Bluejay
Mourning Dove (looks pretty comfortable, doesn't he?)
American Tree Sparrow
House Finch (partially leucistic)
Dark-Eyed Junco
And just for fun, here's a little movie of the chickadee snacking on mealworms at the window feeder.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Birds at the Window
My window feeder tray has been getting a lot of visitors this year. In previous years, I've only put peanuts out there for the bluejays, but this year (thanks to the Christmas gift from my Sissy), I have some really nice Winter Blend birdseed (from Wild Birds Unlimited). I can use this seed in the tray because all the seeds are hulled (no mess on the patio below). The blend contains mostly whole sunflower hearts, but also dried cranberries, nuts, and little suet balls. Of course, the bluejays still come and chow down on all the nuts, but when there's just sunflower hearts left, I have had lots of other birds stopping by this window tray. It seems now that it's been so cold, the birds' desire to find food has somewhat overcome their caution about coming so close to the house. So here are some pictures of visitors outside my window.
Mourning Dove (looks pretty comfortable, doesn't he?)
American Tree Sparrow
House Finch (partially leucistic)
Dark-Eyed Junco
And just for fun, here's a little movie of the chickadee snacking on mealworms at the window feeder.
Mourning Dove (looks pretty comfortable, doesn't he?)
American Tree Sparrow
House Finch (partially leucistic)
Dark-Eyed Junco
And just for fun, here's a little movie of the chickadee snacking on mealworms at the window feeder.
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14 comments:
Ruthie,
I always worry about the birds flying into the windows. The whole back of our house is windows and we probably lose a bird every couple of days in the spring when they fly into it.
Does having the feeders so close to the windows pose a problem? I would love to see them up close and personal, but have resisted for this reason.
Robin at Bumblebee
Did that little bugger grab two mealworms?! Chickadees sure do love them don't they? I bought a spare camera battery today and my new monopod is due to be delivered tomorrow. I'mmgetting pretty darned excited about our Sax-Zim birding weekend! :)
Hi Robin,
I almost never have any window-killed birds. I think the guidelines are to either have a feeder right at the window or have your feeders at least 10 feet away from the windows. The feeders on the window seem to give the birds something else to look at instead of seeing the window as something they can fly through. I also have a large crabapple tree right outside this window (you can see the branches in most of the photos) and the birds generally perch there first before flying to the window feeder.
I have had some birds hit the windows and usually that happens when a hawk suddenly flies into the yard and the songbirds are in a desperate rush to escape.
Hi Lynne,
Yup--2 mealworms! I was amazed the first time I saw that too. I've watched him fly to the tree branch and try to eat them and he usually ends up dropping one of the worms. Maybe that's why I go through them so fast??
I started packing my bag today too...I can't believe after waiting all those months that it's almost here!
I can't believe how much activity my feeders can get sometimes! I can fill a feeder and once I return from work its empty! Great photos of your visitors!
What a neat feeder! Love all these shots especially the chickadee-dee-dee. :c)
I love chickadees--so much spunk in their little persons!
And the feeders at the window give great up=close contact, don't they?
Nice photos you were able to get.
You have convinced me that I truly need a window feeder. You have a great set-up for bird feeding. Wow. I'd flip if a blue jay came to visit...
That chickadee moved so much! They are such spazzes!
I love that leucistic HOF. Looks like that skin disorder...vitiligo.
To answer your question in my comments: USUALLY we band the releases. The only reason we don't is when our Master Bander is out of town when the bird is ready to go.
Hey. Make sure Lynne has a great birding weekend, will ya? She needs some JOY.
Hi Mon@rch,
I guess if the weekends are an indication of what I'm missing while I'm at work, there's pretty much non-stop eating all day long! Some of the feeders are more popular than others too.
Hi Jayne,
The tray feeder is another Wild Birds Unlimited product. I've had it at least 3 years but only use it during the winter months.
Thanks Nina, the little chickadee in my movie was really skittery....I wonder if it was a new visitor to this window feeder, or just worried about a hawk.
Hi Mare,
I only use the window feeders in the winter....they're on the second story of my house and since I don't have the window screens up this time of year, it's easy to open the window and reach out to fill them. And since we're indoors most of the winter, it's just fun to see the birds up close.
Hi Trixie,
you're right, that was one nervous chickadee...at least it got a couple of worms for its efforts.
Hi Susan,
I will do my darndest to make sure Lynne has a good time. Hopefully we'll see some good birds and the wireless internet connection works so she can post some good blogs about our adventures.
Nice collection of feeders and birds.I had one of those window feeders for a time. My cat just went crazy seeing birds in it. A cat from the neighborhood also leeped from the base of my hatchway and knocked it down.-I kind of gave up on it but I'd like to havea window feeder again some time.
My feeders have also been very busy lately with the snow and cold weather. I fill them once around 7:00 am, then again around noon. I actually think the deer are eating at the feeders when I'm not looking....tricky little buggers! Once again, you've captured your birds with great shots.
Hi Larry,
My cat loves to watch these feeders too. Sometimes I have to chase her away so the chickadee can come and get the worms. Fortunately, my feeders are on a second story window, so not even the squirrels can get at them.
Hi Meggie,
I fill most of my feeders twice a day too. Do you put corn out for your deer and bunnies? Mine come mainly at night and if I remember to put the corn out late in the afternoon, they will eat most of that and not all my birdseed.
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