024
Why DO protective swooping birds choose the targets they do to swoop? And how would they recognise if we didn’t mean to harm them or their nests?
Exciting new research!!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-09/magpies-swoop-bald-more-often-survey-finds/103297520
When you're investigating how wildlife learns new skills, it's much better to do the research in their environment that it is to rehouse them in a research facility, which might make the job easier for the researchers, but is totally unnatural for the wildlife.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-15/australian-bush-wildlife-put-to-test-with-puzzles/103295408
A growing variety of our feathered friends have been joining the regulars at the feeders. Suet cakes have been a big draw!
Haven’t had much of interest to share for a while.
However, two mornings ago this beautiful big bird suddenly landed on the edge of my side patio roof and decided to visit for about 20 mins. Big and heavy, and over delicately stepping over the dips in the curvy roofing (as if dancing)
https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Alectura-lathami
Meet the Aussie brush turkey
joanne said:
Haven’t had much of interest to share for a while.
However, two mornings ago this beautiful big bird suddenly landed on the edge of my side patio roof and decided to visit for about 20 mins. Big and heavy, and over delicately stepping over the dips in the curvy roofing (as if dancing)https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Alectura-lathami
Meet the Aussie brush turkey
Wow, what a handsome bird!
mrincredible said:
A couple of my neighbors.
Quite a haughty look from the Mourning Dove!
I'm putting my hummingbird feeder up in the morning. The sugar water is cooling. I get males coming through about this time of year. I am checking some Hummingbird Facebook pages and there was a mention of a hummingbird in New Jersey. Also keeping an eye on the migration maps. The ones that I see in April may be on their way to Canada or may be scouting for just the right location. It get busier in May. Birds do return to their former gardens so I won't take any risks. They are exhausted now and hungry from their long flights and we do not yet have their favorite flowers blooming.
Morganna said:
Quite a haughty look from the Mourning Dove!
This robin says “Haughty? Hold my beer.”
mrincredible said:
This robin says “Haughty? Hold my beer.”
Yes, I often get the "You talkin' to me?" look from my robins.
While I love seeing the Robins, I need to prepare for when they attack our car windows. I take old sheets and leftover magnets from the shower curtains to block the side windows. They perch on the side mirrors, poop a lot!, and peck at the glass. Dreadful....
blackcat said:
While I love seeing the Robins, I need to prepare for when they attack our car windows. I take old sheets and leftover magnets from the shower curtains to block the side windows. They perch on the side mirrors, poop a lot!, and peck at the glass. Dreadful....
Great tip, thank you! A family of plovers have taken to spending their early mornings on our roof. They can enjoy the rising sun there, in the month or so before they fly back to China. Meantime, they looooove decorating our car.
I posted on the title that the Hummingbird feeder is up, well not so easy. I left it up overnight but I've had to take my seed feeder and my suet cake down due to raccoons. To my surprise some critter, maybe a raccoon pulled the Hummingbird feeder top off and either spilled or drank the sugar water. So now I'm adding that to my list.
Just to give everyone an idea of how resourceful raccoons are here's a few of recent years antics by the little bandits.
jamie said:
I don't have a bird - but this guy is a regular for us.
If he's looking for a lunch date, this little one enjoys both the outdoor feeder cafe or the indoor dining room during inclement weather. There is an open bar as well as poolside service.
I love my sparrows but Oh You Kid!
I used to see the occasional Downy Woodpecker but putting this suet cake in a convenient spot both for the birds and the viewer, me, has been a treat. The male and female are here constantly.
A pair of Sparrows have been building their nest together. The nesting box used to be occupied by House Wrens but it has been vacant for a year or two. I saw this little one trying it out a few weeks ago but I wasn't sure it was chosen. Now the couple is going back and forth with nesting material. Very exciting.
I guess I need to get my act together and get out the hummingbird feeders!
sac said:
I guess I need to get my act together and get out the hummingbird feeders!
I'm ready and anxiously waiting for them! Here's some inspiration.
for @joanne and @marksierra saw this post from Western Australia, on a Facebook page, Crows Are Awesome.
He's quite a looker.
While I wait for my Hummingbirds which by the way arrived April 25 last year, I'm seeing very cute red House Finches, and they know how to Vogue!
The first boy has arrived! I used a picture from a previous year as once again, I spotted him before I could grab my camera. He's right on schedule!
Happy Thanksgiving Vegan style.