[Danaus29]

I have several (20+) greek mullein plants growing out front. Lately the smallest downy woodpecker has been feeding on the seeds. Just now there were 4 of them, what a treat.

Oh how cool! I wonder if the birds eat common mullein seeds. That might be why I only ever get a few mullein plants to come up each year.


My neighbor used to have a goldfish pond. She noticed her fish kept disappearing. One morning she saw a Great Blue Heron fishing in her little pond. I have more squirrels than birds using my tub water gardens.

 

[Alice In TX/MO]

This morning, a black headed vulture with an injured wing showed up at my wildlife pond. I doubt he will survive the night due to the foxes, but at least he is moderately comfortable here. Nature will take its course.

 

[Juliet Cyrus]

I have many bird feeders in my yard, It attracts a lot of birds, such as finches, bluebirds, orioles, woodpeckers,...I love upside-down thistle feeders because they create those precious moments for bird watchers. They surely allow finches to show off their ability to do nice acrobats while searching for the best nyjer seed from the thistle tube.

 

[wdcutrsdaughter]

My nephew is trying to convince me to put up feeders because the people up the road have them.

The wildest bird I've seen lately was a Northern Goshawk on top of one of my chickens last weekend. The chicken somehow survived. That goshawk is a huge bird. I read they even swoop at humans if they go to close to where they are nesting.

The blue jays have also been very, very active. I suspect they eat the broken (from the car) acorns in the driveway because they are always feeding on something in the gravel.

 

[Rural Kanuck]

I am glad this thread as been resurrected from last spring as it reminds me to be a little more regular on filling the window feeder that gets less used during the summer. Not that the army of Chickadees were slow to invade it when I put a little stale bread in it yesterday but I see my red and white Nuthatches also got their share. I must start to give them all a little sunflower seed but the Chickadees always quickly empty the tray, there must be many cracks and crevices in nearby trees simply filled with seed storage out there by now.....!

 

[Danaus29]

I was recently given a fruit and nut mix that tasted old. I know the woodpeckers go crazy over old walnuts so I put the mix on the hanging platform feeder to see what comes up.

A couple years ago I made a log feeder which has been hanging outside empty. I finally got around to mixing some hamburger fat, corn meal, sunflower butter and ghost peppers together to stuff in the holes.

If my brother butchers any cows this year I'll have to ask him to save some fat for me. Hot pepper suet cakes are getting expensive to buy and they are hard to find. I have bought cheap suet cakes before which I remelted and added hot pepper flakes, some peanut butter and extra sunflower chips. The local squirrel population loves suet cakes and the hot pepper keeps them away.

 

[wdcutrsdaughter]

So with the temps dropping to typical November cold, things are fairly quiet here in regards to birds. They are still active, but not that active and the early morning in notably quiet.
We have 6-8 blue jays that frequently visit and I wonder if they live nearby, if they live together, and I wonder about blue jays in general. I keep meaning to do some reading about them.
The other ones most noticeable are cardinals, juncos, woodpeckers, crows, ravens, hawks and of course, the black capped chickadee.
I love them all.

 

[HDRider]

Cuddle up with a good Blue Jay video

 

[Danaus29]

I have Juncos this year and saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch a few days ago.

But I also have a flock of House Sparrows that have to go. They are emptying the feeder and going through a suet cake every couple days. House Sparrows are an invasive species that frequently kills native Bluebirds.

 

[Rural Kanuck]

Having recently started filling the window feeder after only an occasional treat put out during the summer my problem is not sparrows but chickadees who seem to have multiplied considerably. As soon as any sunflower seed is avalable there is a constant stream of them apparently taking them away to be stashed in nearby knotholes for future use, its impossible to say how many with the constant stream but I estimate more than two dozen little pigs! My usual winter visitors of red and white Nuthatches, Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers and my window attacking cardinal have occasionally managed to grab a few seeds before it gets emptied by those other thief's. However my Redbellied Woodpecker not seen since spring did drop in to get his share and I managed to get a quick picture of him through the bird splattered window....

 

[wdcutrsdaughter]

I have Juncos this year and saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch a few days ago.

But I also have a flock of House Sparrows that have to go. They are emptying the feeder and going through a suet cake every couple days. House Sparrows are an invasive species that frequently kills native Bluebirds.

We know someone who despises the house sparrows. They lived in the city and had 1 bush next to their porch that was always full of the noisy little creatures. Their solution was to spray them with the hose. Didn't sound like it worked well. The birds always came back.
Ironically, they've moved to a more rural town now and we giggle at the thought of them waking up to bird song from the forest each day. Hope they aren't still hosing them.

 

[HDRider]

I have Juncos this year and saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch a few days ago.

But I also have a flock of House Sparrows that have to go. They are emptying the feeder and going through a suet cake every couple days. House Sparrows are an invasive species that frequently kills native Bluebirds.

I hate those sparrows. We have another bird here too that is a real pest. I always called them rice birds. They are starlings.

 

[RobertDane]

Rare snowy owl perches on rooftops in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood, drawing bird watchers

A rare, seasonal visitor from the Arctic has been spotted on rooftops in Queen Anne.

www.seattlepi.com

 

[wdcutrsdaughter]

Rare snowy owl perches on rooftops in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood, drawing bird watchers

A rare, seasonal visitor from the Arctic has been spotted on rooftops in Queen Anne.

www.seattlepi.com

View attachment 92275

Those have been spotted here on the east coast, as far south as NH coast. I haven't had the opportunity to see one in person. Is this near where you live? Did you have a chance to see the bird?

 

[RobertDane]

Those have been spotted here on the east coast, as far south as NH coast. I haven't had the opportunity to see one in person. Is this near where you live? Did you have a chance to see the bird?

I used to work in the Seattle area and occasionally I look at the news. Found this article and thought

the owl was gorgeous...Natures colors..While I was up there I got to watch eagles mating right outside

the building..They clasp claws and drift down while whirling around..incredible..

 

[wdcutrsdaughter]

It really is so pretty and looks so soft too.

Apparently the eagles don't mind being watched. 😳