Some take their bird houses down after each spring and store them to save wear and tear. Others wait till spring to put up new houses and some just think about it. No matter, the time to put up birdhouses is right now, and you may be too late. Geese are already pairing off and I have seen some tussles between bluebirds and even cardinals. Robins are poking around, now, looking for … [Read more...]
Eating Upside Down
How would you like to have to eat all your meals upside down? Well, I have bird in my back yard that is just as happy eating a meal upside down as he is straight up. He also eats sideways, crosswise and most in any position on a tree or suet feeder. He is the white-breasted nuthatch, a permanent resident in my yard. I have one suet feeder that is upside down, meaning that birds have to cling … [Read more...]
Creatures of the Night
Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation Darkness stirs and wakes imagination Or so said the Phantom of the Opera, himself a creature of the night. We humans also have creatures of the night, often in our own backyards, and some we may never see. Like screech owls. This week, my wife Nancy was returning from her very early workout at the gym and when she pulled up in our … [Read more...]
Winter Cardinals
There are two types of cardinals – the spring, summer and fall cardinals and they are beautiful. And then there are the winter cardinals and they are spectacular. I had 4 winter cardinals in my yard during the recent snowstorm. Of the dozens of birds at my various feeders, the winter cardinals simply exploded with beauty. The contrast between the cardinal-red feathers and the fresh, white snow was … [Read more...]
Blue(bird) Eyes
I saw him perched on a limb near the feeder, not 10 feet from the kitchen window. He is our resident male bluebird and he was keeping a close (bluebird) eye on things. He watched the feeder as his potential mate for this spring had her breakfast. Then he watched as she sailed over to the birdbath for a quick drink. I noticed that he cocked his head occasionally, but was often looking off to the … [Read more...]
The Robins of Capistrano
Like the cliff swallows of Capistrano, they have returned. Robins. Lots and lots of robins. I’m not sure where they go when the weather gets cold, but they go. Then, one day, they return. Robins are a bit migratory, but it’s mostly an effort to follow the food source. Robins will eat berries and fruits, but as everyone knows, robins love worms and grubs and creepie crawlies. When the leaves and … [Read more...]
Let The Squawking Begin
My backyard birds have me pretty well trained. Now, the crows are getting in on the call-to-action. I have three crows that make regular visits. They enjoy and eat the corn or any stale bread that I scatter. Recently, I bought a 50 pound bag of feeder corn and each morning, I toss out a cup full, which the crows readily eat. I usually make my daily walk to the shed in the back yard where I keep … [Read more...]
Jim’s Corn Farm
I did not intend to be a farmer with a crop of corn in my yard, but that’s how it’s all shaping up. For Christmas, I was the beneficiary of a big bag of dried corn ears. The plan is to screw one the ears on a gizmo hanging from a tree. The squirrels would then somehow locate the ear of corn and eat from it. But that’s not exactly how it works. Oh, the squirrels found it alright – took them … [Read more...]
A Bird Store for Christmas
I got a bird store for Christmas. Well, not an actual store, but all its inventory. Somewhere out there, there is a bird/pet store with empty shelves. But that’s not a bad thing. Bird seed and birds feeding accessories are among my favorite gifts to receive and all my family is well aware. Safflower seed never goes out of style and a bag of cracked corn fits one and all. I got enough suet this … [Read more...]
All I Want For Christmas
By the Backyard Birds Hey Santa, we’ve been pretty good birds this year. Other than pecking at a few unfriendly starlings and pooping on some lawn furniture, we’ve behaved ourselves, so how about some treats for us this Christmas? For starters, we really need a heater for the bird bath (and some of us need a bird bath bowl as well – they must think we don’t need to drink water from … [Read more...]
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