Birds in the back yard

[Dotch]

Watch out for them cowbirds...



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[fishwidow]

My wily cocker spaniel showed up with a flicker in his mouth. When told to drop it he immediately complied snd looked at me for praise.  The bird is doing ok, just seems a little shocked. It’s spending the night in a crate and hopefully will be ready to head back outside in the morning.

[Dotch]

Hearing and seeing more white-throated sparrows daily moving through the area. They stay temporarily but eventually they move along, heading to their summer homes far to the north. Love their song. It says it's spring here in SC MN. Or if it isn't, it should be.

[LPS]

I have seen them here before.  Had our first male redwing blackbird here today.  Lots of juncos and other small birds.  Better get out the bird book.

[glenn57]

an article i read on bring me the news this morning titled loons falling out of the sky.

apparently up in northern Mn and Wi, with this crappy wet snow, rain and freezing rain ., loons are having a difficult time flying in that stuff. they get froze up on there wings and cany fly and fall down!!!!!

friggin crazy. ONE would think thye'd maybe know better 

[Dotch]

articleread an aertilse

?????? Boar!!!!!! A little help here please! 

[glenn57]

articleread an aertilse

?????? Boar!!!!!! A little help here please! 

[LPS]

No idea.

[mike89]

an article i read on bring me the news this morning titled loons falling out of the sky.

apparently up in northern Mn and Wi, with this crappy wet snow, rain and freezing rain ., loons are having a difficult time flying in that stuff. they get froze up on there wings and cany fly and fall down!!!!!

friggin crazy. ONE would think thye'd maybe know better 

here's the article   


https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/loons-are-falling-from-the-sky-in-minnesota-and-wisconsin

[Steve-o]

I saw a pair of cardinals in the rhododendron bush just outside the front door.  He had a twig in his mouth and she was watching attentively.  Next he tried to bend and break other wigs into place, but the green twigs would not yield.  I was hoping they would build a nest there, but they both moved on.

[Dotch]

Heard the first brown thrasher of the season this morning. 

[glenn57]

Heard the first brown thrasher of the season this morning. 

i thought you heard that every morning in the oval office!!!!!!!!!!

and what kind of a bush......Steveo!!!!!!

[Steve-o]

Heard the first brown thrasher of the season this morning. 

i thought you heard that every morning in the oval office!!!!!!!!!!

and what kind of a bush......Steveo!!!!!!

I'll take the high road... 

You can also call them azaleas - like the bushes you see blooming all around Augusta National Golf Course when the broadcast The Masters.



We did have a pair of birds build a nest in our bush a couple-few years back, but I am hard pressed to remember what they were now.  Sparrows?  House finches?   Yellow-bellied sap-suckers? 

[glenn57]

  i wouldnt know.........i dont watch golf............

[Dotch]

Barn swallows are back and they brought some tree swallows with them. Lots of white-throated sparrows this morning. Juncos are pretty much gone. Haven't seen any white-crowned or Harris's sparrows yet. Thinking I should put out some grape jelly & maybe some orange halves over the weekend. If the weather warms up like they're talking next week, wouldn't be surprised to see an oriole or two. 

[roony]

We ususally see the first orioles and grosbeaks around Cinco de Mayo. This past week I saw my first Blue Heron of the season.

[LPS]

We have been waiting for the tree swallows.  They nest in our martin house.  I thought they were martins at first.

[glenn57]

judging by the bird feeders here at home they havent been busy here.

at the cabin the past couple days some birds came around, so did the 2 black skurrels!!!!!but they havent been fed either since mid feb. last time someone was up there was super bowl weekend!!!!!

[Dotch]

Put the jelly feeder out with a couple orange slices on it. Forgot to pick up grape jelly but found a squeeze bottle of cheap stuff in the fridge I must've finished out the season with last year. Keep thinking I'm seeing a hummingbird out of the corner of my eye when seated in the oval office so will likely mix up some sugar water and put a dual purpose feeder out. It's orange and intended for orioles but the hummers like it too. Lots of goldfinches at the feeders and cardinals singing their lungs out. A whole herd of white-throated sparrows too. Great to hear all the birdsong after essentially none most of the winter.

 https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-weather/how-minnesotas-stalled-spring-is-creating-a-bird-traffic-jam?utm_source=Bring+Me+The+Newsletter&utm_campaign=3064f94265-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_01_14_12_44_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-4c39b4d6ff-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D

[glenn57]

Keep thinking I'm seeing a hummingbird out of the corner of my eye when seated in the oval office so will likely mix up some sugar water and put a dual purpose feeder out.

Mike and Boober texted me....they think its the "WEED" Timmy dropped off for ya!!!!!!!!!!

[roony]

At leastya havent hallucinate about wrens.

[glenn57]

I usually put out the hummingbird feeders and oriole feeders the week prior to fishing opener. I want to set out the mealworm feeder but haven't seen any yet. Maybe next week??!

[Dotch]

At leastya havent hallucinate about wrens.

I keep having flashbacks tho... 😵‍💫

[roony]

A Redheaded Woodpecker this morning!

[LPS]

Beautiful birds.  I haven't seen one in years.

[glenn57]

anyone seen any orioles or hummingbirds yet??? thinkin i'll wait on the juice feeders but gonna put out the jelly today. mayhaps next week for the juice?????

[Dotch]

Saw a female yellow rumped (Myrtle subspecies) warbler yesterday in the kindly neighbor's backyard. Warblers would be a lot easier to ID if they'd just sit still for a little bit. Guessing we probably have some at the ranch too. They're likely in the plum & sumac thicket where all the wood ticks hang out. 

Haven't seen any orioles or hummers yet. Nothing eating the jelly except house sparrows. Nothing has touched the orange halves. When I head home for lunch today, I might put the nectar feeder out. Punted on it over the weekend after it cooled down & we had gale force winds.    Almost forgot, my neighbors also saw bluebirds there yesterday. They said when the sun caught them the blue color was so intense they stuck out like a sore thumb.

[glenn57]

maybe i'll wait a bit then!!!!!!!

[Dotch]

They gotta be getting close here. Seems like they'll show up in municipalities first where it's more sheltered & they know there's food. We're usually a few days off the pace at the ranch as we're more like an oasis in the middle of the desert. The bottom link lists a lot of sightings from other species of note including some insects. Did notice more red admiral butterflies out and about yesterday afternoon at the ranch. Their sightings sometimes coincide with true armyworm flights. I haven't seen the Harris's or white-crowned sparrows yet but, usually the orioles and hummingbirds are right on their heels. As I said, got to be close.

https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=oriole-first-baltimore&year=2023

https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=hummingbird-ruby-throated-first&year=2023

https://maps.journeynorth.org/maps

[Dotch]

Saw the 1st Harris's sparrow of the spring here this morning. When checking the cutworm trap thought I heard an oriole in the windbreak too. There's getting to be enough evergreens and foliage for them to hide in so doubled down and filled the jelly feeder. Effin' house sparrows keep eating it so it needed to be replenished. Put the oriole nectar feeder out too in case there's an errant hummingbird passing thru. More red admiral butterflies along with armyworm moths. Also noticing what appear to be queen bumblebees that have emerged from hibernation. At least that's what my friend the Boy Entomologist told me. One flowering bulb they're particularly fond of. The queens are very large relative to the workers and sends a clear signal that spring is underway at the ranch.