Bird feeding/Bird watching
SaVas
Posts: 250
Anyone else into feeding birds? Even though I live in the city, there are a few older trees in back that lend shelter to various birds, an while urban dwelling does not lead to many varieties, there is something about relaxing on my back porch watching birds at the feeders or getting wet in the bird bath.
Mainly what I see in the city are pigeons, mourning doves, house sparrows, starlings, house finches, robins (which in the spring the robins wake me up on my days off at 3am almost like clockwork with their song), but occasionally I see ruby throat hummingbirds, dark eyed juncos (winter bird in Missouri), goldfinches, several pairs of cardinals, brown creepers (rare in the city), and when I put the feeders out initially many moons ago, they attracted a juvenile Cooper's hawk, who from time to time shows up out of the blue and has a love of pigeons. Last year he decimated a pigeon on top of my car. It looked like a bloody murder on my car's roof. Feathers, guts, a wing, feet, head, and of course I was late for work that day, so couldnt rinse it off.
There is something peaceful about waking in the morning with a cup of coffee, a good mild/med cigar and my feathered friends fluttering about. I can sit outside for hours watching them and feel like I have not a care in the world while I puff away at a cigar or three.
Mainly what I see in the city are pigeons, mourning doves, house sparrows, starlings, house finches, robins (which in the spring the robins wake me up on my days off at 3am almost like clockwork with their song), but occasionally I see ruby throat hummingbirds, dark eyed juncos (winter bird in Missouri), goldfinches, several pairs of cardinals, brown creepers (rare in the city), and when I put the feeders out initially many moons ago, they attracted a juvenile Cooper's hawk, who from time to time shows up out of the blue and has a love of pigeons. Last year he decimated a pigeon on top of my car. It looked like a bloody murder on my car's roof. Feathers, guts, a wing, feet, head, and of course I was late for work that day, so couldnt rinse it off.
There is something peaceful about waking in the morning with a cup of coffee, a good mild/med cigar and my feathered friends fluttering about. I can sit outside for hours watching them and feel like I have not a care in the world while I puff away at a cigar or three.
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Comments
Yep! Been there, done that. You forgot to mention that the seed that gets scattered on the ground piles up, rots, and contributes to the stink. And blue jays..... Don't even get me started on those bastidges. I feed 'em .177 pellets, now. Hateful MF's......
I have 2 Green Cheek conures that sit outside with me in the morning for coffee on the warm days, and of course my dog. I don't leave food outside for the birds because of the bear problem...I have had bears on my deck at the patio door even without food around.
This Godlen Pheasant walked in front of my house last fall. Not native to here so no idea where it came from
You sir are the Rambo of the war on birds.
Well, sir, if you've watched as many of those dog-in-the-manger SOB's mess up everything for all the other birds as I have, I doubt you'd still find me so reprehensible. If they can't eat it or get to it to eat themselves, they'll either crap in it or chase all the other birds away. They're just plain despicable. I've watched jays do these things time and time again. I know they're protected by the songbird act as well as other various laws, but I doubt they're watching my backyard to keep me from potting the little bastidges whenever I can. Maybe I should stop pussyfooting around and say what I REALLY think of 'em, eh? LOL
I feel that you sir are A modern day hero. You do what we all would like too do, but we lack the Rambo quality that makes you famous. Wage war for all of us who would like to but can not for various reasons.
You're yanking my chain, right? LOL. :-)
Yeah, I grew up in the city and, believe me, there are creepers of many colors there. I much prefer small town life.
I figure that A bird in the frying pan is worth two flying around. You do eat what you kill don't you? Wild bird with A orange glaze served with A baked potato is A mighty fine supper.
Squirrel dumplings. Now that's A mighty fine meal all by it's self. Ever tried it?
In most instances, yes. I believe in that. In the case of blue jays, crows, and magpies, however, no I don't. I've seen the kind of things they'll eat and I wouldn't eat any of these birds any more than I'd eat a seagull. Would you? It's my opinion that eating any of these wouldn't be any different that eating a buzzard.
You may ask how that would be any different than eating bear meat... a bear being an omnivore, much like the trash-eating birds mentioned. I'd point out that a bear's principal diet changes somewhat based on the season and that proper care of the meat could make it more palatable. I don't believe the same could be said for crows, jays, and magpies.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy most birds. I put out feeders for the hummers and I'm ecstatic if a family of mockingbirds moves into the neighborhood. I love listening to them while on my patio with a stogie. Had a couple families of 'em until the f'ng bluejays chased 'em all away.
If you have access to one of those 'Havahart' type of traps just trap the l'il bastidge and haul him about 30 miles away and turn him loose. I've got one and it works like a charm.
They're opportunistic little buggers, aren't they? Where I live, animal control will lend out traps for a week at a time. Ya s'pose they do the same in your area? I bought my own but borrowed them before that.
My cat "cubber" (the one in my avatar) has got into fights twice with Racoons. He used to think he was the king of the neighbourhood until he ran into Racoons. Cost me a couple hundred bucks TWICE to have him sewn up at the vet's after both times. These buggers have good sized teeth on them, and can be vicious when cornered.
I had a couple of raccoons around my area, and after I found out they were hitting up my porch and nesting under it, I got some trap and trapped them. I took them out near the woods (about 10 miles away) and dropped them off. My wife wanted me to kill them but I cant, they are really cute. Dangerous yes, but cute. Damn things were trying to attack me when I let them out.
He will be vanquished.
But how do they taste? :-)