Thematic The Yard Birds Thread

originalwinger · 02-19-2015, 01:48 PM - **3 Likes**

This Barred Owl has taken up sleeping quarters on my deck for the last week, arriving at 9am and leaving at 4pm for a night of hunting. He has been feeding on mice and several rabbits.

Attached Images

Last edited by originalwinger; 06-10-2016 at 07:38 AM.

**dadipentak** · 02-19-2015, 06:38 PM

Pop Diva:

Paleo Pete · 02-20-2015, 12:36 PM

Cool owl shots

Couple more from the birds that hang around here.

Sparrow I haven't seen, and so far no definite ID, Savannah Sparrow I think but nowhere near positive. (it's the one on the right, Chipping Sparrow at left in the background)

I build a nesting box for the bluebirds, the Chickadees decided they liked it too and the fight was on so I built them one too. They used it last summer, a pair is building now. I watched this one leave the box a couple of days ago and perch right above me...between trips to my feeder...

And of course one of the resident Mockingbirds, with a mealworm, I think this one is building a nest in the Cedar tree that's in the background.

**crewl1** · 02-20-2015, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by originalwinger

This Barred Owl has taken up sleeping quarters on my deck for the last week, arriving at 9am and leaving at 4pm for a night of hunting. He has been feeding on mice and several rabbits.

That's awesome!

**Riggomatic** · 02-20-2015, 08:50 PM - **2 Likes**

I looked out one of the windows last weekend, and saw several bluebirds in the tree next to the house. The birds were kind enough to sit still for me, while I snapped a few shots.

**dadipentak** · 02-21-2015, 04:51 PM

[

Originally posted by Riggomatic

bluebirds

Nice one with them snuggled up like that! I saw a couple of doves doing that but couldn't get the shot.

Here's a sparrow who shares my opinion of current conditions:

Sagitta · 02-21-2015, 05:44 PM

My 'yard birds' tend to be seagulls, pigeons and crows. Occasionally a grackle or a mourning dove. (My yard is a parking lot)

Some day when I have some actual free time I'll have to park myself in the window and see what I can get.

I did get this guy a while back. I was stuck in Point 'n shoot Land so this was the best I could do. One of the local pigeons had a very bad day. If anyone can ID what kind of raptor he was, I'd appreciate it.

normhead · 02-21-2015, 08:03 PM

If they can't ID it here, head on over to the Birding Group...
Birding group - PentaxForums.com

**Riggomatic** · 02-22-2015, 06:01 AM

Originally posted by dadipentak

[
Nice one with them snuggled up like that! I saw a couple of doves doing that but couldn't get the shot.

Here's a sparrow who shares my opinion of current conditions:

Thanks! I like the snow falling around your sparrow. Gives it a great 3D effect.

Paleo Pete · 02-22-2015, 11:00 AM

Looks a lot like a Red Shouldered Hawk but not positive.

Red-shouldered Hawk, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Red-shouldered Hawk | Audubon Field Guide

Best ID point is the white bars across the tail. In my area I see Red Tail and Red Shouldered, tail makes it easy to ID both.

normhead · 02-22-2015, 12:44 PM

Same old birds, so change up the camera.

K20D and HD DA 1.4 and DA*60-250 @350mm ƒ5.6

Paleo Pete · 02-23-2015, 10:52 AM

Carolina Wren. This one is nesting in a blanket my mother put on her lemon tree to keep it from freezing...she's not happy, she can't remove it till the little ones leave the nest...definitely a yard bird, probably born and raised right here in the yard...last year they nested in the water heater cubbyhole of the RV I'm staying in...I've put up some nesting shelves, but they seem to be ignoring them...go figure...

normhead · 02-23-2015, 02:24 PM

Back to work with the K-3 today, I have to say, it makes a difference. Cross posted from post your photos and K-3 images.

K-3 , DA*60-250 and HD DA 1.4 TC @ ƒ5.6

The most popular feeder today was an old tree I cut down, then rescued from the fire pit, where it could have been a fine member of the bonfire team. I drilled a few holes to put suet in and hung it up. I later learned to make a paste type suet for it... vegetable shortening, canola oil, peanut butter, wheat flour and corn meal. Today it was the second most popular thing going. The other one. also one I made was pretty popular with the smaller birds, not so much with the wood peckers, and the Redpolls don't use the commercial feeders I paid good money for at all, preferring the food to be laid out buffet style in a flat surface, my hanging feeder birdhouse type feeder or the ground works for them.

For all the others the homemade suet feeder was the big thing...

The chickadees stop in occasionally, although the black oil sunflower seed dispensers are still their main thing.

Male Hairy Woodpecker at the post

Female hairy Woodpecker at the post.. (no red on her head).

Red Breasted Nuthatch

The White Breasted Nuthatch likes the post both right side up...

But it's just as good upside down.

Or Horizontal

The one I paid the most for sits pretty much un-used.

Darn birds don't know what real quality is.

It's little worse for wear from when the bear took it down last summer, but I patched it up and it's dispensing seed again, even if mostly when the other feeders have run out.

normhead · 02-25-2015, 01:51 PM

Cross posted in K-3 photos and the 300+ club.
K-3, DA*60-250 + HD 1.4 TC, ƒ6.3, average speed around 1/400

I've been seeing a few more Redpolls every day...during the Park Winter Bird count apparently they only saw two. I've had two hanging around for a while. Today, I had an actual flock of 15 plus birds. I noticed they were coming to a spot where other birds were dropping seed from perches higher up in the tree. I thought to myself, "Self, they like that spot." So I tossed a handful of see there.

First on the scene are of course the Chickadees. If the Chickadees don't like it, it's not suitable for man nor beast.

Then the scout.... typical finch behaviour, I don't know if they take turns being the scout of if there one designated scout, but there's always "the scout...". Redpolls, Grosbeaks, Purple Finches , whatever kind of finches, they all appoint a scout.

hmmm... look at all this food.. best call the others...

All the sudden the flock descends from their hiding spots among the nearby trees.

At this point there were probably 15 on the ground.

All the sudden, an alarm sounds, they all disappear, you can wait as long as you want, all you're going to see is more Chickadees.

**dadipentak** · 02-25-2015, 02:52 PM

Yesterday, a huge gang of grackles showed up, bullying the sparrows, jays cardinals and doves and taking over all the prime spots, So I dug out some of those "packing pillows" (you know--the super bubble wrap that B&H uses to pack lenses), went out on the porch and popped 'em. Scared the daylights out of them and they haven't been back since but the regulars at Dave's Seed & Nut Bar were pretty much unfazed.

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02-19-2015, 01:48 PM - 3 Likes	#196
originalwinger Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oro Station, Ont. Canada Posts: 169	This Barred Owl has taken up sleeping quarters on my deck for the last week, arriving at 9am and leaving at 4pm for a night of hunting. He has been feeding on mice and several rabbits. Attached Images Last edited by originalwinger; 06-10-2016 at 07:38 AM.

02-19-2015, 06:38 PM	#197
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Pop Diva:

02-20-2015, 12:36 PM	#198
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	Cool owl shots Couple more from the birds that hang around here. Sparrow I haven't seen, and so far no definite ID, Savannah Sparrow I think but nowhere near positive. (it's the one on the right, Chipping Sparrow at left in the background) I build a nesting box for the bluebirds, the Chickadees decided they liked it too and the fight was on so I built them one too. They used it last summer, a pair is building now. I watched this one leave the box a couple of days ago and perch right above me...between trips to my feeder... And of course one of the resident Mockingbirds, with a mealworm, I think this one is building a nest in the Cedar tree that's in the background.

02-20-2015, 05:38 PM	#199
crewl1 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,807	Originally posted by originalwinger This Barred Owl has taken up sleeping quarters on my deck for the last week, arriving at 9am and leaving at 4pm for a night of hunting. He has been feeding on mice and several rabbits. That's awesome!

02-21-2015, 04:51 PM	#201
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	[ Originally posted by Riggomatic bluebirds Nice one with them snuggled up like that! I saw a couple of doves doing that but couldn't get the shot. Here's a sparrow who shares my opinion of current conditions:

02-21-2015, 05:44 PM	#202
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	My 'yard birds' tend to be seagulls, pigeons and crows. Occasionally a grackle or a mourning dove. (My yard is a parking lot) Some day when I have some actual free time I'll have to park myself in the window and see what I can get. I did get this guy a while back. I was stuck in Point 'n shoot Land so this was the best I could do. One of the local pigeons had a very bad day. If anyone can ID what kind of raptor he was, I'd appreciate it.

02-21-2015, 08:03 PM	#203
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	If they can't ID it here, head on over to the Birding Group... Birding group - PentaxForums.com

02-22-2015, 06:01 AM	#204
Riggomatic Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Auburn, Indiana Photos: Albums Posts: 3,885	Originally posted by dadipentak [ Nice one with them snuggled up like that! I saw a couple of doves doing that but couldn't get the shot. Here's a sparrow who shares my opinion of current conditions: Thanks! I like the snow falling around your sparrow. Gives it a great 3D effect.

02-22-2015, 11:00 AM	#205
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	Looks a lot like a Red Shouldered Hawk but not positive. Red-shouldered Hawk, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Red-shouldered Hawk \| Audubon Field Guide Best ID point is the white bars across the tail. In my area I see Red Tail and Red Shouldered, tail makes it easy to ID both.

02-22-2015, 12:44 PM	#206
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Same old birds, so change up the camera. K20D and HD DA 1.4 and DA*60-250 @350mm ƒ5.6

02-23-2015, 10:52 AM	#207
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	Carolina Wren. This one is nesting in a blanket my mother put on her lemon tree to keep it from freezing...she's not happy, she can't remove it till the little ones leave the nest...definitely a yard bird, probably born and raised right here in the yard...last year they nested in the water heater cubbyhole of the RV I'm staying in...I've put up some nesting shelves, but they seem to be ignoring them...go figure...

02-23-2015, 02:24 PM	#208
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Back to work with the K-3 today, I have to say, it makes a difference. Cross posted from post your photos and K-3 images. K-3 , DA*60-250 and HD DA 1.4 TC @ ƒ5.6 The most popular feeder today was an old tree I cut down, then rescued from the fire pit, where it could have been a fine member of the bonfire team. I drilled a few holes to put suet in and hung it up. I later learned to make a paste type suet for it... vegetable shortening, canola oil, peanut butter, wheat flour and corn meal. Today it was the second most popular thing going. The other one. also one I made was pretty popular with the smaller birds, not so much with the wood peckers, and the Redpolls don't use the commercial feeders I paid good money for at all, preferring the food to be laid out buffet style in a flat surface, my hanging feeder birdhouse type feeder or the ground works for them. For all the others the homemade suet feeder was the big thing... The chickadees stop in occasionally, although the black oil sunflower seed dispensers are still their main thing. Male Hairy Woodpecker at the post Female hairy Woodpecker at the post.. (no red on her head). Red Breasted Nuthatch The White Breasted Nuthatch likes the post both right side up... But it's just as good upside down. Or Horizontal The one I paid the most for sits pretty much un-used. Darn birds don't know what real quality is. It's little worse for wear from when the bear took it down last summer, but I patched it up and it's dispensing seed again, even if mostly when the other feeders have run out.

02-25-2015, 01:51 PM	#209
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Cross posted in K-3 photos and the 300+ club. K-3, DA*60-250 + HD 1.4 TC, ƒ6.3, average speed around 1/400 I've been seeing a few more Redpolls every day...during the Park Winter Bird count apparently they only saw two. I've had two hanging around for a while. Today, I had an actual flock of 15 plus birds. I noticed they were coming to a spot where other birds were dropping seed from perches higher up in the tree. I thought to myself, "Self, they like that spot." So I tossed a handful of see there. First on the scene are of course the Chickadees. If the Chickadees don't like it, it's not suitable for man nor beast. Then the scout.... typical finch behaviour, I don't know if they take turns being the scout of if there one designated scout, but there's always "the scout...". Redpolls, Grosbeaks, Purple Finches , whatever kind of finches, they all appoint a scout. hmmm... look at all this food.. best call the others... All the sudden the flock descends from their hiding spots among the nearby trees. At this point there were probably 15 on the ground. All the sudden, an alarm sounds, they all disappear, you can wait as long as you want, all you're going to see is more Chickadees.

02-25-2015, 02:52 PM	#210
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Yesterday, a huge gang of grackles showed up, bullying the sparrows, jays cardinals and doves and taking over all the prime spots, So I dug out some of those "packing pillows" (you know--the super bubble wrap that B&H uses to pack lenses), went out on the porch and popped 'em. Scared the daylights out of them and they haven't been back since but the regulars at Dave's Seed & Nut Bar were pretty much unfazed.