Augie Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 We don’t feed them for fear of the rats, but we have a giant fountain they all come to for water. I enjoy the birds a lot. (The fountain is taller than my wife, lots of water!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 Don’t like the starlings. But they need to eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 12 gauge, .22 LR, 5.56 NATO, and .30-06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadingpain Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 On December 5, 2017 at 6:37 PM, mead107 said: I just put our feeder out last week. Birds are just coming around. 3 feeders on one pole. Fun watching the squirrels try and get to the feeders. I will switch one to sunflower seeds in a couple weeks. I definitely enjoy feeding birds. I find the more aggressive ones greatly enjoy the taste of trouser snake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 Filled the 3 feeders this morning. I can’t believe that they came out in the wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 On 12/6/2017 at 8:31 PM, mead107 said: I built a bird feeder for my cousin 15 years ago. Holds 400 lbs of birdseed Sounds more like a grain silo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotAGuy Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I keep several feeders full of black oil sunflower seed, safflower, and a sock with nyger seed. It’s so cold, and watching them try to break the shells, that I went out and got some songbird feed without shells and a new tube feeder. Goldfinches have taken over the tube feeder. Downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and titmouses all in abundance. Haven’t seen a cardinal yet this winter. Even put some corn out for the squirrel. Hate those buggers but it’s tough seeing them struggle in the cold. Amazing anything survives in this weather. 0 right now and 20 below wind chill in SYR. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Wife and daughter put out a feeder yesterday. Can't wait until my yard is full of weeds this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 Lot of empty seed shells on the deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 I have never used a gun before (technically I used one but not as intended on mugger after I took it away from him) and I'd like to be able to shoot the damn squirrels deciding to hang on bird feeder they cannot get into just trying to stick paw inside. I got within 5 feet of it once and if I had a stick I could have hit it. My wife tried to chase them away using an air gun but evidently it does not do anything but annoy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simool Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 I feed the birds. I feed Quail and Pheasant a steady diet of 1 1/8 oz. shot. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 $ 30 a pelt for squirrels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 2 hours ago, mead107 said: $ 30 a pelt for squirrels? Sure if you come to my house and kill the four squirrels before spring time I'll give you $120. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 17 hours ago, mead107 said: Lot of empty seed shells on the deck. The last time I went to CountryMax to get seed, I saw they had a bag of Sunflower Meaties. The bag looked like it had large unshelled sunflower pieces and some Black Oil Sunflower seeds. I had never tried these before as I usually buy Sunflower hearts, which are unshelled small pieces, and Black Oil Sunflower seeds separately. So I tried a 30 lb bag for $39. Turns out there were a bit more Black Oil seeds in the mix than I thought, and the birds, mostly Gold Finches, always eat the unshelled pieces first. The bottom of the feeder ends up totally black, filled with all the left over shelled Black Oil seeds. They eventually get to the shelled seeds and I had forgotten one of the reasons I switched to use less of the shelled seeds. One huge black mess under the feeder. The hearts cost about the same, 40 lbs for $53, as the mix so in the end they are a better value. No shell mess and the finches really love the hearts. There are times I have about 25 finches at the feeders at the same time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 2 hours ago, Limeaid said: Sure if you come to my house and kill the four squirrels before spring time I'll give you $120. I have 6 that hang on my deck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
707BillsFan Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) No, I live close to Bodega .... I've seen what The Birds can do if you forget to feed them and they get upset. Edited January 13, 2018 by 707BillsFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 7 hours ago, mead107 said: I have 6 that hang on my deck Squirrel Stromboli, interesting concept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 (edited) Had a finch fly into the sliding glass door and knock itself out this morning. Could see it still breathing laying on its back. 30 minutes later it was on it's feet. Half hour later it flew away. Edited January 14, 2018 by mead107 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 1 hour ago, mead107 said: Had a finch fly into the sliding glass door and knock itself out this morning. Could see it still breathing laying on its back. 30 minutes later it was on it's feet. Half hour later it flew away. What was his name, McCoy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Since moving to the new house, it's been strange. We put out a feeder - but no birds. That's odd, because we live in an area that was a forest and there still is a lot of trees all around us. We just haven't seen many birds this winter. A few came by into the yard, but none went to the feeder. Then about a week ago, during the Jan thaw a flock of mixed species descended upon the yard. About six bluebirds, Juncos, sparrows, Titmouse, and a few others hung out for a day. WRT Goldfinches - the males don't change color until spring. And, they like thistle seed. Those are best put into a special feeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Got a better pic of a cardinal... On Saturday. Hooked phone up to Fieldglasses... Nothing fancy, not too bad a shot: Through my kitchen window... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 15 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said: Got a better pic of a cardinal... On Saturday. Hooked phone up to Fieldglasses... Nothing fancy, not too bad a shot: Through my kitchen window... Very brightly colored for this this time of year. One year we had a rodent type animal rummaging thru my wife's plants on deck so we put a cage to catch it and transport it to a park far enough away it would not come back. My wife baited trap with peanut butter. In two days she caught a "predator" - it was a cardinal who went into the trap to eat the peanut butter. I found a better homemade trap - put out buckets with cannot be tipped over with food in them. Creature (usually a river rat) goes in and cannot get out. When it rains it drowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 Had a skunk on the deck a few yeas ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 The bald eagles are back @ work... Will try and strap phone on 12x fieldglasses & tripod to get closer shots. This was last February. Working days this weekend: (Sorry for low compression quality getting under site limit of 200kb) It's that dot up on tippy top of tree... Have to wait to post closer pic (site limit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 Back @ work... Waiting for Bald Eagle to show... Wasn't quick enough @ daybreak to catch him fishing... But, got two geese getting into it while the Gaggle "cheer" the "NeckTie Entanglement" on! Feathers flyin' during that donnybrook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 One of the two swans hanging out on what little ice is left in upper pool/above dam: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 Birds took the feeders down 3 inches today. 4 inches on the thistle seed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) Just took this pic a few minutes ago w/my cellphone... Bald Eagle flying @ the lock & dam. Man, times like this I regret leaving my real camera and binoculars @ home! He's a real monster. Seagulls cross his path, he'll feed his family w/them! Again... Only used my cellphone. /wallbash... But not bad. Also, I had to compress it down below 200kb to get it on the site here: Edited February 7, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 10 PM last night a damn pigeon / morning dove was banging into the front window.... damn feeder 4 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said: Just took this pic a few minutes ago w/my cellphone... Bald Eagle flying @ the lock & dam. Man, times like this I regret leaving my real camera and binoculars @ home! He's a real monster. Seagulls cross his path, he'll feed his family w/them! Again... Only used my cellphone. /wallbash... But not bad. Also, I had to compress it down below 200kb to get it on the site here: photo shopped 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 2 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said: 10 PM last night a damn pigeon / morning dove was banging into the front window.... damn feeder photo shopped I will live stream a video next... Heretic! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 When I was installing and servicing these we captured an eagle fly by the camera as the truck passed the trigger 4 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said: I will live stream a video next... Heretic! it took me a sec to recognize it I believe you, I wish I has saved the one I referenced above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) 22 minutes ago, ShadyBillsFan said: When I was installing and servicing these we captured an eagle fly by the camera as the truck passed the trigger it took me a sec to recognize it I believe you, I wish I has saved the one I referenced above Great Snowy Owls are in abundance this year... It's a bumper crop of them making way south. My wife's bird watcher instructor @ the nature center in town took a pic of one snowy owl... From the Walmart parking lot. She had her DSLR camera... Amazing shot with a 500mm lens! Edited February 7, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Three bald eagles today in S.Chicago on the Calumet River... Ice coverage gaining, open water getting scarce... So they come to where the boats and us keep it open. Forgot my binoculars and camera adapter again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 Was out this morning taking ice pictures for industry and shipping... Ie: river conditions... Caught these with the Lock's crappy little Canon PowerShot point and shoot: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 I still don't see bigfoot nice pics Did you name them Bad bad Leroy Brown ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, ShadyBillsFan said: I still don't see bigfoot nice pics Did you name them Bad bad Leroy Brown ? The one is a real monster... Terrorizes the gulls... Gonna borrow a crew members DSLR with 500mm zoom on Sunday. Watch, the birds won't show. Morning they seem active. Back in 2012... The CPD abandoned plans for an outdoor gun range because of the bald eagles: https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/chicago-police-abandon-south-side-gun-range/9d4eca02-3d09-4d16-bfb2-66eeb6faa51f Now thay "gun range" is the rest of the city... One of the oldest conservation/environmental laws on the books... Over a 100 years old: "Though no longer an endangered species, bald eagles are still protected by the Migratory Bird Act and the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The latter prohibits people from the disturbing the birds in a way that could affect their breeding, feeding or nesting without government consent..." Hope my taking pix doesn't eff w/their sex life. I'll just tell the eagles: "I am from the government and I am here to help!" Edited February 8, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 7 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said: Hope my taking pix doesn't eff w/their sex life. I'll just tell the eagles: "I am from the government and I am here to help!" Eagle porn is a thing? I won’t tell anyone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) Got a pic of Mama Cardinal today: Here is her betrothed: Edited February 10, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoTier Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 I have several kinds of feeders of different types filled with black oil sunflower seed, nut and fruit blend, peanuts, and suet which attract sparrows, house finches, chickadees, woodpeckers (downy, hairy, and occasionally red bellied), slate-sided juncoes, nuthatches, cardinals, and bluejays not to mention those feeder pests starlings and pigeons. In warmer weather, I feed sunflower seeds and nyger seed, but I get lots of birds all year around because I mostly maintain a bird-friendly yard with no pesticides, water sources (an artificial pond with waterfall and at least two birdbaths), food sources (choke cherry trees, lots of brightly colored flowers, berries, and weedy areas) and shelter (a row of arborvitaes along the north fence line). I get lots of doves, robins, hummingbirds, and goldfinches as well as some unusual visitors during migrations like evening grosbeaks and orioles. I've occasionally even had young goshawks hang around in my yard for a few days in the fall because of the smaller birds that come to my feeders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 I got 3 lbs of peanuts for the squirrels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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