Laura, congrats! I had a good bird day too and feel like they are finally finding my feeder. It's been a few weeks of just grackles and mockingbirds. Then the sweet doves found it. Today I saw a beautiful pair of cardinals! As I was watching, I saw a couple hummingbirds fighting over coral vine blossoms too. They were here a long time and visited almost every flower in the garden. Little gluttons. One of the feeders has been taken over by the Orange Blossom Mouse (otherwise known as a citrus rat, or maybe a cotton mouse) and the birds leave that one alone.

That's wonderful Laura!! About time, after all the efforts you've made.

My eyesight is pretty awful, so I try to keep an old pair of binoculars handy. That way I can see their antics a lot more clearly.

I seem to have several "resident" birds here and lots of visitors. With the drought, many birds seem to be seeking out the birdbath. It just cracks me up how some of them are so polite about it and take turns while others just jump right in and disturb everyone there.

I had a raccoon manage to knock the top off the birdbath the other night (quite a feat since the top of that thing probably weighs 50 pounds.) He made an awful fuss because it trapped him for a little while but he managed to wriggle free. I don't think he'll be back anytime soon.

I feel very badly for the various critters because I think they're all looking for water. I have several water dishes set up outside the fence that I've been filling daily. I don't see anybody using them, but I feel better knowing I offered :)

Maureen

YIPPEE!! Laura-If you build it, they will come! Birds are a riot to watch. I just have too many ugly-ok I don't mean to call them names-cowbirds, grackels and my Lord Vadar Mockingbird. The real treat is the gentle mourning doves, the cardinal pair that keeps returning year after year and I have another bird lurking around I've yet to identify. He is similar to a mock but with a fuller chest and a black mask. I can't get close enough to ID him. Enjoy them. Laura! I am so glad they found you. Maureen on the other hand has to send some of her beautiful birds our way!

Laura, I'm SO happy you are finally starting to see birds!! YAY! I promise that more and more will come, especially a bit later in the year. And by fall, you'll probably have migrants passing through, too. By next spring, who knows WHAT you'll be seeing! If your feeder is too far away to see clearly, be sure to keep a pair of binoculars nearby. It will make all the difference in the world. Even the usual suspects look more interesting up close and personal.

Cindee, is this your masked mockingbird impersonator? If so, it is a loggerhead shrike, and a VERY interesting bird. Often called "butcher bird" for its habit of starting a larder to stash its kills, the shrike is getting less and less common with each passing year. Though they are classified as perching songbirds (passerines), they are really little birds of prey. They kill grasshoppers, mice, lizards and even smaller birds from time to time, and often impale them on thorns or barbed wire until they are ready to dine. It is quite bizarre to stumble on a shrike's larder and see all these little critters hanging there, waiting for the bird to come back and eat. No other bird that I'm aware of does this. (And no, your yard birds are most likely NOT in danger from them. It is only occasionally that they are able to catch prey the size of a bird.)

If this isn't your guy, let me know, and I'll put on my thinking cap again!

Marcia

Marcia I've seen those bugs impaled on barbed wire. At first I didn't know what was going on but then found it was a bird that had done it.

Maureen=I've had my share of cats and raccoons knocking the top of the bird bath. This time I got a small/low BB that is one piece.

We are still looking to move so I'm taking all my feeders and birdbaths with me and I'll have to start over! However the more houses we look at the more confused we become.

Marcia-could be the shrike! It usually sits on the wires above the front yard. Hopefully I'll have a may camera next time or my binocs so I can zoom in and get a better look at him. Thanks for the pic

Yaaa Laura's got birds! You are in for hours of enjoyment.

Wow he's handsome! I haven't seen him in my yard...yet!

Cindee, the shrike's favorite perch for hunting is a utility wire. He will swoop down on lizards and things from there. As far as I know, it is the only bird similar in coloring to a mocker with a black mask, so I suspect that's what you've got. A picture would be great, though!

Marcia

I TOO have just created a small bird area but have seen no birds. I am waiting..I bought some seeds from the store it is was mix...I have a feeder with perches on all 4 side. I am not familiar with the florida birds..I can t believe the food has been out 4 days and has not been touched. In Wa state I would be lucky if this feeder lasted ONE DAY

Since my first sighting I've only seen birds 1 other time. It takes time for them to find the feeders and get comfortale with the area (quoting marcia). I didn't fill my feeders all the way up because I knew that a lot of the seed would go to waste sitting there waiting for the birds to find it. Yesterday I put in fresh seed hoping that would help.

Thanks Laural I took your advice and unloaded the feeder to about a third is there a specific food that florida birds like? I have not seen familiar feed here so I didnt know what to buy

I don't know anything about bird seed. I haven't gotten that far with the whole bird thing yet. But, right after I made the above post I went and saw some cardinals and the shrike that Marcia mentioned. Now the birds are gone but butterflies and squirrels are out there. I scattered the old seed on the ground. Since I got the slinky for both feeds I haven't seen them on the feeders.

Cardinals love safflower seed and they prefer an open feeder (Wmart has one that's wood with an insert for a birdbath just take that out and fill) the mourning blue jays and others will eat it as well, but the squirrels don't like it!
I also use black oil sunflower seeds the cardinals will eat it if I run out of safflower. I hang my feeders on a 6' multi hanger sheppard's hook using a squirrel baffle mounted about 4' up.
There are some online vendors that have lots of good info for you to refer to (Wild Birds Unlimited is one that I like)
Have fun it's a fun hobby lots of laughs!
Marion (BTW I was called Smitty when I was a kid)

Hi, guys! Glad you aren't giving up on your garden birds. It CAN take a long time for birds to both FIND and get brave enough to USE a new feeder. It depends on so many factors. In neighborhoods where everyone has lots of feeders around, a new one is accepted pretty easily. In areas where birds aren't routinely being fed via feeders, it looks strange to them, and they are cautious.

They can also be very fussy about where it is placed. If it is too close to bushes, they are afraid a predator might be lurking nearby. If it is too far AWAY from bushes, they feel too exposed.

If you can, try more than one feeder, and more than one location. (Like in real estate, it's "location, location, LOCATION!"). I recommend several different styles and more than one type of seed. Different birds like different things.

For cardinals, as Marion said, safflower seeds are a great choice. Squirrels don't eat them (usually) so you can use a tray type feeder and don't need to worry about putting a squirrel baffle on your post or hanging wire.

Feeders with small perches are good for smaller birds like titmice, sparrows, etc, but the larger birds like bluejays, blackbirds (and sometimes even cardinals) may not use them. They need more room to sit.

For a new set up, I would say at least one tray type feeder and one "house" type one with perches. If you have a squirrel problem, add a hubcap shaped baffle to your pole to keep them out of the tray, and fill the second feeder with safflower seeds. Titmice like safflower, too, and so do white-winged doves, if you are lucky enough to have some of those, like I have at this house.

Don't put up finch feeders or thistle (niger) finch seed, as we don't have any here now. You only use that during migration for the goldfinches that are passing through. During those times, though, it's a great addition, as they can stay for several weeks, filling your yard with loads of yellow and black birds.

And don't forget water! Even more important than food. And it will draw birds that aren't seed eaters, too, like mockingbirds, thrashers, catbirds, etc. If you are on a budget, you can fill large plant saucers with water and place them on upside down pots. But keep the water only 2 to 3 inches deep, and make sure it is fresh. (I refill daily, while hand watering plants).

Hope this tips will help. If you have other questions, give a holler!

Good luck!
Marcia