Birding.

[dnoblett]

 

My father has a special feeder for Baltimore Oriole , the feeder is orange in color, has a couple stakes for oranges and two cups for jelly, they prefer grape jelly.

The Goldfinches sure are attracted to bright yellow feeders so the orange should work for the Oriole's too, at least in theory. I have a perfect spot to place one and just leave it be and hopefully do its job. Once I can get some attracted to the area I can make adjustments if needed. What a special treat that would be if some Oriole's did start coming around.

 

 

They have a loud but pretty song too.

 

Yes once they figure out the feeder they keep coming to it typically one or two birds at a time, they tend to be territorial with each other.

 

My father hung his feeder on a pole extended out from a wall over his patio, we can see it from several rooms in his home and watch the birds visit the feeder, they do tend to be very skittish if they see you, and also are quite vocal, you can hear them complaining with a loud call if they see you near the feeder.

 

Here is a vid of them eating Grape Jelly...

 

 

Males are the bright Orange and black, females are yellow.

 

Some good advice on how to attract them...

 

[amberjack1234]

One of the most sought after birds here are the Purple Martins, because they eat so many mosquitoes, and there are a quite a few Martins here but I have never been able to attract them even though I have a fish pond in my yard. They love to be around the water. I even bought one of those expensive store bought Martin houses. Still no success. My grandfather never had any trouble attracting them even though he lived about 7 miles further away from the marshes and the Intercoastal Waterway, river and ocean than I do. Location, Location I guess.

 

I would love to have some of the Orioles here but It is a little off their beaten path here though. As I said once I have a friend that gets them. He lives right on the river.

 

The Pileated peckers here are quite rare even though the birding range maps show that there are plenty of them here. I didn't know that they would do that to other bird nest and boxes. I have less respect for them now but that's nature doing what nature does I guess. They never have bothered my Eastern Bluebirds. Good thing for them. I think that the two that come here are the same ones every year as they do live a long time. Perhaps they are well fed as well.

Edited July 6, 2017 by amberjack1234 (see edit history)

[MikeandRong]

 

I like the bright yellow eyes on the adults, really stands out against the purple/blue head colors.

[MikeandRong]

 

When there is enough food to go around nobody seems to fight over it.

[MikeandRong]

[MikeandRong]

 

This guy is a regular, cleaning up the spilled food. What makes him unique is the tiger stripped pattern of his fur. I have not seen this color phase before.

[MikeandRong]

 

Another baby cleaning up the spilled food. He is starting to fill in his adult colors more and more now each day.

[Allon]

In Florida there is a lot of different birds. I miss the sandhill cranes, a very protected species. When it's mating season, it is a hoot to see them dance around. I could throw some feed out in the backyard and call the cardinals in. I hated bluejays since they hoarded the feed. But the cardinals would gang up and take it over. Birds are fun.

 

Here in Arizona I have a tree just outside my window. Right now a desert warbler and mockingbird are singing practically all night. Keeps me up because they sing in a certain pattern and rhythm, but they vary it. I feel like I am trying to break a code.

 

The desert wren here is another one. I catch one eating the stucco off the house to build a nest. Have to shoo him off. He is stupid enough to try to break through metal. Makes a rat-a-tat-tat sound.

 

And then the pigeons....Sooner or later I am going to have to call the bird netter. If it was Florida, my 20 gauge, clip fed Mossberg would take care of them. They are a pain the ass.

[amberjack1234]

Bluejays are a kind of a bully at the feeders and they do sock away food for winter but they are beautiful. I use to have a red headed woodpecker pair that use to come but haven't seen them in about three years.

 

Of course living here on the ocean, inter coastal waterway and a river there are MANY water birds that I haven't even gotten into. Some of them can be quite beautiful but most aren't as pretty as the backyard birds are. Some of them rob my fish pond of fish and bull frogs sometimes. More strange for sure though.

[MikeandRong]

 

Female Northern Cardinal. Most years there are so common to both see and hear, but this year only seeing them once or twice a day.

[MikeandRong]

 

Good picture of a House Finch which many people confuse with the Purple Finch which is below.

 

[MikeandRong]

 

Female House Finch. Hard to believe they are so white compared to the red males. They sure do sing pretty though.

[MikeandRong]

 

English Starling. Another good singer who can mimic many other birds and sounds it hears.

[MikeandRong]

Mourning Dove. Neat color phase I have not seen before around here.

[MikeandRong]

 

Common Grackle looking over his chicks with those piercing yellow eyes.