Good morning but you know I love plants and flowers of all kinds but I just notice there is no section on here about birds? Or,did I miss it somewhere? I love to feed the birds and I think we should have a section about birds like hummingbirds when you first see them in your area,the American gold finches I notice today in my area are turning their pretty yellow.What do all of you think about that?Rita

You just started one!

My goldfinches are turning that beautiful shade of yellow also. I can definately tell its spring by the amount of birds coming to my yard. Heres some pics I posted in Banter Hall 3rd comment down What other kinds of birds do you have?

G-Mom

Hi Rita ~

Gosh, there have been so many posts about birds, bird houses and wild bird feeding recipes in just the few months I've been here, I can't remember them all. You are right: they shoulc be collected up somehow and stuck all in one place!

Maybe one of the hostesses could help you track down stuff through the archives? I don't know how to do that.

Merme

Love birds

I have sparrows that come and visit on my window ledges.

Saw the first one just the other day.

hi tk.....don't you have sparrows in the winter by you? thats all i see in the winter....saw some robins the other day....first this year!

Linda

Hi Linda,

They must hide in the winter around here. But in the spring and summer they like to sit on my window ledge and talk to me. Maybe it's because that's when I have flowers in the windows?

you asked rita, i agreed, and looky what we have!!! <img border="0" alt="[clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

G-Mom

HI all.i have all kinda birds here at my home year round i feed them all year.i have red robins,blue birds,sparrows,finches.and a lot more.i build my on bird feeders for seed.i have a lot of bird houses that i have built also and i make gourd houses to i also build buttfly houses.i have a big slideing glass door in my bed room and can watch the birds all day if i like.the blue jays even share dog food with my dog i will try and post some photos of my feeder and bird houses later.I am gonna put out my hummingbird feeders today.i will try and get some photos of or fethered friends to post also.I am glad bill added this section to the fourm thanks bill.your friend in gardening.mike57

Saw my first robins the other day here in MN!! Spring is definitely in the air!

Just noticed my cardinals were back a couple days ago, and a pair of mourning doves. It didn't take long for the wrens to find the new feeder, but they were all I saw for a while (unless you count the squirrels!) We usually feed them year-round, but thanks to 3 hurricanes last year, I lost both my bird feeders, plus one of the squirrel feeders. But I got a new one for the feathers (a squirrel-proof one, at that). And they really love their birdbath. I love watching them! SIGH!

Hi Mike,

I'm looking forward to your pictures. I wouldn't dare put out a birdhouse it wouldn't last long in this nieghborhood. So I'll enjoy yours instead.

I really love watching the birds....Through the winter it's mostly just sparrows(and yes I trudge out in the snow and cold to fill the feeders for them).....but I have a woodpecker that visits my feeders a lot.....and 2 cardinals, doves, robins, hummingbirds, and of course lots and lots of blackbirds--they enjoy the birdbath. Plus there is a pair of them nesting in the birdhouse......I've watched them the past few days flying back and forth taking in twigs and things.

Every evening in the summer we sit on the back porch and watch all the birds that come for their dinner and a quick bath.......it's one of the best parts of the day.

HI ALL heres a link to see some of my bird and butterfly houses.also a few feathered friends.i will add one of my home made bird feeders later. just double click on photos to inlarge them.hope you all enjoy the photos.
http://www.msnusers.com/mike57flowers/shoebox.msnw?albumlist=1
your friend in gardening and nature.Mike57

Hey Mike,

Loved the pictures. Was the hawk there for a meeting about his custom built home? He looked so businesslike. Kinda fluffed up and waiting to be let in. That must have been amazing to find him there like that. I loved the butterfly house that was really neat and the decorations. You are very multi-talented. What are the orange flowers below the bird condos?

Have you done any homes for the brown bats or are you to far south for that?

That's great stuff Mike! I love the way you decorated everything -- especially the butterfly house. Very cool!

Gisela

Gosh!! its so good finally having a place so we can get together and talked about our birds> Gardenmon I have blue jays,cardinals,wrens, robins,hummingbirds and I just put the hummngbird feeders up last week? I love to feed the birds do not have a bird bath but hope to get on this year? They are so much fun watching them fighting over the food and they all seem to come at the same time. One day saw a dove in the bottom of the feeder can you believe that? Surprise to me. Now, you all keep posting about the birds or they may take the topic away from us? Bye Rita

Birdhouse update...not only do I have the Bluebirds and Chick-a-dees nesting in my houses...now I have a pair of Carolina Wrens nesting too! The wrens are so friendly,they come and sit on my patio table while I'm sitting there,I'll try and get some pics

The Tufted Titmouses,Towhees,Great-Crested Flycatchers and Cedar Waxwings have started making their appearance. I even saw one of the Pileated Woodpeckers yesterday,you can hear their "yucca,yucca,yucca" call from quite a distance.

Time to grab the binoculars and head outside

G-Mom

HI all hope you enjoyed the photo link of mine.the hawk was just sitting on my deck one day think he was looking for a hand out of some food.TK the ornge flowers are just wild day lilys the grow beside the road ways here so thought i would add a few to my gardens.ive been seening a lot of diffrent birds on my feeders got quite a few red headed wood peckers eating out of them to got wrens, sparows, blue jays,cardinals,finches,i buy my seed at the dollar genarel store $1.00 a 4lb bag my feeder will hold 3 bags of seed.so i buy my seed by the case.its a good seed mix has a nice varity of diffrent seeds in it.of course the squirrels got to get there share to but not a problum they got to eat to.i am building a squirrel feeder now useing a stand that holds a large pickel jar for the food.ive got get started on some more gourd houses to.thanks for the nice coment on the butterfly houses i worked hard on them to make them look nice.happy bird watching.your friend in gardening and bird watching.mike57

WE HAVE BABIES!

Yesterday when I was outside relaxing and watching the birds,I saw the chick-a-dees fly into the birdhouse and I immediately heard alot of peeping and chirping. Sounded like there was 3,maybe 4 babies in there I can't wait till they start peeking out of it!

Mom

Gosh! I love hearing the stories of all about your birds!! gardenmon so glad to hear about the chick-a-dees having babies O! my goodness just seeing the little babies growing and learning how to fly is great! We use to get squirrels and they were also fun to watch? I put a squirrel proof feeder up yes! you all guess it one could get the seeds out and it was fun to watch them trying and falling off but getting right back on it? Have anyone seen any hummingbirds yet in your area? I got my feeders out but have not seen one yet? Birdhouses now I would like to put up just to give it a try? But I do not have trees around the house the trees I got are on the outskirts of the house so where could I put one? Does anyone do martians?I know I got lot of questions but you all have to look at it this way? I thought I was to old to ask but found out that you are never to old to learn something new!!!Rita

I have 5 feeders up.I feed year round.I got 2 wire basket feeders& a small cute stand feeder for the small birds.see mostly sparrows(speaking of sparrows....is a tree with a hole in it they found and moved into.she's sitting now.)I have a regular red bellied woodpecker.I see the male more than female& know his flight path to my feeder and sometimes can locate his house.Last one was in top drilling& he drills DAILY into my metal shed& i tell him daily"Its metal!fly on!"and when he does again say"Its metal!helloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!""
I have lots of cardinals in yard yr round and titmouses,chic a dees,cow birds,mockingbirds,sparrows,roadrunners(he feeds in woods behind shade bed.its all brush stuff)I had my 1st finch siteing last week in my yard,so bought a finch sock& now have 8 regulars,some yellow some dull colored. a few blue birds.I get a few blue jays in morning& they have a nest in yard,but I think Mrs.D has them all in her yard.I'm looking for my mesh screen stuff to make a feeder boxand try some dog food.I buy the large bag at walmart of wildflower seed,has the cardinal on it& I add in almounds,peanuts.I got some dried fruit,plums& figs& apricots.I mix up with nuts& birdseed& do in 1/4 measureing cups& is usually gone in 3 days.I got some pics,but will be a bit,neighbors computer is slow and my last batch were best setting,so they load up real slow(hopefully comp gets fixed this month)

I got hummers too.black chinned& ruby& last year had a black rufuss near end of season.I hope he returns this time.

I get a few bats in yard,its the frut trees

I'm ALSO happy we got a bird place.
need to add hummers to title/or/ title it wildlife& add sections birds/hummers/butterflys/snakes/owls etc.

I also own a bird book.
Backyard Bird lovers Guide~Jan Mahnken& have a field guide book from the National audubon society for North america for the eastern region.If i can't find it in book,my step dad use to be a boy scouter& still answers what I don't know.I'm waiting on him to give me info on the finches,mom said he's still working on it& to enjoy my birdies(she had a robins nest on window ledge at her computer last year in TN was neat.I had her leave cam on for me once they hatched& for christmas got her one of them feeders with suction cups for her window.it even tells the temp(though she can't read it without a magnifying glass she says and it has to have food in it to read well)
I could stay here all day and chatt about my birds.

HI ALL heres a site for bird familys of the world.its a very cool site.it shows names and photos of birds also there habitats and what they like.
http://montereybay.com/creagrus/list.html
also heres a site on how to build diffrent kinds of bird houses.
http://birding.about.com/library/blhousespecs.htm
just thought i would pass them along to all of you.hope you injoy the sites.your friend in gardening and bird watching.mike57

YAY! A place to chat about birds and butterflies! Can't wait to see what kinds of birds everybody attracts to their gardens and learn more about planting bird and butterfly gardens. Perfect!

WE HAVE BLUEBIRD BABIES!!!!!

I was working in the yard yesterday when I heard them. Boy are they loud,I could hear them over my radio!

I need a better zoom on my camera,yesterday the daddy Bluebird was sharing a birdbath with some Goldfinches...they were so colorful and pretty

Great news G-mom bluebirds wow!! I know how anxious you must be waiting to see them come out,get your camera girl.I'm still waiting to see mine first hummers?I got their feeder out due to the fact that my hubby said he seen one but I'm not sure of that and let me tell you all I have been like that cat going across the top of the page stopping,sleeping for a few seconds and running again trying to see the hummers!!!ha,ha, bye

ME TOO!

I'm getting lots of exercise running back and forth between the 2 houses that have nests...trying to get a peek

Baby birds already? Birds are just building nests here in Central TX.I have my usual summer crew of titmice, chickadees, wrens, doves, cardinals, house finches (the goldfinches only winter here and have moved on)roadrunners, turkey and black vultures, hawks, and those dratted English sparrows. Hate those bloomin' sparrows! They raid nests, break eggs, kill both babies and adult birds. They took over my Purple Martin houses and chased them off. Birdhouses don't need to be attached to a tree. I have a couple of them on a pole. That way they are pretty safe from predators, except those sparrow and starlings will do it too.
Fortunately, I don't have any of them

I think I've seen a pine siskin, robin, something that is black speckled with a yellow bill, and something very fast with a wide white band on it's wings. Sure is easy to tell I know nothing about birds.

There is a wonderful book printed by Readers Digest "North American Wildlife" that really helps me alot. It has Birds,Trees,Plants and Wildlife listed in it with full color photos of everything,description of habitat,migration,etc. I found mine at a used book dealer(at the flea market)for $2.

G-Mom

I saw a new bird yesterday,they breed in Florida but,in 42 years of living here have NEVER seen one.

Indigo Bunting

They are like the hummers...they go to South america during the winter. They are unusual in the fact that they migrate in flocks at night and navigate by the stars...cool,huh

G-Mom

That is cool and what a pretty bird.

HEY ALL
I MISS MY BIRDS ah i'm kidding but i do have to do something about them there kids. i want my birds to come back

I spotted another new one yesterday. At first I thought they were Indigo Buntings,till I saw the brown wing stripes.

Blue Grosbeak

Don't you just LOVE spring!!

G-Mom

I'm new at this, so this might be a silly question, but do butterflys really live in houses? I have never seen a butterfly house before! Do they have to have specific dimensions? Thanks!

algerunc
here is a link that another gardener(mike)posted i hope it helps...
http://www.birdnests.com/bestnest/butterfly_houses.asp

algerunc, Butterflies like to be sheltered from wind and rain and preditory birds, so yes they will use them. If you have a good food source for them and some basking rocks and a water source you've made quite a butterfly resort. lol

Mommy and Daddy Cardinal at the birdbath...



I wish I could have gotten a picture when the Indigo Bunting,Goldfinch and Cardinal were in it together,THAT would have been a cool picture

G-Mom

That is a cool picture. It was a definite Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

This morning I had an unidentified bird telling me what was what from outside my livingroom window. The bread crumbs were outside the kitchen window one over from where he was. I couldn't see what kind of bird it was because my livingroom windows are frosted. But I've got to admit it had me amused.

It sure would be nice if they'd introduce themselves to us LOL

G-Mom

...or wear nametags

Last night I made corn muffins, I got 2, chippy sniched 2 while I wasn't looking, and the window ledge got the other two. I wonder if the sparrow will like the change in menu.

gardening buddies my hummers are back and they are late this year cause my hummingbird feeders has been out for weeks but I don't care now that I have seen them their back and I'm glad.Bye