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Author Topic: Birds in the back yard  (Read 289652 times)

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Offline delcecchi

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Just refilled my one year round feeder and put up a peanut cake.  Hopefully the rocky racoon problem has been resolved.    :angry2:

Offline Rebel SS

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Was that peanut cake a Paula Deen family recipe?  :scratch:

Online mike89

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Was that peanut cake a Paula Deen family recipe?  :scratch:

 :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :happy1:
a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline delcecchi

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Was that peanut cake a Paula Deen family recipe?  :scratch:

Nah, Menard's family recipe I thought.  Then I saw them at FF.... cheaper too.  Same brand

Offline Rebel SS

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The birds have flown the coop here....since the family of Cooper's has taken up residence here, proclaiming their territory with that continual kak-kak-kak. Only birds that seem brave enough to show are the crows, that do some pretty good aerial fights with them. Wish they'd move on; I miss my cardinals , jays, and all the others since they "moved in".  :undecided:

Online Dotch

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Bummer Reb. Think we may be down a male cardinal here. Had one that was constantly flying into the windows on the house, cars, tractor cab, mirrors, etc. Annoying but man could he sing! There was also one at the neighbors and the two of them would have singing contests, echoing each other. Hearing only one now and the one that was flying into windows isn't doing it anymore. His disappearance coincides roughly with the appearance of a mangy looking fuzzy tailed stray black cat, one of those that has the "please shoot me" look to it. More than happy to oblige if he's out where I can take a poke at him.  :angry2:
« Last Edit: June 06/26/19, 09:50:02 AM by Dotch »
Time itself is bought and sold, the spreading fear of growing old contains a thousand foolish games that we play. (Neil Young)

Offline Lee Borgersen

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 :coffee:. Dis is fur da boyds :confused:

 Hummingbirds are amazing tiny titans :happy1:

Article......
By: Blane Klemek | Aug 18th 2019
 
 :popcorn: ....
Each and every spring around Mother’s Day weekend is when I normally see my first ruby-throated hummingbird of the year. It’s always a lone male. Followed by another male. And then another. And another. And so on.

Shortly afterward a few females arrive, until, all four feeders are alive with a dizzying multitude of buzzing wings, dive-bombing bodies and chirping beaks. So intense is the battle for space and feeding ports, that it’s a wonder any of the birds get to feed at all, yet, truth be told, I find myself filling the feeders daily until the bulk of the mob disperses to establish separate breeding territories elsewhere. And, as is always the case, three to four pairs stay behind to nest near my home.

 :scratch: ....
Although a hummingbird lull at the feeders occurs every summer and is to be expected because the adults are busy capturing insects and feeding them to their hungry and demanding youngsters, I’ve nevertheless gone through 25 pounds of sugar this season and I’m about to buy another 20 pounds to get them through the remainder of August and September. Hordes of adults and fledglings -- and migrants later on -- have begun their relentless daily draining of the feeders.
 
 :scratch: ....
It’s hard to say exactly why I attract so many hummingbirds, but I presume it’s partly because I provide them with a steady, reliable, and high sugar-content source of energy. While some people opt for the four-to-one ratio, I’ve been mixing three parts water to one part sugar for many years. As well, I’ve plenty of nesting habitat and wild flowers, too. So who knows? Hummingbird haven? Maybe.
 
 :popcorn: ....
I remember the first time I learned about how sugar content affects hummingbird use. During the summer of 1995 I worked as a park naturalist at Itasca State Park. One of the other naturalists, Ben Thoma, a big man and sometimes a little rough around the edges who taught biology at Ridgewater College in Willmar during the school year, lived in a cabin at Bear Paw Campground most every summer for 41 years. Ben was a walking encyclopedia of animal natural history, Itasca State Park history and much more. He was widely known by park visitors and DNR employees present and past. Indeed, the park programs and interpretive hikes that Ben gave were very popular.
 
 :confused: ......
 On the front lawn of Ben’s cabin near the campground road was a clothesline-like set up with a single, thick wire stretched tightly between two tall posts that were placed about 30 feet apart. Hanging on the wire were a dozen or more hummingbird feeders of various sizes, shapes and styles. All of the feeders were spaced at equal distances from each other and each feeder was numbered.
 
The whole assembly was swarming with so many hummingbirds that it was impossible to count them. Oddly, some feeders attracted more birds than others. As I stood mesmerized by the spectacle and sounds of dozens of hummingbirds fighting for turns at the feeders, I asked Ben why there were so many feeders and why were they all numbered?

With a slight sneer, Ben barked, “Why do you think?!” I thought about it for a moment, but couldn’t come up with a good answer. :scratch: Yes, Ben, the consummate professor and naturalist, always inquisitive and always testing his younger subjects.

“It’s an experiment!” he bellowed. “Each feeder is filled with a different ratio of water to sugar. I’m trying to figure out which ratio they prefer!”  :bow:

It turned out that Ben’s experiment yielded “mixed” results, but what could not be denied was the visual evidence that sweeter mixes attracted more hummingbirds than the feeders containing diluted mixtures of sugar-water.

Hummingbirds, as we all know and Ben’s experiment showed, definitely have a sweet tooth. Moreover, they seem to be selective. The sweeter the better! Hummingbirds are unquestionably among the most unique and delightful of Minnesota’s migrant birds, sweet tooth and all. Fascinating to observe, to feed, and attract to our homes, the tiny titans, full of energy and entertainment, are endearing in every way as we get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

Blane Klemek is a Minnesota DNR wildlife manager. He can be reached at bklemek@yahoo.com.
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Online glenn57

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 :happy1: :happy1: cool read brudder Lee!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happy1: :happy1: :kingscourt: :kingscourt:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Online LPS

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Online mike89

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a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Offline Lee Borgersen

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 Do birds in your area appear to be drunk? :confused:

               They might be.  :doofus:

 :popcorn:  :reporter; ...Some udder stories included...... :shocked:
 Here is what happened when birds in Gilbert, Minn., showed signs of drunkenness after eating fermented berries.

 

 
Video.....
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/viral/do-birds-in-your-area-appear-to-be-drunk-they-might-be/vi-AAGWYsU
 
« Last Edit: September 09/18/19, 03:18:57 PM by Lee Borgersen »
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Online mike89

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a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work!!

Online LPS

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I didn't realize that they actually pass out.  That pigeon looked dead.

Offline Lee Borgersen

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Two days ago we heard a bang at to back of da house. Went ta see what happened and noticed a smear mark on da back door window. Looked around true da window and saw feathers and a dove (Borgie calls um pigeons :doah:) layin on da patio. he had small amount of blood by da beak and feathers scattered in da area. He was still alive and was vibraiting and still breathin.

I told da wife "I'll tro it in da garbage after it kicks da bucket." :happy1:
15 min later when I went back ta see, It was gone :confused:

Wonder if it ate to many of dem dare berries! :scratch:

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Online LPS

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Nice story Lee.  Good to hear ya. 

Offline HD

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The woodpeckers are hitting the feeders hard? Must be the time of year for lack of food....
Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Offline Reinhard

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Same here HD.  Putting a couple of suet logs out today.  they go fast.  good luck.

Online glenn57

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 :scratch: I aint seen birds of any kind for a while!!!!!!!! not even da woodpeckers!!!!! :doah: :confused:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Online Dotch

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They've been sorta streaky here. When it gets cold there seems to be more suet activity with nuthatches, chickadees, downies, hairies & red-bellies. Been a few years since we saw a pileated. The horizontal feeders probably don't help matters. The goldfinches too will hit the thistle hard then nothing for several days. Blue jays have been busy working on the ear corn when the squirrels aren't. They're both consistent. 1 pair of cardinals clean up the cracked corn and safflower the sparrows toss out. Sunflower & safflower gets tapped every day by chickadees and the effing house sparrows although the latter's numbers are down. Smaller feeders have tended to help as do the horizontal suet feeders. Otherwise those rats with wings can monopolize everything.  :angry:
« Last Edit: February 02/17/20, 11:53:43 AM by Dotch »
Time itself is bought and sold, the spreading fear of growing old contains a thousand foolish games that we play. (Neil Young)

Offline delcecchi

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Got this one to pose while I was out walking.

Offline Rebel SS

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I didn't know there were still birds on Alcatraz.   :rotflmao:

Online LPS

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Offline delcecchi

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I'm the birdman, surfing birdman.

Offline Rebel SS

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Offline HD

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Spring must be coming...1st Robin of the season...  :happy1:
Mama always said, If you ain't got noth'in nice to say, don't say noth'in at all!

Online glenn57

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yeppers……..good sign, only 2-3 more snow storms...…..then where good!!!!!! :rotflmao: :rotflmao:
2015 deer slayer!!!!!!!!!!

Offline snow1

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robins at my place and one lonely grackel friday

Offline snow1

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morning doves yesterday,,snow geese migrating in southern south dakota already,we'll have canada geese showing up any day in central minn with these temps

Online Dotch

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Last nite during chores we saw 4 swans lumbering along and while grilling after dark could hear more flying over. Lots of geese heading north too. This a.m. the Indian Magic crabapple in front of the house was full of robins.
Time itself is bought and sold, the spreading fear of growing old contains a thousand foolish games that we play. (Neil Young)

Offline Rebel SS

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I saw a cardinal and a woodpecker. Rat-a-tat-tat    🐦
« Last Edit: March 03/05/20, 10:39:14 AM by Rebel SS »