Elk County Forum

I have been enjoying the birds this spring. Even better instead of feeding a couple of them, I am honored to have at least 3 pair of them..........the males are the ruby throat hummingbird..........
They showed up a week before I was scheduled to put the feeder out and almost knocked on the window for me to get it filled and out there. Ever since they have been coming and coming.
Think I have filled it 3 times so far and even put one out at another apartment here and Steve says they have been keeping him entertained, too.
Had a pair of Orioles (Baltimore, I think) maybe 2 males and at least one female...try to drink out of the feeder. Beautiful birds.
Last few days 3 are at the feeder when it gets light in morning and stay busy all day taking turns with the other parent.
Today, they are coming in turns............I wish I knew where their nests are and that my eyes could see them. But, they have to be close.....not long between the turns.
We have also had robins, cardinals, the sparrows are here of course, chickadees, and we have also been honored by 2 ring-necked dove....they are huge. Caught them walking down the sidewalk one day and almost went the whole way before they took flight. Funny, almost like 2 of our tenants toddling down the sidewalk............myself and Irene walk like that.. LOL. anyway I am very glad I can be where I can look, and so glad I take time to look.
Beautiful world we live in, if we just look and pay attention to what we see.
Wish I had a camera that would let me take pitures of them in flight and at the feeder.
Oh, I was standing by the feeder the other night working in garden and a couple came down to feed and just sat there watching me. I was wearing a red shirt and worried they would check me out. As you can see......I love it

Judy, if you have some old yarn, cut it into about 20 inch lengths and hang it around for the orioles to gather for nestmaking. It's fun to watch them gather it, and also you might spy their nest with the bright colored yarn.

Baltimore Orioles are the pretty orange and black ones that make long nests that hang down like socks .Around here they love to build in willow trees. Ours like orange slices. Sometimes we see Orchard Orioles too, which are more red and black.  Isn't this a wonderful time of year to see birds?

even in the winter I always look out for the birds. Irene and I do feed them. I just have to watch where I feed them. I let Sassy run when I am outside and she will raid the mess under the feeder (as well as cat-stuff) and then I do have Fred my cat and I would just be feeding him a richer diet if I were to feed.............
I can't get enough of them.
I had 2 different type of males. One pair were Baltimore O's and then other pair was an Oriole, but a different type. No they aren't juvenile...........I have misplaced my birdbook and didn't look it up.
I know the trees they are in and each time I walk back from the store, they are usually singing, if not to me, just cause they are feeling good, etc.
thanks for the suggestion Edie, I will remember the yarn

My treat for today.  An indigo bunting is visiting my bird feeder.  I have seen these birds as they hurriedly flew away from the approaching car, but never as close as just the other side of my window.  They are beautiful.

There is a lady in our area, Gloria Jones-Wolf, who is somewhat of an expert on birds.  I wish she would join our Forum and help us out with our questions about birds.

Anyway, that is my treat for today.  If I don't get another one, I will still be happy.

I agree, Wilma.....each morning while reading and posting the devotions the birds are busy outside my window
most mornings when sun is out I get a serenade of music that you can't get on the radio/tv and it gets my heart
and mood into good shape for the day.
We just have to look and listen and (OH BOY, His blessings are so Good!)
I too wish Gloria Jone-Wolf would join us, would be a whole new chapter for Teresa to add to the list of topics.Tis a thought.

I had 2 red throated hummingbirds today and a Baltimore Oriole at my feeders..  :) Bonnie Helms has a Baltimore O. feeder that is wood and has 2 carved out places for grape jelly.. I want one! I haven't looked real hard yet.. but she had the orioles at hers lapping up that grape jelly.. It was awesome to watch them. 

I have had something unusual happening here.  A pair of cardinals are feeding an immature cowbird.  I have read that cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests where they are hatched and raised with the couple's own offspring.  Now I have seen it.  Yesterday they were at the feeder and this evening they were at the bird bath where Papa Cardinal gave whatever he had in his beak to the young cowbird.  Now I am sure it is a cowbird as it exactly matches the picture of the immature cowbird in my bird book and has none of the identifying features of a cardinal.

That surely was a cow bird.We have them here too.They will out compete the intended babies for food and often push them out of the nest so they are all that's left to be raised.

There is a stranger at my feeder this morning.  Looks like a turtle dove, walks like a turtle dove except---it has white on it's wings, darkish markings along the lower part of the wings and a black spot on it's cheeks.  My book identifies it as a white winged dove which are common in the south parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, but not at all common in Kansas.  Daughter theorizes that the fires in the south has driven it north.  Has anyone else seen one of the pretty birds?

Get a picture, Mother. That is if you can.

Jimmie Ann did get a picture.  On her camera.  I have to wait for her to download and get it to me.

I am pretty sure that a Carolina wren was perched on my bird feeder this morning.  Is this a sign of winter?  Wish it were a sign of approaching rain.

Don't Carolina Wrens show up here to rest a bit in their migraton? If so, they are a bit early. I have always remembered them here in November.  ???

Ladies, since when has Kansas weather been normal? Seems since I was a youngun that each winter/season has been
different.......not good not bad, just changing. Without the moisture this year, it will be a very different winter.
Think the birds know what is going to happen?.

Yes, and I wish they could tell us.

Please be sure those migrating birds have water. Some of their usual natural spots on their way may have dried up.
We have friendly Carolina Wrens here all the time, they don't all leave.They are just so funny as they go poking around looking for bugs and spiders.

At the other house, there was a pair that showed up every November and roosted in a decorative basket that hung on the front porch. I kept that basket up there long past its' prime simply because of that pair of wrens. They used it for three years that I know of and maybe more as I left it up when I left that house. I often think of that faithful little pair.

It is dry, isn't it?  How dry is it?  The crows are drinking at my bird bath.  I am trying to get a picture but they are very wary birds and catch the smallest motion inside my window.

The biggest treat this evening.  There was a whole flock of blue birds drinking and bathing in my bird bath.  There were so many that I couldn't get a count on account of their flitting around.  I have a feeling that this is the last we will see of them this year.

Stop feeding the humming birds so they will head south with the buzzards.

Our feeder came in a week ago.  Haven't seen a hummingbird for at least two weeks.

I have a nest in a bush in the front of the house, and I think I saw a bird visiting it. I didn't get a good look at the bird, I wonder what it could be, a thrush maybe?
Lisa

I haven't seen hummingbirds since the first of October.......left feeder up a few more days but decided
that stragglers would just have to visit the flowers still in bloom. We do still have plenty for them. No hard
freeze yet.
Lisa, there are all kinds of birds who may visit you. Wrens are here most of winter and the sparrows are busy and so are
the other birds. Until a very cold/freeze we are blessed with birds of all kinds and if you can post a pic, I am sure someone will identify it for you..........LOL after all we are birdwatchers and neighborhood watchers and until we must close our windows/blinds for drafts/night will always, well most times, know what is going on here/ther at home. Enjoy the view out your window, never know what you will see! LOL

I love birdwatching! I put seed in my feeder when it gets cold out. I still need to get a bird bath, if anyone has a cement one they want to get rid of, let me know. I'll keep an eye on the bush and see if I can get a picture. Meanwhile, I'm putting a little bird house out by a circular rock planter in the yard, maybe I'll get tenants someday! Since it's round, I call it my fairy ring..... :)
Lisa

My friend across the sidewalk feeds the birds, I feed the hummingbirds and we both enjoy each others hobby.
If I fed, and I have, I would only feed my cat, this way, the birds have a fair chance. We both love the animals,
birds and 4 legged, but I found I could afford the sugar easier than the bird feed plus I don't have enough room to store
the amount I would need.
I would love a fairy ring.
Even a shallow pan filled with water on ground makes a great bird bath. Have fun!

Remember about a week ago I said that I didn't think we would see any more of the blue birds?  I was wrong.  There were five of them bathing and drinking at the water hole this evening.

Daughter winterized our bird bath this morning, so I went to the window to check it out.  A crow flew in with something in his beak, dropped it into the water, got his drink, than picked up the item and flew away.  The item was a shucked acorn and I in my ignorance, thought it would sink and he wouldn't be able to get it.  It floated and he had no trouble picking it up.

When I say winterize the bird bath, I mean that she puts a small rubber tub such as is used to feed horses, into the bird bath.  Then she puts the automatic water warmer in and puts a brick on each side of it.  The bricks are to keep the warmer from being pulled out and to provide a perch for the smaller birds if the water gets low.  She also tapes the plug in connection to make it waterproof and tapes the whole thing to the hook that holds the water hose in place.  Then she filled the tub.  I was curious to see if the birds were accepting the change.  The crows, at least, were.

I have learned something.  You all know that I watch the birds at my feeder that is attached to the house right under a window.  It makes bird watching simple:  ie:  I don't have to go out in the cold.  Anyway, I have been watching the blue jays and have observed what I thought was piggish behaviour.  They were swallowing sunflower seed as fast as they could pick them up.  Then I noticed that one of them had a fat throat.  Then he picked up a seed and flew off.  I got to wondering if blue jays have pouches like squirrels that they can fill and carry away to store.  They do.  One of the sources on the internet calls it a throat pouch.  Now I am wondering just where they are stashing my sunflower seeds for future consumption and can they find them later.

I've seen them stashing them behind loose pieces of tree bark, especially our pines.

There has been two Bluejays working over my sunflower feeders today, scaring the smaller birds away.  >:(

I had some old cinnamon rolls that I had in the freezer too long.. I set them on the counter to dry for the birds. I ended up using them to try to throw at and blast the bluejays.. didn't hit one..but it wasn't for lack of trying.. LOL..
Danged old things just flew back and ate what ws supposed to have knocked their mean little beaks off.

Has anyone else noticed that the house finches are still red and the gold finches are sporting a dull yellow coat?  In the past they have lost all their summer color.  I wonder what it might mean about our coming winter weather.

I am sick of birds !!!! If y'all had spent the last 10 days sitting in a deer stand watching the birds eat the corn that was SUPPOSED to draw the deer in you would hate them too. I didn't even know there were as many Cardinals and Blue Jays in the state as what I fed---and that aint counting all the African - American pheasants (also known as crows) that were there. At least the 913 armadillos I saw didn't eat my corn. Next year I'm building a still and using that corn to make "shine" and trade it for deer steaks !!!

I am watching a bunch of birds taking a bath!!!! yes, I said bath in the dogs water dish.
Last few days I have made them (dogs) stay out (both of them think they need MY company. after all I might! be eating)
and since I refilled it yesterday. They make me cold, but I swear I also saw some courting birds this past week.

Not only are people confused about this winter, think the small ones are too.

I have seen some courting birds.  Either that or a father is tenderly feeding one of his offspring.  The colors on the finches are brighter than usual for this time of year.  Yes, I think some of our smaller inhabitants are a bit mixed up as to the season.  Some birds bathe almost daily in my bird bath.  It has to be awfully cold to keep them out of it.

A hand fed Hummingbird video that is amazing. Taming the Alaskan hummingbird. These hummingbirds were filmed at our lodge in Alaska, no feeder required! Our lodge in Alaska has TONS of these little birds in the summer. Did you know their hearbeat can be as high as 1200 beats ber minute! Mother nature is amazing!

These adorable hummingbirds eat right out of our hands here at the lodge. While setting up the cameras for some more handfeeding, these two little hummingbirds gave us "the shot". Though I love the hummingbirds in Alaska, The majority only arrive after migrating from Mexico, looking for feeders along the way. Sometimes I wish we lived somewhere where we could watch baby hummingbirds in their nests. Some of those videos are amazing!



(From a Comment: Beautiful video, but please eliminate the red food color from the sugar nectar. Hummers' digestive systems cannot digest the dye and it will give them diarrhea. If they eat too much it will eventually kill them. They don't need the red food color to find the nectar, they explore everything and can easily find nectar in any type of container. Thank you for the upload.)


NOTE: We don't use red dye anymore. We use 4:1 Water to sugar only.

Has anyone seen a scout, yet?
As warm as it is I am thinking of putting a feeder out.....maybe after the rain this week.

Had a scout this morning. Hummingbirds are coming back, get your feeders loaded.

We cleaned out all our bird houses across the weekend, so we are ready for them to arrive.The hummer feeders are ready too. Last year they all came the last week in April. The wren first, then the catbird pair and then the hummer.  Since we have had such mild weather they might be early this year.

I heard a wren yesterday.  Haven't seen it yet, though.

There is a hummingbird in Howard.  A tiny ruby throated one.  It was at our feeder that got put up just a couple of days ago.  After feasting at the feeder, he went on to sample the roses, irises and a daisy.

this is a bee question about hummingbirds.

Now, I don't have the problem, but my friend from a couple of streets west of me has been invaded with honey-bees.
She put her feeders out and the birds are being chased away by bees.
I haven't gone over to look at her feeders...........and she says they stay away from one of the feeders (she has 4)but the rest they just took over.

I know we have a guy on the south edge of town who has bee's........but is this unusual. Don't want to use anything that would harm either the bees or the birds.
Could there be a swarm in a tree somewhere close.......Ok, I just decided to walk over there today and take a look. She gets out of school about 4 so, will check it out.
Oh, no, has to be later as I am going to the fairgrounds to walk with the "Walk Across Kansas" group.
if anyone wants to join us that starts at 4........
Have a great day. I intend to.

The round flying saucer with the ports on top  work well because they have bee guards and my bottle type with four drinking ports have yellow bee guards also. I have a problem with ants getting in but Al built some ant moats  to keep them out. A friend suggested moving them about 12 feet away for a few days and see if they will forget where they are and stay away. There may be a hive nearby. I don't know how far they range.

Quote from: Judy Harder on April 24, 2012, 08:49:11 AM
this is a bee question about hummingbirds.

Now, I don't have the problem, but my friend from a couple of streets west of me has been invaded with honey-bees.
She put her feeders out and the birds are being chased away by bees.
I haven't gone over to look at her feeders...........and she says they stay away from one of the feeders (she has 4)but the rest they just took over.

Change feeders. Honeybees are attracted by yellow.  They ignore the red.  She probably has yellow on the spouts where the birds feed. 

Quote from: Diane Amberg on April 24, 2012, 11:48:56 AM
The round flying saucer with the ports on top  work well because they have bee guards and my bottle type with four drinking ports have yellow bee guards also. I have a problem with ants getting in but Al built some ant moats  to keep them out. A friend suggested moving them about 12 feet away for a few days and see if they will forget where they are and stay away. There may be a hive nearby. I don't know how far they range.

3mile radius from the hive.

Those yellow bee guards are the problem.

Quote from: Wilma on April 23, 2012, 06:36:33 PM
There is a hummingbird in Howard.  A tiny ruby throated one.  It was at our feeder that got put up just a couple of days ago.  After feasting at the feeder, he went on to sample the roses, irises and a daisy.

I've got one too, but it is dull colored and doesn't have a ruby throat. Maybe a female or a young one?
Lisa

Steve, I don't have bee problems with those yellow bee guards, but if she does then changing them might be helpful.

Thanks to all of you for replying. I did walk by there yesterday and her son was in the yard.
He said the bee's were coming from the south part of town...........and after looking that way, the bees, don't have to detour a bit from hive to nectar.

He did say the bee's weren't threatening, like a swarm of wild bees would...........and the hummers were still getting their share.
I think my friend just doesn't like bees and if it continues, ( I will talk to her tonight) I will suggest she change types of feeders...or take them down for a little bit and make the honey bees choose another source.

I have ants.....but have sort of stopped them with petroleum jelly. I grease the hanger and part of the roof of feeder. yes I still get ants, but the birds feed on them and Oh, the p-jelly won't hurt birds, but pesticide will. as long as the ants stay out of my house I will leave them alone.
We have tansy growing and with the advice of a herbalist have starts in different areas........and this year I think it is working. Even bring cuttings into the apartment to smell up the place. Ants don't like it.

Thanks again for advice.

Quote from: Judy Harder on April 25, 2012, 10:18:30 AM
Thanks to all of you for replying. I did walk by there yesterday and her son was in the yard.
He said the bee's were coming from the south part of town...........and after looking that way, the bees, don't have to detour a bit from hive to nectar.

He did say the bee's weren't threatening, like a swarm of wild bees would...........and the hummers were still getting their share.
I think my friend just doesn't like bees and if it continues, ( I will talk to her tonight) I will suggest she change types of feeders...or take them down for a little bit and make the honey bees choose another source.

I have ants.....but have sort of stopped them with petroleum jelly. I grease the hanger and part of the roof of feeder. yes I still get ants, but the birds feed on them and Oh, the p-jelly won't hurt birds, but pesticide will. as long as the ants stay out of my house I will leave them alone.
We have tansy growing and with the advice of a herbalist have starts in different areas........and this year I think it is working. Even bring cuttings into the apartment to smell up the place. Ants don't like it.

Thanks again for advice.

Move the feeders. Honeybees map the location of a nectar source and if you move it they wlll return and tell the hive its no longer there.  Now that doesn't stop a scout from finding it and going back to do their figure 8 dance but it will confuse them

Lisa your hummer is most likely a female.They don't have the dark green back and red on the throat but are a dull green. We only get the Ruby Throats here with a lost Rofous on occasion. Enjoy.  I just put my feeders out since you are getting yours now. I think the next south wind will bring ours on up.

Mine is funny! It "peeps" every time it settles down for a drink at the feeder! ;D
Lisa

Aren't they fun? Yes, mine here will snap at gnats as well as stick those long tongues out for the sweet stuff and "squeak" too.  :D

Squeak, I have tried to tell myself what the sound of a hummer is and just could not but squeak is a good one.
I love to listen to them soar and flit their love song when wooing a mate............the dance is just beautiful.
Also, the sound of their wings when they fly in to eat.........SPRING IS HERE!

My treat yesterday.  Yellow headed blackbirds.  The book says that they belong in Western Kansas.

I don't think I've ever seen the yellow heads live. I wonder why they developed that way?
My wrens came back on the 16th, the same exact day as last year, and the goldfinches are arriving every day now. No catbirds or hummers yet.

I wonder if the weather blew them in from western Kansas. Or maybe they are just now migrating back to western Kansas and stopped for lunch.

This morning when I raised my shades, I noticed that the area around the bird bath looked different.  The difference was a yellow object almost under a mullein leaf and resembling a wayward leaf.  Watching it for a bit, I could discern a bit of black that was being turned from side to side.  I decided that it was a goldfinch that was sitting tight for some reason.  I hoped that it wasn't injured.  There were no other birds in sight at the moment.  Later it disappeared.  Daughter told me that she had seen a hawk in the area.  I hope the little creature safely flew away rather than being discovered by some other predator.

I SAW A HUMMINGBIRD and I have a witness.  Janet was pullling some weeds for me and I was sitting watching her when I heard a different sound behind me.  I turned around and located the sound.  It was a ruby throated hummingbird that had just landed on the lilac bush.  I pointed it out to Janet just in time for her to see it, too, before it flew away.

The scouts have arrived. Time to get that feeder out, (after this last cold spell tomorrow).

It should be official now that Spring is here.  I saw an oriole at the hummingbird feeder.  It was a little brighter than other orioles that I have seen, but so pretty.  There were also two humming birds flitting around, if you could call their speedy flight a flitter.

I put out a hummingbird feeder today.  I having seen any yet but I do have a few Purple Martins in our bird house. I have been watching a Bald nest lately and today I got to see the adult feeding the babies, and here is the link to the site.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/eaglecam-gives-viewers-live-look-newborn-eaglets-221446103.html

My wife put her hummingbird feeder as well.
And she has acquired her first hummingbird for the season here near Moline.
I saw the little critter my self.
We enjoy listening to their chatter.
I love the four seasons we have here in this part of Kansas.
I must say I have never seen a snow flake in May in Kansas untill a couple of days ago.

Come on spring.

We have seen 2 hummingbirds and one oriole. The oriole is really pretty, but boy can they suck that sugar down.

I'm  not sure what kind of birds these are, but one of them... the husband, I suspect...  has clearly done something wrong, and the wife ain't too happy about it.   

My hummers are really chowing down. Seems to be  at least 3 or 4 pair of them. That should keep me entertained this summer......oh, think of their kids coming home. LOL Better stock up on some more sugar.

The Orioles haven't made it down to the feeder, but will sit at the top of the tree singing his/her heart out. Pretty. Took me awhile to spot him, he kept hiding behind leaves. He will also whistle with me.............LOL he he....I mean he whistles and then I whistle and then it goes again. I pretend he is talking to me. 

Sun is out and I am going to be today......plant what I have and prepare bed for flowers I buy when I go to Howard tomorrow.

Busy morning with the birds.  First was the loud thump at my front door early this morning.  Later I found a catbird, on it's back, feet up, eyes closed on my front porch.  Must have been traveling very fast.

Somewhat later, while at the kitchen sink, I noticed a hummingbird trying to find a feeding spout on the big pink pinwheel just outside the window.  I think we are going to install a hook there and hang another feeder instead of the pinwheel.  The pink pinwheel is coming down today so that the poor little near sighted birdies won't be disappointed.

More somewhat later while checking to see if there were any hummingbirds at the feeder, I saw a smallish bird with a bandit's mask, yellow breast and back, slightly hooked bill working the climbing roses behind the feeder.  The closest we could find in the bird book was Common Yellowbreast Warbler.  Not common in this area at all, but more so to the east of us. 

I was wishing for better eye sight yesterday......and did not have my camera........but I had gone to the laundry room and as I came back out I heard what sounded like a bunch of sparrows fighting and fueding  over my head. The funny/strange thing is  the noise was to the north of me coming into range (kind of like geese getting closer during their migration) and as the swarm got over head, none of them came down to my eye level. They were very small birds........closest I could come was chickadees but not that bird, They will come down and have been here most of winter. Later they were gone. I am pretty sure they were migrating, just not sure what kind of bird it was. No song, just tweeting and squacking? Any one else see/hear this?

Let me tell you what a bird did to me today. I had loaded my car with plastic totes to store over at mother's house. Anyway, I had rolled the windows down, so it would not get hot in the car. Then, later, I got into the car and was driving somewhere. I felt something hard on my steering wheel and was trying to figure out what it was. I looked down at the area when the horn is and a bird had apparently flown into the car and pooped on my steering wheel. Yulk!

My pretty pink pinwheel has been replaced by a hummingbird feeder and the hummers have found it.  This particular spot is less than four feet from my kitchen window, which puts the hummers where I can really see them.  Besides the ruby throated, one of them is a blackchinned.  I have counted three hummers at the same time.  They fly so fast that trying to count them is like trying to count a hundred baby chicks.

I filled the bird bath this morning and as usual let it run over to fill the pan for the short legged creatures.  This created mud.  The mud attracted a pair of robins.  They have been very busy carrying mud and grass somewhere to the southeast.  I have yet to locate where the nest is being built.

For the past oh 5 or 6 years I notice that we have robin's who come back to our area and build a nest and raise their young.
Most of the time the big maple has a family..........but this year a mother is sitting on a nest just under the corner eave and on top of the down spout. I had noticed one of them flying into that area so I got nosy and investigated and lo and behold........LOL always wanted to use that phrase.........Lo and Behold........anyhooo.........there is a messy nest, with over flowing grass and hay and just above my ability to see is the nest I can see MAMA sitting on the nest. I took my camera out hoping I could get a good picture of it. Wouldn't you know I am to short to hold my camera up high enough plus click the button on top..............But, mama holds her head as if she is posing and I moved to another place and she turned that way. I am sure she was just looking to see if I meant harm.......but it tickled me to think she liked having her picture taken. Mr Robin keeps me company through the day and neither one of them get excited when I step outside. My critters, I mean God's critters are keeping me amused.
Oh, today I have a half grown squirrel playing in the trees here........just like a kitten would play if he was learning how to climb trees and that Life is good.  Ok enough I will go out and see if I have (FYI) the first squirrel has company..........maybe my winter squirrel has brought its kids to play.

Amazing Hummingbirds of Canada



From British Columbia the summer home of a variety of tropical hummingbirds, this close and
slow look at amazing hummingbirds. Soundtrack is 'The Orient' by Alex Yiannaras www.elixirion.com

..............................................



The baby hummingbirds hatched today! Here's a quick glimpse of the the baby hummers.
The mother was very protective, she shoo me away!

.............................................



Published on May 8, 2012

A beautiful documentary which follows mama and two baby Allen's hummingbirds from birth to fledging the nest. Shot in Los Angeles, California. High Definition. Original Music by Sheri Watson from her album "Shuniya." Stills shot with Nikon D80. Motion film and stills shot with Canon Powershot SD780is Digital Elf. PLEASE NOTE: Hummingbirds are federally protected wildlife. Do not attempt to rescue or interfere with a hummingbird without first contacting your local Hummingbird Rescue for information. All filming of this video was done only after being in contact with licensed Hummingbird Rescue experts for guidance.

We don't have a butterfly thread so I am going to put this here.  I found a caterpillar this evening that I can't identify.  It was about two inches long, black all over with short black spikes and a line of red dots along it's back.  I can't find anything close enough to it to identify it.  I would think it is a swallowtail but I couldn't find a picture of a swallowtail larva that matched it.  Does anyone know what kind of a butterfly it will become?  I should have taken a picture of it before returning it to the spot where I found it, but, as usual, I didn't think of it until it was too late.

      I have seen them before, but never thought to find out what they turned into. Time to get out the entomology books out.

 It sounds a little like an early stage Gypsy Moth, but before it has shed several times. They are dark, very spiney and have two rows of red dots  down the back and some blue dots at the head end.  It's probably not, but I can't think of anything else.

      And it could be a blackspikeasaurus reddoticus that turns into a flying monkey. That guess is as good as any that lack actual knowledge.  8)

      On another note. I think you are on the right track , Wilma, with it being a swallowtail of some kind. After many searches, the closest I found to what I remember seeing is the Pipevine or perhaps the Black swallowtail, but like you found, they don't look quite the same, although very similar. Hundreds of pages to look at. Might have to talk to some lepidoptra friends.

lepidotra friends?

      OOps. But really, I meant the hooka smoking caterpillar in Wonderland.

Yup. It figures..Lepidoptra are real lightweights. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  and definitely do lack actual knowledge. Reference books work well for most anybody.
Wilma,what kind of bush/plant was your caterpillar on? Was it eating?

It was on a post on the front porch and the nearest greenery is pansies.  In a pot next to the pansies is snapdragons.

      If you had consulted a reference, then you would know that Gypsy moths are nowhere near here.

I didn't think so. That's why I said it probably wasn't. They have been spreading west every year, thought perhaps they had gotten there finally. Ya don't know what you are missing. Some liberal should mail you a nice big box of them. 

       So you spoke before checking any reference. Interesting.

       We have hummingbird moths, fun to watch. We have plenty of diversity here, I would suggest not messing with mother nature, that has created many of the issues with predator/prey situations getting worse across the country.


      Wilma, I would guess your search popped up the swallowtails I mentioned. Anything close? By the way, many of the pillars with spiked appendages are actually a stinging type , but I found none of those in this region. The swallowtails were about the only ones here.

No, No, No! I did check my Butterflies of the World book ... More than 5,000 in it, but I didn't look downstairs for others that I used in school. I SAID  it probably wasn't Gypsy Moths, but you might have them by now for all I know. They are moving west quickly.  This is not a competition!                                         

Ok Wilma, I went down stairs and poked through my reference books. I might have found your critter in the Audubon Field Guide to North American Butterflies.( If you have it too, then don't bother with what I'm going to write.) It's a nice book because it has not just the butterflies and photographs but also the caterpillars and the chyrsalis info. and photographs.
I think Bull is right because  it does seem to be the Pipestem Swallowtail, also known as the Blue Swallowtail. The book has a good photo of the caterpillar. It is all black, has  short spines, two longer antenna and it looks like two rows of red or reddish orange spots down it's back. It doesn't have the big "head" and false eye spots that some do. When they eat Pipevine they pick up a nasty taste that birds don't like.

       The only thing is, Wilma said it had only one row of dots, so that throws a kink in ID.

      Just couldn't find anything from here that would be a better match than a swallowtail of some kind.

I don't have that book, but with your notes to start with, I found the Blue Swallowtail and I have seen that butterfly around here.  The picture of the larvae doesn't match the caterpiller that I found, but mine might have been in a different stage of development than the picture.   The next time we go to the big city and have the time we will find a book on butterflies, probably not the same one you have since you have already searched it.  It sounds like a very comprehensive book.

Please describe the Blue Swallow Tail caterpillar your picture had. Was it black too? You might try the Howard library....or is that the big city...HA!

No, Howard is not the big city.  My big city is Wichita and we have a couple of favorite book stores that we patronize.

My caterpiller was all black with black spikes and a single line of red dots down it's back.  The blue swallowtail butterfly larvae that I found a picture of had orange spikes and orange spots.  But, as I said, it is possible that my caterpiller was in a different stage of development than the pictures.

While on the subject, I want to thank the people that have done research on this to try to help me.  I really appreciate it as my eyes have a tendency to quit on me after a little bit of concentrated studying of the computer screen.

Ok one more try as I'm watching the weather channel. Looks very bad.
I'm sure you know what;s up including injuries with some of the storm chasers...at the fair ground right now.Anyway, if you do Google,look up Pipevine butterflies, scroll down and look on the right.They have the same caterpillar photo as my book.

Do you all still have your hummingbirds?  I still have as many as three, but I expect them to be gone any day now.

My hummers keep me entertained each day. I am sure they are the migrating ones. But, all the flowers are still blooming and until it frosts, etc, I am sure they will still be coming. I am seeing more of the winter/fall birds coming into the area. Still got a few weeks left of summerish days. (I hope! I am in no hurry for winter!)

We counted five birds this morning and later there was a praying mantis on the hook holding the feeder.  The little birds tried to get  him to leave, but I think he was feasting on the ants that find their way up the hook to the sweet stuff.  I took my little camera and camped as close to the feeder as I could.  Needless to say, the little birds were unhappy with me, too.  I was buzzed numeous times while I snapped away hoping for at least one good picture.  Here is the best that I got.  The mantis is on the hook directly below the red dot.  The sun hadn't reached this spot yet or the pictures would have been better.  One of the little birds had a tiny red spot on his breast that when the sun reached it, flashed like a tiny ruby stick pin.

Wilma, most years I am blessed with a family of praying mantis.......this year I haven't seen them.
If you watch they are famous for sitting near a hummingbird feeder hoping to catch a hummer.....yes, they are catchers of hummingbirds. There is a site on internet about this with pictures to match.

Don't know how to post it here in forum....but last year 2 of them camped out on or near my feeder. My birds know I stand out there a lot a usually ignore me. If I stand still. I did get a picture of one under the feeder while the bird was on the perch. The bird made sure he was on the opposite side of where the bug was.

I watched them for several days. Like I said, they are my entertainment.

I took this picture today, then I moved one of them to some flowers.  I didn't know that they would catch hummingbirds.  Maybe I should go move the other one, too.

I like that the praying mantis' keep the ants and fly's under control.

Another thing about hummingbirds, the spiders catch them in the spider webs. Each critter has a preditor and I find
it fasinating to read and watch them at work. (you know part of a hummingbirds nest is spider webs.)

I am not ready for winter. Don't feel I have had a long enough summer.
Guess I better start planning putting plastic on windows. Sure wish I had a kid (or hubby) to help. Maybe I can talk someone at church to help. Not today........Going to start with a nice walk.

I think our hummers will leave on the next north wind. They are really fat little sausages now. I'll really miss their antics.

I haven't seen a hummingbird for three days now and it definitely feels like fall here.

My hummers have been gone for almost 2 weeks. Flowers are still blooming so if a straggler or more come by there is still plenty to eat. Yes, I think fall is here. I hope it is a long fall. I am in no hurry for winter.

I haven't seen a hummingbird lately,but the hummingbird moths have been on the honeysuckle by the door.Has anyone seen a whooly booger catapiller yet,if so what did its band look like? I seen a all brown furry caterpillar,i don't think it was a whooly booger.

I still had a few hummers when I left last Friday, but haven't seen any since I came home yesterday. Lots of butterflies, particularly yellow sulphurs in the red salvia. Dozens of them. That is a good plant for butterflies and hummers both. I have a budlea planted not far from that, and they like it too but not so much. Happy fall you all!  :D :D Deb, fishies are doing great. I am going to try and bring in some of the water lettuce for the winter. Let you know how it does.  ;)

I hunted up this thread so that I could post that I haven't seen a hummer for three days now and that it is beginning to feel like fall here. 

Looks as if I have already done that.

Our hummers left 3 weeks ago, but have had two pass throughs stop at the feeder and then continue on.The one took a last sip from a flower near the front porch where I was sitting ,took a look at me and then zipped off not to be seen again.We still have a good many butterflies, especially at the Everblooming Abelia.The sweet little Chickadees are happy pulling seeds from the Cone flowers and the feeders and the little bright eyed it mouses(Tit Mice?) and also.The fussy Blue Jays holds court out back every morning and the rest of our stay at home birds come and go as they please.The city truck came through  once already to suck up leaves, but there aren't that many on the ground yet...soon.Happy crunchy leaves day.

It has been a sad week here for me.  All summer there have been two ring-necked doves visiting my feeder.  This week I have been seeing only one dove.  At first this dove would sit in the catalpa tree expectantly, then fly down to feed, all the while seeming to expect something or someone.  Yesterday, it was not quite so expectant.  Yesterday, it seemed to have lost the expectancy and had a more dejected attitude.  I am missing the other dove, too.  I suspect that the Cooper's Hawk that has been hanging around has had something to do with the other dove's disappearance.  Perhaps my little lonesome dove will find another mate soon.

Our Mourning Doves have begun to pair off, are courting and carrying stuff in their beaks.They make a horrible flimsy flat nest that I'm amazed the babies can stay in. It's 60 right now with some sun and very mellow outside. I went out to sit in the sun and get my vtamin D. It felt so good.

I am afraid that my fears for my dove have been confirmed.  Yesterday, while I was moving some leaves around, I found a tuft of soft gray feathers.  Not a very big tuft, just about the size that a claw or talon would displace.  I am hoping that this was a catch and escape as there were no wing or tail feathers in the area.  However, if it were talons that did the damage, the bird would have been carried off and no other sign would be found.  I am still seeing only the one little lonesome dove, but still hoping.

The buzzards are back in Upola,the bushes are blooming so it feels like spring.I would say a brown whooly booger means a easy winter or at least dry.It was nice to get that little rain day before last.Anyone else get any?

There are three Eurasian doves that visit my yard on a regular basis. Two are mated, and the single must have lost its' mate several years back. They do mate for life, and if something happens to one, the other is single for the duration. Pretty sad. These three do so enjoy the cracked corn we put our for them. We feed that on a regular basis to the squirrels, and on the ground for grackles and such. This leaves the more expensive thistle untouched for the pretty goldfinches.  And we have had many of those the past couple of weeks. Funny how this changing weather has changed the bird populations. I for one have not seen a vulture yet. Mayhap I am not looking hard enough?

We have local vultures that soar a route over our house and area every afternoon. Our Goldfinches are beginning to pick up color. Happy Easter.

Diane whenever we see Vultures Soaring around we each say they are looking for us, maybe they are, but since we are not Dead yet, we get a good laugh out of it. Hope this finds you and yours enjoying Easter and an Easter egg Hunt where you are.

We have seen lots of vultures while on the last few trips we have made to Wichita.  Mostly in the old familiar places.  I think we can expect the hummingbirds in a couple more weeks now.
 
I haven't told you, but I think my little lost dove returned.  Perhaps it had been injured and disappeared only long enough to heal.  For about a week the pair was frequently at my feeder and their favorite perching place in the catalpa tree.  Now there is only one at a time again.  I believe that the nesting has begun and that one day the one will be too busy to spend much time just perching.  I haven't seen either of them today as the snow has been so heavy that most of the birds are still recovering from shock.  The cardinals are always brave, the first to show up in the morning and the last to say "good night".

Have a good Easter Day.

My Easter egg hunt was mainly finding the hard boiled eggs I cooked two days ago to use in this morning's annual Golden Rod eggs for breakfast.They were in the back of the refrigerator,hidden behind a big head of lettuce. I knew they had to be in there somewhere.There are lots of hunts for the local kids...almost too many. Happy Easter to all.

Big treat this morning.  A white winged dove was feeding at my window feeder.  It took me several moments to figure out that this was not a ring necked dove or a turtle dove.  I was busy looking for the black ring or the spots on the wing and completely overlooked the white strip along the the wing until it flew.  This dove is slightly smaller than the ring necked and bigger than the turtle dove.  It was also a bit more curious as it kept looking in at us instead of just eating.

I wasn't familiar with that kind so I checked them out. Very pretty. We don't have that kind here, just the Mourning Doves, as far as I know.
Any birds around here today better be carrying a bag of rocks. 60 mph winds, with many power outages and tree and limb loss, but not right here, fortunately.

I had a male Ana's Hummingbird, finally, and my Collared Doves have begun feeding again in the back yard.  Hoping the weather tomorrow doesn't destroy all of my iris, as their blooms are particularly big this year. :-[

We only get Ruby Throated Hummers and he is due back this week. The feeders are up, so he can have a good meal when he arrives. Have a good sweet smelling day.
You must have a storm coming? We may have one this afternoon too. My Iris aren't out yet, but the Lilacs sure smell nice, as do the Lilies of the Valley.

Our after-school tutoring program was cancelled today due to the impending weather...Which has yet to materialize in the manner predicted.  uuuggghhhh  Actually, it's a blessing that the predictions didn't come to full fruition.  Just not happy with the loss of income.

I'm very glad your storm didn't happen. Ours was just a wee one. Lots of noise but not much rain. After talking about him, the hummer showed up yesterday afternoon. He went right to the feeder and took a big swig and went off into a bushy evergreen, probably for a long nap.

Saw a hummingbird this morning, the first of the season.  I couldn't identify him as he was in a climbing rose and I was inside the house, looking through a window.  I think I saw him very early, while it was still dark enough that there was no color to anything.  Some tiny thing was flying and made a U-turn.  It reminded me of the way the little birds fly.

There is always something hopeful and happy about the hummers arrivals. They come from so far, I'm always glad to see that at least some make it back every year. Enjoy!

The little female hummer arrived and enjoyed a long drink and a female wren has arrived .The male is showing her all the available properties to choose from. We have 5 Wren houses so he has to be a good realtor.

Our Catbirds returned yesterday and this morning I heard a Wood Thrush in the woods across the street. Everyone is back, so I put some mealworms out as a treat.
It's still really cold here, only 53 yesterday and today. Next week the Candian high that is affecting the Gulf Stream is supposed to move, so it should be "normal" next week. I want to get my plants in, but it's just been too cold.

We have had quite a treat here. A beautiful male Rose- Breasted Grosbeak has been hanging around the feeders for several days. Not uncommon, but they always move on. This pretty fellow is still here and now has not one, but two females with him. I'd never seen a female before. Same seed crushing beak, but lots of stripes. Perhaps they will set up house keeping and nest nearby.
It has not warmed up very much in spite of promises that it would. It just reached 54 yesterday. However, we are expected to have an extra hot mid summer...so who knows? We may go from heat on to air conditioning on with hardly any break in between. The heat still comes on at night. I may be forced to turn it off "just because."

We had one more pleasant surprise yesterday afternoon. A big Pileated Woodpecker showed up on a  tall fence post in our yard. He hung around for a time and then headed back into the woods again. What a rare treat.

I was treated to the sight of a rose-breasted grosbeak, also.  He was here only a few days, but having never seen one before, it was a real treat.

At least once a year a pileated woodpecker will visit my yard.  He works my trees over, then moves on to another yard.  It is easy to see where the model for Woody Woodpecker was found.