Posts for: rstrick2
May 3, 2020 08:18:46 #
I found a nest cavity and with babies the woodpecker is always on the go getting food for the nestlings.
Apr 30, 2020 08:32:04 #
What I have done is placed small branches on the feeder out far enough to clear the feeder. I set up branch around the back of the bird bath in order to get a bird on a branch. I try my best to get them at eye level in the backyard. Of course out in the wild I take what ever comes. I won a National Wildlife Federation contest a few years ago and I wrote this
Backyard Birding Techniques
Bird Feeding / Watering Station and
Backyard habitat Setup
If you have a love of birds and want to be able to see them close-up is to provide a bird feeding / watering station as well as some back yard habitat. This article explains how you can setup a Birding Station and build a backyard bird habitat.
First and most important is a water source. Buy a good birdbath. My birdbath is a concrete type a couple of inches deep. Be sure to keep the Water changed everyday especially in the summer. Occasionally you will have to clean it out using a diluted mixture of Clorox and water. This keeps the algae from growing.
Second, you need some various types of bird feeders mounted near the water. Use Sheppard’s hooks to hang them on. I have several different types, one that is Squirrel proof, one for small birds and two for the larger birds. I feed sunflower hearts mixture with fruit. Buy a variety of seeds, because different birds like different seeds. Seeds such as white millet bring in Indigo and Painted Buntings. The sunflower hearts bring in Cardinals, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee’s and others. You could use Black sunflower seeds or buy the mixed variety. The more varieties of seed you have the better the chances of having a variety of birds. You can also put out fruit for the fruit loving birds such as Orioles and Catbirds. The one other thing is to set out a Hummingbird feeder. The hummingbird’s love to come to the feeder to feed on the sweet nectar. You can buy a pre-mixed solution or make it yourself with sugar and water. You need to keep the solution changed regular so it does not get rancid. I place my Hummingbird feeder next to the Honeysuckle, a plant that the hummingbirds love.
Third, place the Feeding / Watering Station, near an area of some trees, undergrowth, brush pile and bushes. A place where the birds can feel secure and escape to. My backyard is small but has some trees and bushes. The tree’s insures safety for the birds as well as a place to perch before coming to the feeders.
If you place all of the feeders and birdbath together in a central location, you will be able to see close-up the variety of birds it will draw in. You can take photos of the birds; you can keep a journal or just enjoy the birds as they come in to feed. You can place near the house so you can enjoy the birds from the back deck or the windows. You can place it out in the backyard near the outdoor sitting area and study the birds with Binoculars. I placed the feeding station just off my backyard deck and used the deck as a platform to get bird photos.
To build some bird habitat, you can plant shrubs that have berries or seeds or plant a cone bearing evergreens for food and safety. I have some Turks Cap and some Mexican sunflower bushes as well as honeysuckle. The birds perch on the branches before coming to the feeders. Evergreen shrubs, like holly, mugo pines, junipers and yews, can provide shelter. Deciduous shrubs can also provide protection for the birds as well as nesting areas. Typically, birds will build their nests 5 to 8 ft. from the ground. Do not forget to use vines when selecting your bird-loving plants. Vines can be a source of nesting material, a home in which to nest and a source of food. Boston Ivy is a good example as well as honeysuckle (which hummingbirds love). I had a Baltimore Oriole and a Tennessee Warbler feed on the Turks cap flowers.
Building a backyard bird feeding / Watering station and developing bird habitat is both fun and easy to achieve. As you can see, there are many ways to attract birds to your yard. With a proper setup of the bird feeding / watering station and planting of some backyard bird habitat, before you know it, you will be an avid backyard birder.
Backyard Birding Techniques
Bird Feeding / Watering Station and
Backyard habitat Setup
If you have a love of birds and want to be able to see them close-up is to provide a bird feeding / watering station as well as some back yard habitat. This article explains how you can setup a Birding Station and build a backyard bird habitat.
First and most important is a water source. Buy a good birdbath. My birdbath is a concrete type a couple of inches deep. Be sure to keep the Water changed everyday especially in the summer. Occasionally you will have to clean it out using a diluted mixture of Clorox and water. This keeps the algae from growing.
Second, you need some various types of bird feeders mounted near the water. Use Sheppard’s hooks to hang them on. I have several different types, one that is Squirrel proof, one for small birds and two for the larger birds. I feed sunflower hearts mixture with fruit. Buy a variety of seeds, because different birds like different seeds. Seeds such as white millet bring in Indigo and Painted Buntings. The sunflower hearts bring in Cardinals, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee’s and others. You could use Black sunflower seeds or buy the mixed variety. The more varieties of seed you have the better the chances of having a variety of birds. You can also put out fruit for the fruit loving birds such as Orioles and Catbirds. The one other thing is to set out a Hummingbird feeder. The hummingbird’s love to come to the feeder to feed on the sweet nectar. You can buy a pre-mixed solution or make it yourself with sugar and water. You need to keep the solution changed regular so it does not get rancid. I place my Hummingbird feeder next to the Honeysuckle, a plant that the hummingbirds love.
Third, place the Feeding / Watering Station, near an area of some trees, undergrowth, brush pile and bushes. A place where the birds can feel secure and escape to. My backyard is small but has some trees and bushes. The tree’s insures safety for the birds as well as a place to perch before coming to the feeders.
If you place all of the feeders and birdbath together in a central location, you will be able to see close-up the variety of birds it will draw in. You can take photos of the birds; you can keep a journal or just enjoy the birds as they come in to feed. You can place near the house so you can enjoy the birds from the back deck or the windows. You can place it out in the backyard near the outdoor sitting area and study the birds with Binoculars. I placed the feeding station just off my backyard deck and used the deck as a platform to get bird photos.
To build some bird habitat, you can plant shrubs that have berries or seeds or plant a cone bearing evergreens for food and safety. I have some Turks Cap and some Mexican sunflower bushes as well as honeysuckle. The birds perch on the branches before coming to the feeders. Evergreen shrubs, like holly, mugo pines, junipers and yews, can provide shelter. Deciduous shrubs can also provide protection for the birds as well as nesting areas. Typically, birds will build their nests 5 to 8 ft. from the ground. Do not forget to use vines when selecting your bird-loving plants. Vines can be a source of nesting material, a home in which to nest and a source of food. Boston Ivy is a good example as well as honeysuckle (which hummingbirds love). I had a Baltimore Oriole and a Tennessee Warbler feed on the Turks cap flowers.
Building a backyard bird feeding / Watering station and developing bird habitat is both fun and easy to achieve. As you can see, there are many ways to attract birds to your yard. With a proper setup of the bird feeding / watering station and planting of some backyard bird habitat, before you know it, you will be an avid backyard birder.
Apr 29, 2020 09:21:09 #
Not being able to venture out to far, I go across the street to the Water Company property. it consists of the water tank, some open space and small tracts of woods that have grown up over the years. The tracts are on either side of the property. I saw a Red-Bellied Woodpecker on a tree and he disappeared. I went near the tree and found a nesting cavity in which the bird went in, I found a Nest pair so here are a few photos of them.
Apr 24, 2020 09:52:27 #
Apr 22, 2020 09:51:33 #
I have been testing some features on my Lumix G9. One is called 6K/4K photo and the others are high speed bursts. I am using these features to get some flight shots of the Red-bellied Woodpeckers I have been following. They go from to return to the nest cavity regularly so you can some testing
Apr 15, 2020 08:39:55 #
I found a nesting cavity of a pair of Red Bellied Woodpeckers. they now have babies and change position every 20 minutes or so. You can tell the difference by the amount of red on the male. I hope to see some little heads sticking out soon.
Apr 15, 2020 08:26:59 #
Apr 11, 2020 09:05:22 #
I have found nearby the house a nesting pair of American Kestrels, the nest is in the beams of the Electrical sub station that supplies the community. They roost above the nest. The female has been incubating the eggs and the male gathers up food. Yesterday there was some strong winds that kept them off balance and easier to photo with their wings open or flying. I used The Lumix G9 with the Panasonic Leica 100-400 lens
Enjoy
Enjoy
Apr 11, 2020 08:48:54 #
What will happen the Owlet is branching, he will move all over the tree, many other trees as he grows and branches. he will end up on top of the highest tree. I was following a pair in 2014 and the owlet did what I mentioned, the last I saw of them they were on top of the tree. Keep following until you cant find them
Apr 9, 2020 09:37:52 #
I found a small woods on the water works property. It had a little opening in it so I setup and waited to see if any birds would come range.
Apr 7, 2020 10:22:05 #
I had two DJI Drones I used for Photography, one was the Mavic Pro and the other was the Phantom 3 standard, both did very well for aerials. the Mavic was best. however I sold both as the FFA rules are going to be harsh soon, there are too many idiots flying them on or near airports, you hear about it all the time. I register mine as per the rules but every time someone flew near an airport in area they are not supposed to be the rules seemed to talked about more and more. to fly legal for a photography work you must be licensed and the Drone registered. If you read the new proposed rules all flyers of drone will have to be licensed or be tested to have an understanding of the flight and drone requirements. I did not want the hassles from big brother so I sold mine
Apr 4, 2020 10:10:49 #
To avoid cabin fever I get to take my dog out, so I can get some fresh air. straight across the street in the community water property and electrical sub station for the community. it has a strip of woods, some larger trees and some wildlife. So we go over there for his daily, and I grab the camera to photograph any wildlife we might see. Yesterday as we were walking around I found a pair of Nesting Kestrels in the sub-station nesting among the girders. my fever just melted away. I took all the Photos with a Lumix G9 with a Panasonic Leica 100-400 lens. enjoy
Mar 28, 2020 09:01:05 #
Mar 28, 2020 08:50:21 #
Mar 25, 2020 15:27:32 #