BIRDS

[sixdogsmom]

Larry, do you have hummers the year round, and are they always the same species? We only have them in the summer, mostly ruby throats with an occasional Annas'. I am certainly no expert, but they are certainly interesting to watch. Window collisions can be reduced by hanging bird pictures or suction cup sun catcher type things. Sometimes hummers just drop dead in flight, I suppose that happens to other birds too, although they have a hyper-charged system.

[larryJ]

With our weather, we have them all year.  Most of ours are the ruby throated type although I have seen others.  We have a swing, three-seater, in the front and sit out there a lot maybe about twenty feet from the feeder and just watch them weave and dive trying to get to the feeder.  Our feeders have perches and I have seen as many as five sitting there feeding at one time. 

Has anyone ever answered the question about dead birds?  I mean, there are millions of birds and yet you rarely see a dead one unless it was caught by a cat.  Where do they go?  With all the birds around, you would think there would be a lot more dead ones laying around.

Speaking of birds, I noticed a mockingbird nibbling at the apple tree today, but they are not singing yet.  I used to think when mockingbirds sang it was to attract mates, but I have been told that they sing to mark their territory.  Our neighbor has a huge Sago palm in the corner of his yard and there is always a mockingbird nest in there right above our apple tree.  Years ago, I heard the mockingbirds making their "clicking noise" which indicates they are upset or trying to scare a cat away.  A couple were sitting on the telephone wires in my back yard.  I went to see what all the noise was about.  There was a baby on the ground and they were scolding him.  He couldn't fly.  I pulled a lawn chair over to shield him from the sun and the parents attacked me, diving at my head.  I heard later that if a human touches a baby bird, the parents will abandon him.  I don't know how true that is.

Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

Parent birds will often take care of babies on the ground even if humans have touched them. Predators are a problem of course, but as you saw, some birds are very aggressive in trying to protect their babies. I had one very troublesome Mockingbird many years ago that would peck my head as I was unloading groceries from the car when the babies were near. I finally had to wear my hard hat!

[sixdogsmom]

Oh Diane, that is funny! Ha Ha! I can just picture it!

[Judy Harder]

I don't think it is too early for the first litter.
Usually our winters are milder then this one has been
and a few of the birds produce as many as five litters a
year.
They must get a head start if that is going to happen.

Yes, lots of them die due to the spring freeze and rain, etc.
Walking home from post office this morning I watched a pair of turtle
doves cooing at each other and it was courtship.

SPRING IS COMING                  SPRING IS COMING.....................SPRING IS COMING!!!!

[sixdogsmom]

WE Hope!------------We Hope! LOL!

[Diane Amberg]

Here we are in the middle of a major crippling snowstorm and there was a robin calling in a Maple tree in my back neighbor's yard. I can't keep up trying to keep the back feeder clear for the usual birds who are frantically eating. I measured the picnic table again a few minutes ago. 20'' and still snowing hard.

[Roma Jean Turner]

I will remember not to whine when we get our 3 to 5".  My neighbors daughter in Maryland called and said the snow is up to her husbands waist now and they expect another foot.

[Diane Amberg]

Maryland is really in the chute for this storm. The coast here has  been hit with wind too, may have taken away a lot of the beach sand. We are finally starting to ease up a little in the last few minutes, so maybe the worst is over now.

[larryJ]

As I sit here early this morning getting ready to make an entry to the forum, another hummer crashed into the sliding glass door about ten feet from me.   He is laying at the bottom of the slider in full view.  R.A.M.B.O. is not quite sure what happened, but is content to ignore the whole thing and stay right next to me in my chair.  Meanwhile, I  am watching the bird as I type, sort of a play-by-play thing.  Sometimes, it only takes them a few minutes to regain the composure and fly away.  I have held them in my hand while they do this.  This one seems to be more severely banged up as this happened about five minutes ago.  He did try to get on his feet, but now apparently has stopped moving.  I don't think he made it.  Sad.

Larryj