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I just watched an oak titmouse abscond with a in-shell peanut. I don't know what it intends to do with it, but off it went. Pretty ridiculous to see. 2 days ago I saw a cooper's hawk potentially murder some mockingbird eggs or babies. They were making an amazing racket. 
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Apr 19, 2023 16:19
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Is it easy to make a baffle that will keep squirrels off a bird feeder or should I buy one?
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May 1, 2023 20:17
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Psycho Society posted:Is it easy to make a baffle that will keep squirrels off a bird feeder or should I buy one? No, and no. They do not work very well and the squirrels will always win. Just get some sacrificial squirrel feed to keep them happy and away from the bird feeders.
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May 1, 2023 20:50
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Psycho Society posted:Is it easy to make a baffle that will keep squirrels off a bird feeder or should I buy one? Our "squirrel proof" feeder actually works pretty well surprisingly. The baffle they just jump over, but the combo seems to discourage them. The smartest one has learned that if it sits on the peanut tray it can eat from the feeder without triggering its defenses. We've since made that guy discouraged with a spicy cylinder. It was hilarious to watch it grab a bite and be suddenly disappointed with its life choices. Now it generally steers clear for the whole contraption. Sorry, anonymizing wider/better shots is hard due to a yard sign and stuff, but you get the idea. Just off camera at the bottom is basically a "cone of shame" pointing down. Green thing is squirrel proof, it "falls down" when too much weight is applied, closing the seed hatches. The bowl we put peanuts in for the scrub jays. The cylinder is a spicy seed mix of some sort, the only one our local Wild Birds Unlimited sells.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AUFIQ1U/
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May 1, 2023 21:14
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So I just moved into an apartment on the 5th floor of a building in a dense urban area without a porch or a patio or anything, but I do have some pretty heavy windows with thick windowsills that open outwards a little--enough for me to stick my arm out but probably not enough to get anything really bulky out. I'm looking to start doing some bird feeding again, but I really don't want to set out anything heavy enough to hurt someone when my duct tape concoction gets blown away or whatever, and I would also prefer not to spread tons of birdseed around on the ground downstairs and attract rats, either. Just walking around here in the evening makes it obvious that there are a shitload of crows (cool) and pigeons (less cool) in the area, and I'm only a few blocks from the shore where the seagulls (not cool) hang out. There's a fair bit of green stuff and ground cover on the street below and the roof across from me, so I wouldn't be surprised if passerines hung out around here, but I've yet to see one. Does anyone have any experience with setting out a feeder in a building like that? My current plan is just, like, two paper bowls held down with a loop of duct tape, one with sunflower seeds and the other with water.
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May 1, 2023 22:18
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I buy some super hot chili oil from Amazon and blend it with my seed. It's made for that purpose and is generally cheaper than buying the pre-made spicy stuff. Neither the squirrels nor the deer eat my bird seed anymore, though the squirrels still get to share the deer feeder block and the suet. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XR9QWA?ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_dp_F4VHYPWRXK65ZVKMYGXK
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May 2, 2023 02:47
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my cat is norris posted:I buy some super hot chili oil from Amazon and blend it with my seed. It's made for that purpose and is generally cheaper than buying the pre-made spicy stuff. Neither the squirrels nor the deer eat my bird seed anymore, though the squirrels still get to share the deer feeder block and the suet. the art on the bottle is delightful
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May 6, 2023 16:54
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Psycho Society posted:Is it easy to make a baffle that will keep squirrels off a bird feeder or should I buy one? SquirrelBuster; Accept no substitute. Our squirrels don’t even attempt the squirrel buster anymore. Also, feed the squirrels too.  
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May 6, 2023 19:37
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My blue tits hatched today  Hoping they'll stick around in my garden like last year so I get to see them before they're off 
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May 6, 2023 19:40
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My PIN is 4826 posted:My blue tits hatched today an excellent parent with its idiots 
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May 7, 2023 04:47
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More oystercatcher fun! This guy was digging a nest, his mate wasn’t impressed though. She went to roost right after I took this  
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May 7, 2023 10:19
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My PIN is 4826 posted:My blue tits hatched today Nice. The scrub jays took out a hummer nest I was watching, maybe a day or two before fledging. I know it's nature's way but it's pretty devastating.
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May 8, 2023 01:45
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x-postmy cat is norris posted:Here is a truly terrible picture of my Baltimore oriole and red-breasted grosbeak returning to my feeders for the season:
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May 8, 2023 13:51
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Two great birds. I like the matching oriole/feeder color scheme.
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May 9, 2023 15:03
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waffy posted:Two great birds. I like the matching oriole/feeder color scheme. me too!! also it's rose-breasted grosbeak, i totally derped
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May 9, 2023 15:04
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Psycho Society posted:Is it easy to make a baffle that will keep squirrels off a bird feeder or should I buy one? Idk how long this will work for but you'll have fun while it does https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjhBKDzKcE
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May 9, 2023 21:45
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i went birding in the park for the first time this morning the tulip tree near the great hill was indeed full of birds. lots of yellow rumped warblers guess i'll go back. for some reason i just never went, and instead have been going to jamaica bay. different scene! 
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May 10, 2023 23:37
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Had a black-bellied plover pose for me today! 
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May 13, 2023 19:55
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a male and female scarlet tanager, central park this morning  e: and this guy, a yellow-rumped warbler?? 
JAY ZERO SUM GAME fucked around with this message at 19:53 on May 14, 2023 |
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May 14, 2023 19:51
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I love the dimorphism between male and female scarlet tanagers.
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May 15, 2023 01:23
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Borb.
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May 15, 2023 04:42
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A bird thread! I am not a serious border, but I do love birds and so does my wife. We live in the outer ring of suburbs of St Paul, and have decent bird activity in our yard after her bird feeder collection continues to grow every year. This spring has been fun, and we’re seeing a lot greater quantities of some of our favorite birds compared to last year. Lots of orioles, downy woodpeckers, the occasional red bellied woodpecker, a fairly frequent visiting pileated woodpecker, a family of cardinals, some pine and yellow warblers, WB nuthatches, LOTS of blue jays, rose breasted grossbeaks, and we had our first ever Indigo Bunting last weekend! We also found a great park reserve within 45 minutes that has awesome bird activity. There’s a big lake, lots of marshy/swampy areas, and some good wooded and open areas as well. Tons of purple Martins up there darting around catching bugs, and even saw a pretty cool brown thrush up there rooting around in the long grass. Lots of water birds around too, great blue herons, egrets, Sandhills, and a couple of loon families as well. We have a trip to Yellowstone this June and while we are super excited to see some of the larger wildlife out there, now we’re like, ‘I bet there’s some cool birds out there!’ Anything we should keep an eye out for in mid June in Yellowstone/Tetons/badlands?
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May 18, 2023 00:49
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DoctaFun posted:A bird thread! If you've only seen eastern birds then there may be a lot of Rockies/Western species that you haven't come across yet. It's hard to come up with anything close to a complete list for you off the cuff but some of the things you might keep an eye out for: Great Gray Owl Cassin's Finch Western Meadowlark Mountain Bluebird Western Tanager Black-billed Magpie Common Raven Bald Eagle Osprey Golden Eagle Mountain Chickadee American Dipper I'd hit up eBird hotspots for some of the places you want to go and see what's common in the summer. But really, if you are mostly staring at the megafauna and mud volcanoes and such then don't feel too bad. It's an unbelievable place. Have fun I'm insanely jealous.
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May 18, 2023 01:14
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BetterLekNextTime posted:If you've only seen eastern birds then there may be a lot of Rockies/Western species that you haven't come across yet. It's hard to come up with anything close to a complete list for you off the cuff but some of the things you might keep an eye out for: That looks like a sweet list, thank you! I think we have 6 or 7 full days in the park, definitely hoping to spend a lot of time outside the mega busy parts of the park. If I get some time I’ll try to post a few pics from our yard, and of course our trip if we see any cool birds. It’s an ‘F it, can’t take it with us’ kind of year for my family. My best friend died of brain cancer earlier this year. He was in his mid 40s and worked his rear end/lived extremely frugally so he’d be able to retire at age 50, and fish everyday for the rest of his life. He was ahead of schedule and was even thinking about retiring at 48, then got brain cancer. After that I said F it, we are gonna go see all the stuff we can while we’re young. I mean, what will this planet even look like in 20 years anyways right? On that note, heading to St John this October. Some cool birds down there! The bananaquits are super cute and the frigate birds look like pterodactyl’s or something from the ground!
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May 18, 2023 01:41
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Jonny Quest posted:I want to give a shout out to BirdNET-Pi which allows you to set up an RPi to listen to bird calls and will automagically ID them for your pleasure. This looks amazing, and my wife would absolutely love it. I may try to put one of these together in secret and give it to her as a gift. Does it work like ‘on the go’? Could you bring it with you on a walk or is it like something you setup in a permanent location?
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May 18, 2023 01:44
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DoctaFun posted:Does it work like ‘on the go’? Could you bring it with you on a walk or is it like something you setup in a permanent location? I think the data collection aspect probably means it needs to stay put, but Merlin can do something similar with Sound ID on walkies.
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May 18, 2023 02:46
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DoctaFun posted:That looks like a sweet list, thank you! I think we have 6 or 7 full days in the park, definitely hoping to spend a lot of time outside the mega busy parts of the park. Sorry about your friend, that's terrible. You should be able to see a ton 6-7 days. I've only been there in the shoulder seasons and never done any high country stuff there so I don't know what to recommend, besides all of it. Have a blast.
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May 18, 2023 04:45
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DoctaFun posted:We have a trip to Yellowstone this June and while we are super excited to see some of the larger wildlife out there, now we’re like, ‘I bet there’s some cool birds out there!’ Oh, hey, I did some birding in Yellowstone last June. One of my best moments was eating lunch by a remote seasonal pond full of yellow-headed blackbirds, ruddy ducks, American coots, cinnamon teals, and like 7 other species. I also saw sandhill cranes in a field full of bison. I should have corrected the mom telling her kids that they were herons.
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May 19, 2023 02:40
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Best I could do through a spotting scope shaking in the wind. We’ve got 3 freshly-hatched oystercatcher chicks! 
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May 20, 2023 16:58
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Icon Of Sin posted:Best I could do through a spotting scope shaking in the wind. We’ve got 3 freshly-hatched oystercatcher chicks! Nice. Been seeing some good birds on hikes lately, but my cameras consist of a phone and a little point and shoot designed more for surviving underwater and falling down rocks than decent bird photos.
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May 20, 2023 17:13
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I saw this duck just absolutely vibing in a bank parking lot when I was out for a walk earlier this week. Very relaxed bird, didn't even mind that I stopped to snap a pic.
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Jun 4, 2023 17:57
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I put food out for the sparrows and Fat Pigeons in my back yard, but some rats have turned up. How can I deal with the rats without risking poisoning the birds? As payment I offer this video of a friend of mine named Esme. She was happy to see me but unhappy to see her assistant arrived before her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LesyR3UyES8
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Jun 5, 2023 00:21
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GotLag posted:I put food out for the sparrows and Fat Pigeons in my back yard, but some rats have turned up. How can I deal with the rats without risking poisoning the birds? Unfortunately by removing the source of food or making it impossible for the rats to get at. Are you literally throwing it on the ground? If so, get some feeders with narrow poles. They can climb but nothing that narrow. I don't know if they're deterred by spice the way squirrels are but use spicy-mix seed. Otherwise if you want to kill the rats specifically buy some snap traps and load them with peanut butter. Put them where the birds won't be curious but the rats will find them (so basically, anywhere up against your house or in corners.) The rats will die. Buy the cheapest store brand you can - sweet and thick. Edit: Watched the video - that is adorable. Magpies?
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Jun 5, 2023 02:22
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H110Hawk posted:Edit: Watched the video - that is adorable. Australian magpies, yes. There are half a dozen magpie territories I pass through on my daily walk, and maybe a third of the magpies in those groups will eat from my hand (including Esme).
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Jun 5, 2023 02:33
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Oh Don Piano posted:I saw this duck just absolutely vibing in a bank parking lot when I was out for a walk earlier this week. Very relaxed bird, didn't even mind that I stopped to snap a pic. as an expert in ducks, that is a good duck
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Jun 5, 2023 06:30
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Hi birding thread! Are crows OK to discuss? I’ve got a group that don’t live in my neighborhood but hang out there during the day. I started bringing a baggie of dry cat food on my walks and now they know when to expect me leaving the house and before I’m a half block down the sidewalk at least one silently swoops down and hops along with me until I scatter a small handful of treats I’ve heard stories about them leaving gifts for humans but I’m not sure if that’s true. Like shiny human things they associate with humans. I’m like “hey bitches I give you treats every day and you know where I live. Drop off some precious gems or cash you find with all the rooting around you do  ”
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Jun 5, 2023 06:51
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oh they will absolutely bring you gifts after you've established enough of a relationship, though as far as I know it's easier for them if the snacks are given in a specific and regular location. Idk if they'll bring you anything on the trail but maybe!
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Jun 5, 2023 14:41
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My flighty crows flee after I toss them peanuts, what should I do. I want a crow buddy
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Jun 5, 2023 15:38
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It's probably not great to train crows to depend on you given that they're wild animals, but try tossing the peanut closer to you. You could also try reinforcing behaviors you want to see, like tossing the peanut only after the crow has come within some distance of you.
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Jun 5, 2023 17:02
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DoctaFun posted:A bird thread! Hello fellow outer ring St. Paul semi-amateur birder. Late reply, but just found this because of Prag's post. We've always had a feeder up, but really got more into maintaining it during COVID WFH time. We mainly just have the one feeder with suet cage, but get a lot of variety being on the far outskirts of the cities with a couple acres in the woods. There are a couple of ponds on our street, so we get the random water fowl (as well as other water animals, but this is bird thread). What park reserve is it you've visited? I'd love to see loons without battling the weekend cabin traffic going north. Most of our highlights are bad cell phone pics, but one noteworthy visitor was the red-shouldered hawk I found turning the corner into the kitchen one morning (the grill cover was undamaged):  Full zoom and you can play count the babies:  The most exciting thing we have going on this year is noticing this little resident on a branch we were about to trim for starting to get too low over the yard: 
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Jun 5, 2023 17:22
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