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Author Topic: Bird Feeders and Backyard Critters  (Read 146510 times)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #340 on: May 19, 2020, 12:32:49 AM »
Great shots!

That robin awesome, never seen that before.

As far as the chickadee, they're mainly differentiated by location. Lakewood has Carolina, Monsey has black-capped, and Brooklyn/SI etc. have either + hybrids.

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Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #341 on: May 19, 2020, 12:34:49 AM »
Can anyone identify either bird?

I'm going to go with osprey for the top, and agree with immature grackle for the bottom.

Golden eagle!


Nah, he doesn't have a 1DX ;D
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Offline tageed-lee

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #342 on: May 19, 2020, 12:45:48 AM »
Great shots!

That robin awesome, never seen that before.

As far as the chickadee, they're mainly differentiated by location. Lakewood has Carolina, Monsey has black-capped, and Brooklyn/SI etc. have either + hybrids.

Thanks!

Ok, because i was going nuts trying to see the difference... Harder than a Where's Waldo book!


I'm going to go with osprey for the top

That could be it! I have other shots where you can really see the wings go up like that.

ETA: The Merlin app agrees

Can i add the Osprey to my count, even though it was like a mile above my house?  :)



« Last Edit: May 19, 2020, 01:01:11 AM by tageed-lee »

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #343 on: May 19, 2020, 12:49:33 AM »
Can i add the Osprey to my count, even though it was like a mile above my house?  :)

I promise not to ban you from DDF if you do.

Personally I keep two lists - one for birds in my yard (meaning they actually landed there) and one for birds at the feeder. I've had hawks, vultures, and turkeys in my yard but they're obviously not on my feeder list.
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Offline tageed-lee

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #344 on: May 19, 2020, 12:58:56 AM »
I'm also having trouble finding the difference between a house finch and a purple finch.

Even with the Merlin app! I always feel like most of my pics can be either or...

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #345 on: May 19, 2020, 01:06:17 AM »
I'm also having trouble finding the difference between a house finch and a purple finch.

Even with the Merlin app! I always feel like most of my pics can be either or...

Check the belly (not the breast) and the wing - only a purple will have red there. Purple will also have a lot more red on the entire head, not just the crown and the face.

There are some other differentiators, but these are easiest and would typically be enough for a positive ID.
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Offline Yehuda57

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #346 on: May 19, 2020, 02:15:52 AM »


Can i add the Osprey to my count, even though it was like a mile above my house?  :)

I promise not to ban you from DDF if you do.

Here we go again. Did it land at your feeder or was it at some heliport somewhere?

Offline Iz

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #347 on: May 19, 2020, 03:33:21 AM »
Can i add the Osprey to my count, even though it was like a mile above my house?  :)
Please do. Then I can start competing here: https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=19259.0 ;D

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #348 on: May 19, 2020, 07:44:39 AM »
I promise not to ban you from DDF if you do.

Personally I keep two lists - one for birds in my yard (meaning they actually landed there) and one for birds at the feeder. I've had hawks, vultures, and turkeys in my yard but they're obviously not on my feeder list.
They may be trying to feed on those feeding at the feeder
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline good sam

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #349 on: May 19, 2020, 07:50:10 AM »
They may be trying to feed on those feeding at the feeder
Yes, my kids keep suggesting we put out a "bird-feeder" for those birds that feed on birds.
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Offline Iz

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #350 on: May 19, 2020, 08:26:58 AM »
I'm barely an amateur in terms of IDing the birds, but here's what we think we've observed in the first few days:

Robin
Bluebird
Woodpecker
Black and white warbler
A dove of some sort
A black bird (maybe a blackbird)

Oh, and a couple of squirrels. They seem to like the hot pepper stuff. Go figure! But they haven't even tried to climb the feeder. They are eating the feed on the ground. It's interesting; the birds also seem to enjoy the feed on the ground more than in the feeder. If anyone wants to try this for very minimal cost, just buy some feed, and sprinkle it on the ground; no feeder necessary!

Thanks @Something Fishy for the idea. It is really beautiful to see, and fun and educational for the whole family מנער ועד זקן, טף ונשים!
« Last Edit: May 19, 2020, 08:43:07 AM by Iz »

Offline Iz

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #351 on: May 19, 2020, 08:34:56 AM »
It's worth mentioning that unless the feeder is right outside your window, you should use a binoculars. The difference in the detail is incredible. I got this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Powerview-Compact-Folding-Binocular/dp/B00004SABB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=B00004SABB&qid=1589891543&sr=8-1
a while ago for $14, and it gets the job done (all due respect to @Something Fishy who probably recommends a $2500 model  ;) [size=78%]).[/size]

Offline good sam

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #352 on: May 19, 2020, 09:50:46 AM »
OT, 5 out of 6 of these guys made their chrysalises, one still working on it.
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Offline tageed-lee

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #353 on: May 19, 2020, 11:37:03 AM »
My kid just spotted an American Goldfinch but i didn't have anything he liked..  :(

Hope he returns again when we have Nyjer for him.

I keep wondering if the one and done birds would have visited again if i had the food out that they enjoy when they came.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2020, 12:48:09 PM by tageed-lee »

Offline good sam

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #354 on: May 19, 2020, 11:46:23 AM »
We got a couple of swamp sparrows this morning. Brownish/reddish heads
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Offline justaregularguy

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #355 on: May 19, 2020, 02:32:13 PM »
those cardinal babies i wrote about got much bigger, theyre not afraid to go on the ground now to get food, with daddy not too far away though.. ;)
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Offline Yehuda57

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Offline Kobe Bryant

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #357 on: May 19, 2020, 04:29:11 PM »








#6 House Finch

Offline good sam

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #358 on: May 20, 2020, 03:44:42 PM »
We got a couple of swamp sparrows this morning. Brownish/reddish heads
Changed my mind, I think they're house finches. Also got our first gold finches today at the finch feeder.
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Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Bird Feeders and Backyard Birding
« Reply #359 on: May 20, 2020, 03:45:10 PM »
Changed my mind, I think they're house finches. Also got our first gold finches today at the finch feeder.

Post pics!
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