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They're back
susie
Member Posts: 7,601 ✭✭✭✭
Let the freeloaders out this morning about 8. Heard doves cooing in the trees. They have returned for the summer. Hummingbirds should be close behind. Time to get the feeders out, cleaned and ready.
Comments
We have been feeding your birds all winter, I guess you want them back now .........................
In the winter when all of the northern birds migrate to and through Florida we get so many birds on our single bird feeder that I'm going broke feeding the little democrats, they eat between 8 and 9 pounds of seed a week,
There are some beautiful birds here now like Blue Buntings, the green females, Mountain Bluebirds, Humming birds and a ton of small birds of many different species. They will be headed home very soon I guess as they are eating like there in no tomorrow, fueling up for the trip I suppose.
There are also Turkeys and woodpeckers that feed here regularly (Turkeys eat the seed that the messy Doves rake out of the feeder) and of course the ever present Squirrels (The ultimate freeloaders).
I don't know what changed, but we used to get 100s of hummingbirds close to the fall every year. About 5 years ago they thinned out and now we just get a few that stay all throughout the summer. It was amazing. We had a dozen feeders that we'd have to refill every other day. They acted a lot differently when in a large group....they'd fly all around you, almost like bees and they'd perch on things and just stay there, so relaxed looking even with you walking inches from them. I miss that so much. I never have figured out what happened to make that stop.
Changeover time here, too. This was a sparse winter for some birds. Saw only one downy woodpecker and not a single flicker. I did get mobbed by yellow warblers on my thistle seed feeders. Juncos, sparrows, chicadees, and house finches hit my other feeder.
On April 15, I switch things around so I can put my hummie feeders up. Usually just one until I see a male, and then three of them. And then I'll put out a bird bath. Just received my little solar fountain for the year - they last only one season.
The birds are about all that I miss from living in Florida. We have different kinds of them here - smaller varieties but just as fascinating in all their glory.
Had bluebirds here this morning. First I've seen this year. Spring has sprung!
have a mating pair of pileated woodpeckers in a dead pine tree out back. they are really noisy, reminds me of my first wife.
Lucky guy, varian. 😋
Bluebirds and Says Phoebes have been back for a week and a half. Swallows arrived on Wednesday. Now awaiting the hummers and the wrens.
We have 2 wood duck houses up and normally at least one is home to a pair. For the past 2 months this year however, both now have screech-owls in them! One is the red "morph" variety.
We got starlings. Yay.
What is a Says Phoebes?
It is a robin-sized bird. You can google it for more info.
Pretty bird, looks a bit like a western kingbird.
We also have a mated pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, they don't live on our property though, just regular resident visitors.
And yesterday there were two Doves doing the hot and nasty on the roof of the bird feeder ...................... no shame .........
we had abut a dozen Doves stay over the winter , they didn't look too happy on morning when it was - 10 or more
bluejays are here year around , cats love going after them and that's alright with me
We are covered in Robins now. Looking forward to the Hummingbirds return !
This is one of my favorites. Pair to the side of our driveway coming home from church today. Love the eerie sound their wings make.
Out side today in west central Illinois. Heard the doves cooing for first time this year, not positive but I think that is their mating call. Humming birds always figure between April 20th to. April 25th. Wife an I always place bets with each other on what date will be the first sighting. We put feeders out early.
Is that a Wilson’s snipe? I had a couple at my pond last year. Hope they come back. The ducks showed up yesterday.
Yes, the nonexistent snipe. cause of many a ribbing and joke. God's ability to paint with just varying shades of brown is astounding! The gadwall duck is another example.
Last 2 weeks many HIGH flying Sandhills are back.
Yes it's spring--the buzzards have returned to north MO.
snipe
noun: snipe; plural noun: snipe; plural noun: snipes; noun: common snipe; plural noun: common snipes
Verb: snipe; 3rd person present: snipes; past tense: sniped; past participle: sniped; gerund or present participle: sniping
I played around with the picture a little, my camera is an older D40, not real high meg. 8 I believe.