When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Due to all the backyard bird experts in this thread, I'm now always on the lookout for different birds. We get the usual variety in our yard, but when we are off and about, I've always got the camera and zoom ready. Sometimes I still don't have enough reach with the lens for a share worthy photo, but I do have enough reach to get a pic good enough to ask Mass Audubon to identify the bird which they graciously do.
Last night we were out and about, I'm always looking for the heron or the egrets. We know a few spots where the heron hang out. We did see one in flight, but all I got was a lousy pic or two. There were other birds flying around the area (water was part of the reservoir). I spotted one I could not identify as I'd not seen them in my yard. It was an Eastern Kingbird. I also spotted the Cedar Waxwing, and some swallows. I've seen an Eastern Phoebe in another area.
A little bird watching and a top down drive. Nice way to spend part of an evening after work.
My wife and I have been watching and feeding birds all our lives. We live in Vermont. We have been developing a pretty significant bear "problem" in Vermont and all over Northern New England. I like having the bears around and honestly if you use your head they pose no threat. The problem of course, is that not everyone uses their head. My conclusion is that as a community we need to stop doing things that cause bears to see people and houses as a likely source of food. We can't keep any food or garbage outside, and we can't feed the birds in summer. We've had many bears in our yard in recent years.
We had a bobcat in the back yard the other day which is a first for us. Beautiful animal. Turns out bobcats are quite plentiful in Vermont but they tend to stick to the heavily wooded areas so you don't see them very often. Its been a banner year for rodents here and so I suspect the bobcats are doing very well. We have had pretty much every other creature you can imagine on our property at one time or another, (bear, deer, moose, coyotes, bobcat, fox, fisher, mink, porcupine, racoon, etc.). A few weeks ago I was sitting on my front porch in the early evening and a full grown black bear came sauntering down the lawn, stopped about 15 feet away from me, gave me a glance, and then headed down to the neighbors house where he found some very tasty garbage. He was back the next day of course. The bears get habituated to people very quickly. They learn that where there are people there is usually going to be food. Once that happens, the bear is generally not long for this world. Folks in the community start demanding that the troublesome bears be put down.
Sounds like you are out in the boonies, I'll stick with the deer, wild turkeys, racoons, nearby coyotes, . . . thankfully no bear, moose, etc.
I see Baker Tower at Dartmouth College from my upstairs bedroom window. Not sure that qualifies as out in the boonies. Depends on your perspective I suppose. Oh, yea, I forgot to put turkeys on that list. Tons of turkeys. The thing is these animals are plentiful and they show up all the time in populated areas. Not so much the bobcats, but they do move about in wooded areas near populated areas all the time. The moose population crashed in the last few years, but 5 or 10 years ago they were showing up on golf courses, shopping centers, front lawns, etc. Bear come right into neighborhoods all the time. These animals almost never hurt anyone. But, you do need to give them the respect, and distance, they deserve.
Does anyone have any experience with a hand held Humming Bird feeder? So far, I have not had any luck, but it has only been a couple of days. This early evening I placed my chair about four feet from our normal feeder which all five of them seem to love and "dog fight" over. I sat motionless for almost a half an hour with one in my hand. At one point one of the dominant ones flew within two feet of my face, but not one paid any attention to the feeder in my hand (which is the same color as the main feeder). It would be cool to have one eat from the feeder in my hand, but at any rate they are SO MUCH FUN to watch up close, I still enjoyed the time spent.
I feed the Hummingbirds daily and love watching them. I have at least 3 pairs that come to the feeders. It's frustrating to watch at times as they are constantly chasing each other so much at the feeders that you wonder how much nutrition they are actually getting? Around 6 weeks or so ago I happened to look out on the deck and saw what looked like a fight to the death between 2 males. One was completely on it's back on my deck with it's wings spread out and the other was on top pecking at it! Horrified I ran out and broke it up but the one on it's back was obviously injured. It hopped off a little and I left it alone hoping it would recover. When I let the house and came back it was gone so hoping for the best? For a few days after that fight none came to the feeders. Gradually even more pairs showed up. Speaking of bobcats I was watching a hen turkey calling for her 5 babies last week right by the same deck when all of a sudden a bobcat flew out of the brush and chased it around my yard into the woods again! She returned and kept calling for an hour until I left again. I still haven't seen her with the young ones. Hoping they are ok as well.
07-16-2018, 03:55 PM
