Bird Feeders and Backyard Critters

[yuneeq]

I'm sure he didn't foresee the birds..

what about hornets?

My parents never taught me about the birds and the bees

[CountValentine]

I'm sure he didn't foresee the birds..

Alfred Hitchcock did.

[saw50st8]

I haven't seen as much variety in my yard - we have doves, cardinals, starlings, blue jays, robins, crows and sparrows. I'm sure that there are more I haven't seen.

Any advice on taking pictures of birds against the sky? I find in order to get decent pictures of the birds, I have to completely overexpose the sky.

[good sam]

What's a good guide to use to identify bird species?

[EliJelly]

What's a good guide to use to identify bird species?

Depends where you live, you won't find parrots or peacocks in the NY/Nj area. Basically most specie of birds found here is in the OP, compare to that.

[EliJelly]

We go from Fish to Birds. Cholent coming soon, fleshig variety.

Heavily discussed already in the morning. ain't providing a link

[EliJelly]

Interestingly a few species of birds here in Brooklyn can only be seen in backyards, they'll never leave to the street. Mourning Dove, Red Cardinals among others.

[Something Fishy]

I haven't seen as much variety in my yard - we have doves, cardinals, starlings, blue jays, robins, crows and sparrows. I'm sure that there are more I haven't seen.

Try putting out suet or a finch sock and watch what happens.

Any advice on taking pictures of birds against the sky? I find in order to get decent pictures of the birds, I have to completely overexpose the sky.

Either overexpose (a sunny day needs less that a cloudy one, oddly enough) or don't shoot straight up - that's the beauty of a feeder, the birds come to you and can be easily photographed. Pictures taken at eye level is also far more interesting than one straight up, where all you see is the bird's bottom.

[Something Fishy]

What's a good guide to use to identify bird species?

https://www.amazon.com/Jon-L-Dunn/dp/1426218354/
https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

I use both in conjunction. The book is best to actually learn about the birds, and, most importantly, their field marks (and of course for Shabbos). The app is great for a quick ID or to confirm a hunch, and obviously is easier to carry when traveling etc.

[Something Fishy]

Depends where you live, you won't find parrots or peacocks in the NY/Nj area.

#fakenews

Basically most specie of birds found here is in the OP, compare to that.

#fakenews

[Something Fishy]

Interestingly a few species of birds here in Brooklyn can only be seen in backyards, they'll never leave to the street. Mourning Dove, Red Cardinals among others.

Never heard of this concept, but I've never actually done this in the city so who knows. Although I have seen cardinals on the streets in Brooklyn.

[lfas25]

After seeing @Something Fishy 's post, I "quickly" dug through the pictures that I had handy and came up with the following compilation of most of the birds that I identified in my backyard.
Obviously #IamNotFishy so my pictures aren't nearly as good as what he posted, but hopefully some of you enjoy them either way.

American Goldfinch

   
American Robin


Baltimore Oriole (and house finches on the move)


Baltimore Oriole with a mouthful of grape Jelly


Black vulture


Blue Grosbeak (male)


Blue Jay


a very wet Blue Jay


Brown-headed cowbird (male)


Brown-headed cowbird (female)


Carolina Chickadee


Carolina wren (female Northern Cardinal in the background)


Chipping Sparrow


Common Grackle




Downy Woodpecker (female)


Downy Woodpecker (male)


Gray catbird




House Finch (female)


House Finch (male) & White-breasted Nuthatch


Mourning dove




Northern Cardinal (male)


Northern Cardinal (female)


Northern Flicker


Red-winged Blackbird


Red-bellied Woodpecker


Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Female)


Ruby-throated Hummingbird


Tufted Titmouse


Turkey Vulture


White-breasted Nuthatch




White-throated Sparrow


Yellow-rumped Warbler

[tov hashem]

just wow!! you're a man of action i love to see your stuff.

[EliJelly]

#fakenews

A quick Google search shows that monk parrots can be found in the city indeed. Would be nice if I can have them hang around in my backyard.

https://untappedcities.com/2015/12/03/daily-what-the-monk-parrots-of-green-wood-cemetery-in-brooklyn/

[skyguy918]

A quick Google search shows that monk parrots can be found in the city indeed. Would be nice if I can have them hang around in my backyard.

https://untappedcities.com/2015/12/03/daily-what-the-monk-parrots-of-green-wood-cemetery-in-brooklyn/

Also a well known colony (or whatever the term is) at Brooklyn College.

[whYME]

I have a friend in Boro Park who I got into this. He put up a feeder a week ago and he's already had woodpeckers, house finches, goldfinches, cardinals, and tons of others.

Lol, When he started posting pictures of birds I figured he must be upstate...

[whYME]

So this thread almost motivated me to get a bird feeder, the problem is you lost me at "backyard"

[aygart]

https://www.amazon.com/Jon-L-Dunn/dp/1426218354/
https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

I use both in conjunction. The book is best to actually learn about the birds, and, most importantly, their field marks (and of course for Shabbos). The app is great for a quick ID or to confirm a hunch, and obviously is easier to carry when traveling etc.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.labs.merlinbirdid.app

The Merlin app is amazing.

[Something Fishy]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.labs.merlinbirdid.app

The Merlin app is amazing.

LOL, that's literally in the post you quoted .

Another resource for me, especially for birds I just glimpsed or got a blurry picture of, is https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatsthisbird/. Post any bird there and you'd get an ID in seconds, literally.

[lfas25]

LOL, that's literally in the post you quoted .

Another resource for me, especially for birds I just glimpsed or got a blurry picture of, is https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatsthisbird/. Post any bird there and you'd get an ID in seconds, literally.

Agreed, that is a great Facebook page.