Bird Watching: An Observation

[JDoors]

This morning I was in the kitchen making the elixer of life (coffee), when I heard something scratching at the window. Uh, huh? What could that be?

A gold finch! Clinging to the window screen. Wow. As my neighborhood matures (it was a new subdivision built on farmland when I moved in) I see more and more interesting flaura and fauna moving in. Cool.

Now, WHAT was that finch doing that would make that scratching sound? It was picking at the window screen. I was standing right there, and it kept picking at the screen. Hello? Why are you pulling my window screen apart?

Because it was so preoccupied with destroying the screen (darn wildlife!) I was able to stand just inches away from the bird (cool colors!). I could see exactly what it was doing: It was picking at flaws in the screen. Apparently, the bird had figured out that any imperfection on the screen might be food, a bug.

I had to chase it away as it was actually doing some damage. I always wondered how those imperfections in the window screens kept getting worse, now I know why.

[TheTerrorist_75]

Hang up a bird feeder outside the window so it leaves the screen alone. Make sure to make the feeder inaccessable to those damn squirrels.

[blim]

We feed the "flying pigs", errr, I mean goldfinches. One year there was one male that perched himself between the screen and the glass in the dining room storm window and just peered inside the house whenever the feeder was empty. Yup, begging. They must be related

Finches love thistle seed, which squirrels DON'T like! Thistle seed is pricey but seeing as the squirrels ignore it, it lasts a longggggg time.

And FINALLY saw my first hummingbird today!

Liz

Edited June 12, 2009 by blim

[bozodog]

First hummer!?!!! Ours have babies already.

JD, better figure on getting aluminum screens. Grasshoppers will even chew holes in those fiberglass ones.

[Pete_C]

Two probable reasons it was attacking the screen.

One is that it saw its reflection in the window and thought that there was a territorial competitor back there and was trying hard to get to it.

The other is that it figures that the screen will offer a protected location for a nest which still have good ventillation. I have this problem with starlings and my attic vents every year. They try to tear holes so they can nest in the louvers.

(Unrelated note, the kittens we rescued are now old enough to freely roam the house and crawl all over the dogs . One just discovered my mouse and decided it wanted to kick the mouse and bite the cord like it was a real mouse).

[JDoors]

Another possible reason to "pick" at the screen: Looking for nesting material. I haven't gotten around to replacing the kitchen screens yet so they're still fiberglass. One of the "flaws" the bird was picking at had a few fibers poking out (though it then picked at a small clump of, whatever, which is what led me to believe it may have thought flaws could be bugs -- and I think it's a bit late in the season to be building nests).

I didn't know Goldfinches were considered "pests." But ... They're so pretty!

I don't remember EVER seeing a hummingbird in the wild, that'd be cool. We are overrun with Robins, I saw Bluejays there for a while, and now the Goldfinch (plus all the usual birds I consider to be pest-ish). One bird that used to be prevalent, and I can't think of the name just now, black, with red "tips" on the 'shoulder portion' of the wings, I haven't seen in years. Possibly because they prefer to hang out near farmed fields and there aren't enough of those left 'round here. Also gone: Crows. Buh-bye!

[garmanma]

We've had an abundance of finches for the last couple of years plus a fair number of humming birds

We had a male cardinal and where he put his nest, he could see his reflection on my patio door

I'm surprised he lived through the summer

I can't think of the name just now, black, with red "tips" on the 'shoulder portion' of the wings,

Red wing blackbirds

Out in the fields, they would build their nests on the ground. Pity the poor kid who walked upon the nest.

They would gang up on you

[bozodog]

We feed da boidies all year round.

The Goldfinches here I don't consider pests. They are friendly with the other bird at the feeder and love that "sunshine yeller".

We also work hard to attract the "hummers". Starting with two Honeysuckle vines, a Trumpet vine and three feeders around the yard. Soon, when the Mondara (beebalm) blooms there will be HUM WARS, as they are very territorial.

Here's some pictures of our "Birdie Family".

[JDoors]

Great pics!

I forgot to include having seen Cardinals, they're our state bird so it goes without saying they're around so ... I didn't say.

I found broken Robin's eggs like, ALL OVER my yard, front and back. SOMETHING's been eating them up I suspect (since there's no place for nests on my property). Do squirrels eat bird eggs? Racoons certainly would, but I haven't seen any signs of racoons for a long time (which is weird). Thank goodness the skunks have stayed down by the stream and away from my lawn ... so far (last year they tore the HELL outta lawns around here, lookin' for grubs).

[bozodog]

Other birds will eat Robin eggs. Blue Jays, for instance.

Don't say no place for nests... Robins will nest "anywhere". Over the top of a porch light, bush, vine, we even had one build a nest on the winch of a boat trailer. The nest in the pic, fell out of that Trumpet vine twice. Glad I got that pic before they moved on...

Edited June 14, 2009 by bozodog

[MrBill]

Humming birds love Bottle Brush's. I have 2 in the front of the house and have sat on the porch and seen as many as 15 or so there at one time. They will fly right by my face. I have seen some of their babies that aren't as big as your thumb from the end to the frist joint. They don't nest in the bottle brush trees. Have seen them also land and I guess catch their breath or rest for about a minute. Then they are back at it.

[Pete_C]

Other birds will eat Robin eggs. Blue Jays, for instance.

Don't say no place for nests... Robins will nest "anywhere". Over the top of a porch light, bush, vine, we even had one build a nest on the winch of a boat trailer. The nest in the pic, fell out of that Trumpet vine twice. Glad I got that pic before they moved on...

Last year I saw this really ugly bird. At first I thought it was sick and then realized that it was a blue jay with the feathers pulled out of its head and back . It had tangled with a Mockingbird, and they are vicious when defending their nests. They attack cats, dogs, people anything that comes close (my long hair cat looks like a poodle after getting the fur at the base of his tail pulled out by a pair).

[JDoors]

That reminds me of one of my first "Nature" lessons: Off the beaten track in Lincoln Park (in Chicago) there was a large (and beautiful) tree. Whenever we'd get anywhere near that tree, we'd be attacked by a bird. We always liked finding these out-of-the-way places to enjoy, but we had to abandon that one. We were pretty young, and this was long before most "Nature" shows on TV, and I think we knew INSTINCTIVELY why that bird was so aggresive.

[garmanma]

Another favorite of mine to watch is a killdeer:

http://ocean1025.files.wordpress.com/2008/...eer-adult-1.jpg

They build their nests on the ground, usually gravel:

http://americanhiking.chattablogs.com/arch...y%20resized.jpg

The young ones come running right out of the chute, just a tiny ball of feathers on real long legs

It's funny to watch the parents when you get too close to the nest

They try to lure you away by pretending they have a broken wing so you go after them instead