Recent Backyard Bird Sightings

Our adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird is still with us, and now has a new heated feeder which he loves.   The make of the feeder is Hummers Heated Delight.

Unfortunately, we also have one or more hawks hanging around terrorizing our feeder birds.  We have yet to see a hawk, but that is also the norm.  The feeder birds when a hawk is around either freeze, as the hawk looks for movement to detect prey, or they bolt for cover and do not reappear, often for an hour or more.  The most likely hawks in our yard are either Cooper's or Sharp-shinned Hawks, as their primary prey is other birds.

Now back to a brighter note, Our first new fall visitor was a Fox Sparrow (pic 1).  Lately we have had a regular Hermit Thrush for about 2 weeks (pics 2-4).  He first started coming to our bird-creek in the backyard, but soon spotted the Robin feeding on top of the platform feeder, so he checked that out, found some raisins, and has been returning for raisins. You will notice that in pic 3 he is signaling the Robins where to go.  In pic 4 he is at his diplomatic best by the bird-creek just before Biden's Diplomacy summit.

Summary of Oct 18 field trip to Fintel's yard, Oster Rocks Rd, and the Cape Henlopen Hawk watch

On this field trip we observed 45 species, including a few notables such as a Rufous/Allen's type Hummingbird, and a Golden Eagle. The eagle came by the hawk watch late, so most class members had already left. Two other lesser highlights were a Red-breasted Nuthatch at the hawk watch, and a very close and cooperative Ruby-crowned Kinglet on Oyster Rocks Rd.

In the Fintel's yard we had several questions about feeders, so following are a few links:

The Wood Bark Suet Sandwich Woodpecker Feeder is available through Amazon. (click for link)

The Droll Yankee Domed Cage Feeder is also available through Amazon. Remember that the dome on this feeder is not squirrel proof, so it should be protected by a squirrel baffle. Good squirrel baffles are available locally at Ace hardware, etc.

The Humzinger Hummingbird Feeder is also available through Amazon, as is the Ant Trap.

Our favorite suet recipe is:

No Melt Bird Suet –

Sally Fintel and  WildBird Magazine,  Dec. 1994

18 oz. crunchy peanut butter

2 cups (1 lb.) lard – no substitutions

4 cups quick oats

4 cups yellow corn meal

2 cups white flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Melt lard and peanut butter together over low heat. Remove from heat and thoroughly mix in remaining ingredients. Transfer to shallow Styrofoam veggie or meat containers. Cover & store in refridge or freeze. Slice and use to fill suet stick, as needed. Birds love this all year round.

It is COLD here in Delaware...but the birds are still good

Sally and I are just back from 2 months in Africa...specifically Ethiopia and South Africa. Yes we are having a real time adjusting to the COLD here........but many of the birds we missed while we were away are greeting us here in late Feb. So a few pics of our local friends.....and one of a special bird in South Africa.

Baltimore Orioles coming clean in Lewes DE

To Prime Hook, OLLI and Road Scholar birding participants, you have heard me talk about the virtues of moving water. Following are 4 pics from this afternoon in our backyard showing how effective moving water can be. Click on pic for enlarged view. First 3 are of male, last pic is of female checking out male's bathing decision (no doubt she approved, if only because it was time for him to get clean).

Best,
Bill and Sally

Gardens are also for the birds

Bay breasted Warbler in backyard bird creek

Enjoying and learning about birds can take place in your own backyard. Water will attract some of the more unusual species, such as the above Bay-breasted Warbler, but even the more common species can be studied more thoroughly so you learn their behavior, call notes and songs, food preferences, etc.