Birds in the back yard

[Steve-o]

They built the nest low in a bush.  They were up feeding today.

[Steve-o]

Mama was not happy when I took this pic...  I thought the coast was clear, but she was coming back with a mouthfull of worms.  Even with her mouth full, she could still chirp her displeasure.

[mike89]

they will working over time feeding them 4 birds!!! 

[Dotch]

Here's one for roony:

Was home making lunch a little bit ago. Whilst I was waiting for the microwave to nuke it, I spied a wren diving into one of the wife's flower pots so decided to investigate. All the sudden it popped back out with something in its mouth & landed on the porch. It had a relatively large moth about an inch long it fished out of the bridal veil plant. I wondered how in tarnation the little bugger was going to eat that thing. It proceed to hold it with its feet, very methodically tore the wings off, and swallowed the body. Coulda swore I heard a little belch afterwards...

[HD]

I'm shutting down my feeders!
It's almost like fall with the black birds infesting the yard.... I'm not feeding those bastards!

[roony]

Here's one for roony:

Was home making lunch a little bit ago. Whilst I was waiting for the microwave to nuke it, I spied a wren diving into one of the wife's flower pots so decided to investigate. All the sudden it popped back out with something in its mouth & landed on the porch. It had a relatively large moth about an inch long it fished out of the bridal veil plant. I wondered how in tarnation the little bugger was going to eat that thing. It proceed to hold it with its feet, very methodically tore the wings off, and swallowed the body. Coulda swore I heard a little belch afterwards...

Yeah, I've seen rhem do the same thing with baby bluebirds. 

[Dotch]

We've solved that. The male house sparrows kill the adult female bluebirds on the nest so there are no babies to worry about...

[Jerkbiat]

Watching a couple Cedar Waxwings and Robin eating on the choke cherries this morning. The waxwings show up in the yard when the choke cherries start getting ready.

[glenn57]

Watching a couple Cedar Waxwings and Robin eating on the choke cherries this morning. The waxwings show up in the yard when the choke cherries start getting ready.

those are such cool looking birds!!!!!!!

[Steve-o]

The nest is getting crowded...

[Steve-o]

And just like that... they're gone.

I only saw 2 birds in the nest last night.  I didn't know if the other two were under the top two or not...  Guess I know now.   

When I took this pic, for some reason, mom was still anxious about me being near the nest, so I assumed the babies weren't too far away.  She was cheep, cheep, cheeping at me with a mouthful of bugs or worms.

Then I saw one of the little ones fly up, sans tail feathers, up to tree branch in the neighbor's yard.  It didn't look all that different from Woodstock flying up to its nest in the Peanuts cartoons.  I hope they all made it.

[LPS]

Good and fun pictorial.   

[mike89]

been seeing a couple brown thrashers here lately!!!! 

[mike89]

found out yesterday how much blue jays like apples!!!   there were about a dozen or so in the tree and the area for over 2 hours!!  didn't know there were that many around here!!! 

[LPS]

Have never seen a blue jay in our little apple trees.  One has a lot of apples this year. 

[Dotch]

found out yesterday how much blue jays like apples!!!   there were about a dozen or so in the tree and the area for over 2 hours!!  didn't know there were that many around here!!!

They ruin a lot of ours in the fall along with the squirrels, robins and everything else.

[mike89]

same here but the jays surprised me!!!   

[glenn57]

done think my bluebirds flew the coop???? havent seen them in a while........anyone else????

[roony]

Wrens got mine

[mike89]

now I see the crows like my apples too!!!   they were in the tree and even carried some off!!  new one to me again like the bluejays!!!   

[glenn57]

Wrens got mine

my wrens are fine!! matter of fact there eating so many bugs there the size of bluebirds now!!

[mike89]

then they best get to eating the potatoe bus!!   I see they are back now too... 

[glenn57]

then they best get to eating the potatoe bus!!   I see they are back now too...

them friggin things are like the boxelder bugs...  nuttin eats them. If birds did they'd be the size of eagles.

[KEN W]

Saw my first potato beetles yesterday also. smashed them. Looked underside of  the leaves for eggs. Didn't find any. Hopefully got them first.

[Steve-o]

I saw this robin fledgling hopping around my back yard.  It didn't appear to be doing as well as the other baby robins that hatched in my bushes.  However, I went to check on it a couple of hours later, and it had moved on.

[LPS]

Just amazing how fast they develop.  By the minute.

[glenn57]

Are those smoking chips inside that lawn edging?

[mike89]

and tough too!!!   

[Dotch]

Anyone still feeding the orioles? When I went to Canada there were still some young Baltimore orioles coming to the feeder. While I was gone the wife quit filling the feeder & since I've been back, they quit coming. I'd filled the nectar feeder in anticipation that would happen. Still putting a dab of jelly out every few days but I think the house sparrows are eating much of it.  I have seen a mature adult male orchard oriole too from time to time but that's been about it.

[roony]

We are going through grape jelly like crazy here. Your birds must have come here. There was a pause in activity a while back, probably when they were nesting.