Birds in the back yard

[LPS]

So I thought I would drill out the holes in one of our hummingbird feeders so the orioles could use it.  I have looked at a hundred sites and noone says what size of hole to drill.  Anyone know?

just go order one from Amazon!!!!!!!!! or a real live store. there not that spendy............or did the wife shut you down!!!!!!!!

She thought that was pretty funny Glenn.  LOL

[HD]

I seem to have more than my share, I counted 9 as I'm sitting here. Never had them before....

[mike89]

been awhile since I seen one...

[glenn57]

I finally seen a hummingbird since I've been back. Nary hide nor feathers of any orioles.

Birds are definitely in a different mode around home then they are at the cabin!

[Dotch]

There's been a sudden shift in behavior here in the past day with the orioles. I suspect the females are nesting and the immatures are less frequent, maybe being chased off by the territorial males of both species. Had to buy one jar of the cheap jelly and one of the next step up. Put the better jelly in the cup feeder and it didn't disappear as quickly. Buggers really like the jar type feeder with the cheap stuff in it. Also, with the warm temps, they seem to be more inclined to hit the new nectar feeder. It's hard to tell how much the birds drank because the wind hasn't stopped blowing for two days. The downies have been using it too. Time to replace the nectar in the hummingbird feeders so will restock the oriole nectar feeder as well.

Had a couple wood ducks flying around the yard today. I have a spare wood duck house in the garage. If I could find some aluminum flashing or slick plastic sheeting to keep the raccoons, squirrels and cats out of it I'd be tempted to put it in a tree near the house. Makes me wonder what wound up nesting in the 2nd house down on the pond.  Just sent my buddy's wife down to the CREP acreage to see if she could scare up that tom or one of the jakes that keep walking through the yard. Be nice to thin the herd before getting too excited about planting much garden.   

[LPS]

We haven't done the make grape jelly thing yet.  Busy with the Grandson.  I also read that you can do a 50/50 with grape jelly and water in a blender and it will be watery but will set up like jelly in awhile.  Still supposed to be plenty sweet enough for Orioles. 

[mike89]

seen something new to me last night, while we were sitting outside by the garage I was watching some birds in the apple tree..  I then realized they were all female cardinals!!  10 to 12 of them!!!   all working over the blossoms on the apple tree..   

[glenn57]

At that point I'd expect you where seeing double!!

[mike89]

there was 5 of us and we all seen them trouble maker!!   

[glenn57]

there was 5 of us and we all seen them trouble maker!!   

[Bobberineyes]

Momma thought we'd try some meal worms in the tray feeder with the usual cherry cobbler. The problem was the black birds emptied all of it within a few hours.  Sooo yanked the tray , put the meal worms in a tube/screen feeder and now they are on the ground looking pissed..lol.

[HD]

I did the same thing bobber....I was feeding the finches that $30 a bag gourmet food, and the cowbirds & black birds kept draining the feeders....I took them down and put up just thistle feeders, so now the crap birds are on the ground scrounging for food now 

[Steve-o]

Bad birds - "circle of life" not withstanding.  The females lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and the cowbird chick out-competes the other chicks.

I notice 4 male and 2 female cowbirds picking thru the grass in the back yard.  The males were in a line sort of following a female.  Every once in a while a male would lean forward and fluff our his feathers and I realized it was a courtship dance.  It must have been a bit early because none of the females was particularly interested.

Then, all of a sudden, a robin swoops down and chases the whole lot of cowbirds out of the yard.  She must have had a nest nearby and didn't appreciate mating cowbirds in the area.

Update.  I figured out why the robin was so ornery.  She had a nest less than 5 yards away from where those cowbirds were doing their love dance.

Long story short...  the cow birds never found the robin nest.  One robin egg fell on the ground and the other robin hatched.  My dogs spooked the little guy off its perch in the short pine tree and chased it around the yard a bit (out of curiosity, not predatory) as the mom and dad robins dive bombed them.  I was able to call the dogs off and the baby robin bopped along into the next yard.

[HD]

Welp, they're all scrounging now...the storm took out my bird line.

If I put it back up, I'm downsizing (8 feeders was to much work)

[glenn57]

Welp, they're all scrounging now...the storm took out my bird line.

If I put it back up, I'm downsizing (8 feeders was to much work)

then you'll just have to fill them more often!!

[delcecchi]

Haven't seen an oriole since we got back from a trip to Duluth for the ship commissioning..

That big storm came through with hail and stuff while we were gone, maybe they left.    They were here for a couple weeks  and then not here. 

[Dotch]

You can have some of mine del. The dummies like to drink the water out of the ant moats on the hummingbird feeders. They have a bird bath for that. Cleaned the nectar feeders out this a.m. and one of them was full of big black ants thanks to the orioles. 

Not seeing as many orioles here either and most of what we see are male Baltimore and orchard orioles. I'm pretty sure they're nesting & likely have been for a while. Females do the incubation that takes 12 - 14 days. Both parents feed the young in the nest & it takes about 12 - 14 days before the young leave the nest.

[delcecchi]

Sure I'll take them you betcha.  Send them on over.   I have not seen a single oriole in like a week.   I thought they were settling in and then poof they were gone.

I do have one tiny hummingbird that comes to the various feeders.   Doesn't seem to bother it that some are big and orange and others are red.   

It is really small, like half the size of the ones I see in California, and even that I see up north.

[roony]

Sounds like one of them midget hummers.

[glenn57]

so this morning i helped out a bit in the aisle the jelly is in. just the small bottles of grape jelly.......... BUT they do have the big like bulk size cans of grape jelly if anyones interested!!!!!!!!

[Dotch]

Are they in back right beside the 55 gallon drums of ketchup? 

[glenn57]

Are they in back right beside the 55 gallon drums of ketchup? 

no there's a place on the shelves for them  smarty-pants 

[delcecchi]

Sounds like one of them midget hummers.

Sure looks like one fer sure

[HD]

Today, I got around to putting the bird 🐦 feeder line back up..... I downsized from 8 feeders to 3

[LPS]

Man with the price of sunflower seeds I hope the birds appreciate it.  Getting spendy.

[dutchboy]

I keep my sunflower seeds in a plastic tote in the garage. Something ate right through the plastic lid! I duct taped the hole and put one of those sticky pad things right over the hole. Caught a mouse. Next day the tape was eaten away and I suspect a squirrel is the culprit. Anything I can put down that will keep the squirrel from eating it's way in? I could set the tote in the yard and administer lead poison but would prefer something easier. Any ideas?

[glenn57]

dutchy we put ours in 5 gallon pails with a lid. never had issues!!!!!! even at the cabin.

[dutchboy]

I'll pick up a metal can and load the .17. My problem will get resolved.   

[mike89]

if ya varmints in the closed garage you may have bigger issues that a few seeds in the future...   just sayin....   

[HD]

I have most of my various feed in them old style metal garbage cans....dem 🐿️ would need titanium teeth.