Hey, Claire,

I don't know about you but we are filling our feeders every day. So many Birds!

I'm trying to get my identification skills up to speed. Hard to tell the dif between a House Finch and a Purple Finch. I need to study my chart/poster.

Thanks for the link. And, the Hummingbird is amazing!

sooey

Great shots of the nesting hummers!

I took down my feeders in the spring because we were doing a big construction project in the back yard and I knew I wouldn't have time to keep them clean and full. I had a great crop of volunteer sunflowers from the spilled seed, though, and really enjoyed watching the finches and other birds work them over all season.

Oh! Thank you for this information! My husband began working from home a year ago. Over time, he got a bit tired of feeling "all alone" during the workday. So he set up 4 feeders right outside the home office windows.

At first, I thought he was losing his mind. He started giving me daily reports of the bird activity in the yard. Next thing I knew, he had purchased a book on bird species so he could look them up as they came to feed. Next, I noticed binoculars on his desk (for viewing the birds in the lake across the street or on the other side of the road). He was going bird crazy!

I didn't finally appreciate our flighty little friends until just a few weeks ago. On vacation I was sitting at the desk researching plants for the yard when I noticed the sweetest little bird song. I looked out the window and saw this adorable, little grey bird sitting there, looking right at me. The hubbie informed me it was a nuthatch. Then this rather curious looking creature w/ a LONG bill came flying up. I forget what he said that bird was. But, in short, in 15 minutes, 5 different bird species came and went.

It was fascinating. I'm passing this info on to him. I'm sure he'd LOVE to participate and he has the perfect daytime venue to do so!

sooey:

It took me a full season before I decided I had house finches, not purple finches.

This helped:

House Finch vs. Purple Finch

...and then there are all of the little brown birds... I'll probably never ID them all.

Now that the grackles are mostly gone, I don't have to fill the feeders every day; usually every other day. Of course I spread birdseed on the ground as well as fill feeders, so there's a lot of food out there. I also have volunteer birdseed sunflowers all over and the goldfinches love them.

The catbirds feast on the pokeberries just outside my kitchen windows and yell at me If I presume to look at them.

Lots of birds out there.

Claire

Hey, claire,

I checked out the House Finch/Purple Fince section of the Cornell site. I don't think I have a problem with the Males as much as I do with the Females. After looking at the site and, my Petersons Guide, I think I am seeing Female House Finch. It's not an easy call to make this time of year...add the juvenils to the mix and it becomes even more difficult.

I don't get grackles. But then again, I only offer safflower and thistle right now. I will add a sunflower seed feeder as soon as I can string up a cable between two trees. I'll also offer suet during the winter. I try to keep the Squirrels and House Sparrows away so I have to plan it all out. Ooooo, I also want to get a rooting box. So much to do!

sooey

Hey, ponce418, it sounds like your husband is having a good time watching the birds. It's easy to get hooked. I love the combo of birds and gardening. One adds so much life to the other. I hope he enjoys it!

sooey

Just bumping this up - Project FeederWatch has started for this year.

Claire

I seem to be having a lull at the feeders this week for some reason. I had an influx of birds for awhile there so I am not sure what happened. I still see our faithful little chickadees though. I will have to start paying more attention. I was just looking around the Project Feederwatch site and it is looking a little complicated to interact with the website in order to participate. Did anyone else find that?

pm2

I just looked at the site, it is a little complicated. You need to start with the "About FeederWatch" tab and then click on the join link.

Signup for Project FeederWatch

It's not immediate; they send you a research kit after you've paid.

I've also had a lull at the feeders this week - I just figured the hawk was around again. The feeders will be empty, then a little later in the day the birds will be back.

Claire

Thanks Claire....still a lull today. Haven't seen one bird. I seem to remember this happened last year too. I am going to have to start tracking it to see if there is a pattern here.

Thanks for the link. :-)

Hi Kids!

We have had a lull in the birds this week also. Not many around at all. During the high time which, here on our part of the Cape is September - early November, I need to fill the safflower tube every day. Now, I only have to fill it every three days. We use to have a lot of Gold Finch that would be at the thistle tube constantly. This summer and so far this fall, their numbers have been way down. I have had to fill the thistle feeder only twice since the middle of August. It will be interesting to see what others are seeing at their feeders as the Project gets going.

Thanks, Claire, for bumping this post up.

sooey, I was noticing that I haven't seen a goldfinch in quite awhile even though they were here this summer. Usually they hang around to eat the seeds off the cosmos but not this year. We did have a run on the feeders in October for a couple of weeks. Woodpeckers, tufted titmouse, nuthatches and juncos which I thought were early. Maybe the birds are as confused as the plants are by our climate changes.
pm2

Hi pm,

I think the huge influx of birds we saw at our feeders from the end of August until just a few weeks ago was due to the fall migration. Migrating birds stop for a day or more to eat as much as they can before they continue on their way. It was very noticable in our yard. We had days that the safflower feeder was empty in less than 24 hours.

I like to hear the Gold Finch when they fly. I think they are the little birds that sing when they flap their wings...like a tennis player grunts as they hit the ball. Last winter they would sit in groups of up to 6 on the thistle tube and just eat and eat and eat. For them, eating was a communal experience. I've always liked Gold Finch and only wish that I got enough sun in my yard so I could grow some cosmos. You are right...they love them!

sooey

Goldfinches really are cool birds! I leave the spent flowers on my (rampant) common coreopsis because it's so much fun to watch them eat the seeds in late summer. The bloom period lasts longer if you deadhead them, but it's worth it to let them go to seed. I think the goldfinches have all gone south by now, sadly.

Hope to get my feeders up soon - I'm so far behind with fall preparations this year that it isn't even funny.

sooey and dtd, I used to have a 15x12 ft bed between my driveway and the front walkway that was full of full sun perennials. The lanceleaf coreopsis, is that the one you are talking about? I had those and Rudbeckia,sedums, coneflower,cosmos, asclepias, bronze fennel...lots of different things all growing together and self seeding. I had to take the Rudbeckia goldstrum completely out of the bed after the first 2 years because it was running all over everything else, but after that the bed lasted me about 8 years before I had to do anything to it..lol. The goldfinches really loved that bed.

But, it just got too wild for the front yard and last year we ripped everything out. Moved some things to the back, enlarged the front bed just by a couple of feet and bermed it up a little and mulched it for the winter. This year we replanted it with 3 roses in a center circle, one Pennisetum Hamelin on the corner leftover from the old bed and the rest was filled in with winter sown perennials and annuals. For a first year bed, it looked really great and I am looking forward to next year. My neighbors who live across the street never complained about the wild bed even when I left all the dead plants for the birds all winter, but they sure were happy when we replanted this year.

The birds are not as interested in it, of course. I am trying to get some of my back borders to hold the plants that will attract them back again, but I don't have as much sun in the back. Always a work in progress. :-)

We have been leaving our feeders up year round. We just cleaned ours out and got them back up again. I had positioned the sprinkler in such a way that the feeder evidently was soaked and when we went to clean it out there were about 20 sunflower seedlings coming up in the middle of it..lol. It does get expensive for bird seed though. We keep it to just two feeders. One is a large 3 tube that we fill 2 sleeves with safflower and one with thistle. The squirrels ignore that feeder entirely and the other is a small squirrel proof feeder with black oil sunflower in it.

So what do you still have to do dtd? I finished with my garden for the year finally just a few days ago. This is probably one of the few years that I feel like I am on schedule and the only way I could do it was to hire someone to help. I am very happy that I did. It was worth every penny. I am looking forward to starting the spring off on the right foot.

pm2

Hello, all!

I just put our feeders back up. I took them down for the summer, as I knew I couldn't keep them clean and full with all the other garden delights calling! But within an hour of hanging them, we had lots of little visitors -- mostly chickadees, sparrows, and blue jays. I am so happy to have those living creatures adding their joy to my drowsing garden.

We have a squirrel-proof sunflower tube, a thistle tube and a suet feeder in the front yard, and another sunflower tube in the back. I wonder who will visit the thistle feeder if the goldfinches have left town already? Also, no one visits the suet yet. I would love to attract cardinals. I see them fly by, but they don't stop at my house.

Thanks for turning us on to birds last winter!

I still have goldfinches, and the house finches will stay all winter. My cardinals much prefer to eat on the ground - they'll visit my hopper feeder once in a while, but I've never seen them on my tube feeder. They also seem to prefer to come at dusk with the native sparrows, when it's getting dark and hard to see them.

Downy woodpeckers, tufted titmice, chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays like the suet feeder.

I think sooey's right about the migrating birds crowding the feeders in the fall. I noticed that I had many more birds hitting the windows then - the regulars know better. I'm still trying to find a good way to block the reflections on the glass. Has anyone had good luck doing that?

I just got a heated birdbath and put it out yesterday afternoon. I haven't seen any birds there yet - it's on the other side of the house. I broke the ice and refilled the metal birdbath this morning.

Claire

Claire,

I haven't had a problem with the windows here for some reason, so no ideas of how to manage that beyond the usual stickers on the glass? I haven't tried a heated birdbath yet, I will be interested to hear how it works out for you this winter and if you notice a difference.

Gosh, pm...it sounds like you have a perfect area for anything sun loving. You and the birds are very lucky. I have a very limited area that gets full sun and that is only for about 6 hours a day. The rest of my yard is dappled sun to full shade. Our front yard is a no lawn, Cape Cod natural. Not much work but not a lot of fun.

Wow, claire...you have me re-thinking the Cardnials...I think I need to give up on the idea of seeing them in great numbers at the tube feeders...I have seen them there but not as often as I would hope and, when I do see them, they look uncomfortable. Are they too big for the feeders I have...like trying to fit a 6'5" man into a tiny, compact car? It can be done but it doesn't feel very good. I need to look for Cardinals on the ground! My tube feeders are Droll Yankees. Are the temps in Plymouth so much different from ours in Brewster? You have already had ice in your bird bath and we haven't had a frost yet.

mayalena...what kind of squirrel proof tube feeder do you have? I just put up my first tube feeder that will be used for sunflower seeds. I have avoided using sunflower seeds because of the squirrels. They stay away from the feeders with safflower seeds and are not interested in thistle...but they will empty a tube of sunflower seeds in no time. I would love to know what feeder you are using and, if it works.

My first days of counting for PFW will be this Tuesday and Wednesday. I look forward to getting started. Oooo...I need to get some suet...

sooey

sooey: I read somewhere (I don't remember where) that cardinals want to be able to see ahead and around when they feed. I guess that balancing on a little peg and having to stick your head in a hole in a tube to eat isn't very appealing to them.

The cardinals here are always looking around suspiciously - they seem to post guards; one male will be in a shrub looking around while the others eat.

Hopper feeders are probably a compromise; not as safe as the ground, but not too unsafe.

The finches, on the other hand, just happily belly-up to the tube and nosh away. My tube feeder is also Droll Yankee.

We haven't really had a serious frost yet. The ice is in a copper pedestal birdbath - the plastic trays on the ground have only iced up once or twice. South Plymouth is probably a tad colder than Brewster - maybe because we've only got water on one side of us; you're on a peninsula with water on two sides.

Claire

Hey sooey! I was just browsing the Droll Yankee website, and I found they have

1. seed trays that screw onto the bottom of tube feeders, and

2. a Giant Seed Tray and Squirrel Guard to mount on a pole - they say it makes a great cardinal tray.

Something like these might help lure cardinals to your feeders.

Claire

And then there'sDorothy's Cardinal Feeder .....

Claire

Wow! That's some cardinal feeder! It is SO easy to spend money on birds, it turns out....

My 'squirrel-proof' feeder is from Wild Birds Unlimited, or something like that. It is a clear plastic tube with a cage around it and perches sticking out of the cage by the openings in the tube. When a lightweight creature lands on the cage, they can access the seed, but when a heavier critter lands on the cage, their weight pulls the cage down, closing the holes accessing the seeds. I didn't see it on their website this time, but I think the home page has a picture of 2 birds perched on it. So far (last winter), it's worked (but admitting it is the kiss of death, right?).

So with hoppers and trays, aren't there more cleaning issues?

Could you post pics of your bird-feeding set-ups?

Thanks,
ML

sooey...I do have that front yard space that is the only place on the property that is full sun all day. In the back, my yard is like yours, 6-7 hours is about the most I have in any one spot. Most of the yard is part shade and full shade. I would love a 'no-lawn' front yard! Do you have something else growing there? I get cardinals in the yard and I have seen them on my 3 tube feeders that hold thistle and safflower. I also have a couple of shrubs in the yard with some berries on them. They seem to be almost shy birds and I see them at sundown a lot, just before it gets dark. I have a squirrel proof feeder. I have had a few. [g] I had the one that closes by springs when a larger bird or animal tries to access the seed. I did have an expensive one that lasted a fairly long time but they are metal and will rust and need to be repainted once in awhile. Then we bought an inexpensive spring loaded one and that one only lasted a year before the mechanism broke. Now we have the feeder that is a feeder inside a cage. I was surprised that it actually does keep the squirrels and large birds out of it. One is actually round like a globe and the squirrel does get on the feeder and tries to shake it to get a few seed stuck in the bottom to drop...lol. Since we have had it, going on 2 years, we have only had a bird get stuck in it once and luckily my DH was out in the yard at the time and was able to safely get the chickadee out.

pm2

Wow! Had a red-bellied woodpecker -- really! -- on my tube feeder this morning. Gorgeous! My book says they are extending their range north into MA -- I guess I am proof!
Also, read that thistle seed might be dry, and if I buy new, maybe thistle eaters will come. Do you believe this, or is it just marketing? Mine is left from last spring, but was stored carefully.

Re cleaning issues: I've never had a tray; I just have a hopper and a tube feeder so far (and suet cages).

Until I learned to completely empty out the tube feeder before refilling it, I had problems with the bottom seed getting moldy. The birds would suddenly not eat out of the bottom ports, and I'd have to thoroughly clean the tube to get rid of the moldy stuff.

The hopper doesn't need much cleaning unless a driving rain gets the seed wet. Since the birds eat from the bottom, there's a good turnover of seed, although sometimes a mound builds up in the center which they can't reach.

I've had a couple of red-bellied woodpeckers this year. Unfortunately a Cooper's Hawk got one of them. I had some two years ago also. Lovely birds.

I have no idea about the thistle seed being dry, but why not try new (just don't throw out the old yet).

I'm still using a film camera so there's an annoying delay between my taking photos and actually getting them on a CD.

And yes, it's VERY easy to spend lots of money on the birds....

Claire

There were some big warnings about feeding birds this year that led to their deaths. They were asking people in some areas not to feed the birds until after the migration. This was posted somewhere else, perhaps on this forum.

Quoted:
Bird deaths from bacteria spur advisory
By Warren King

Seattle Times medical reporter

Friends of wild birds, beware: Feeding your feathered friends can be hazardous to their health.

They could be hit with salmonella bacteria that are spreading through feeders and bird baths and have killed dozens of wild birds statewide in recent weeks, especially in Western Washington.

State wildlife officials are recommending that people stop feeding wild birds, at least for several weeks  but preferably until the autumn migration.

At the very least, disperse your feeders and scrub them down daily with a mixture of water and bleach (10 percent) to kill any salmonella, which thrives in bird droppings. Bird baths should be rinsed out daily with a hose.

Dr. Kristin Mansfield, a veterinarian for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the department has received about 50 recent reports of dead pine siskins, goldfinches and purple finches across the state. Tests at Washington State University showed they all had salmonellosis, which is often fatal in birds. The outbreak could continue through the summer, Mansfield said.

Signs of the disease include ruffled feathers, severe lethargy and diarrhea. Many birds die within three days. But others don't show symptoms and can carry the salmonella for longer periods.

Mansfield and the National Wildlife Health Center said that, along with cleaning feeders and baths, it's important to clean up waste seed and droppings below feeders.

Though it's uncommon, state officials said humans can become infected by direct contact with sick birds, their droppings or cats that catch sick birds. Officials also said those who handle birds, feeders or bird baths should wear gloves and wash their hands afterward.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003739268_birdfeeders08m.html

Thanks for bring this to our attention. The issue obviously is important to people feeding birds on the west coast, but the immediate problem seems to have abated.

"It's been several weeks since we've received any reports consistent with salmonellosis, so from a disease-prevention standpoint it appears to be safe to start feeding birds again," said Kristin Mansfield, WDFW veterinarian. "But people should make sure they clean and disinfect their feeders on a regular basis.

WDFW Gives Greenlight on Bird Feeding!

Until we get a similar warning from the east coast bird establishment I don't think we need to worry about a major salmonellosis epidemic here in New England.

Normal feeder hygiene should prevail, but keep them filled.

Claire

That is good to know. I did not know that bird feeders and baths created problems like that. I was a bit surprised when I read the note... Suprised enough to copy and read it again!

Also, if you're inspired to go out and buy a new feeder, be really careful if you're tempted by the squirrel-proof ones that close up when a heavy bird or squirrel lands on one of the ports. I had one like that (which I think has been taken off the market, but I'm not sure) and it killed quite a few birds before I realized what was happening and took it down.

The ones which close just the port where the squirrel lands should be fine, but ones where a bird can be on the other side of the feeder when the port closes are very dangerous.

I had heard about those killer feeders, and was worried about mine at first, but no one has died at mine yet, so I assume it is safe(r)! The whole cage lowers over all of the ports, but I think the arrival of the squirrel frightens all of the birds away.
Anyone have suggestions for how to keep house sparrows from chasing away all of the natives? Do they really not eat safflower? I started yesterday with lots of chickadees and nuthatches, but by late morning, the sparrows had taken ove...and almost emptied the feeder!

I haven't tried varying the type of seed to repel the house sparrows, but here they seem to be on a different schedule than the natives. The finches, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches still come around - it's almost as if they check the traffic and come back later if the feeders are too crowded. It probably helps that there are many alternatives for them.

The nesting season is when it can get nasty with house sparrows getting territorial.

The house sparrows sure do eat a lot though.

I just took a look out the window - a bunch of house sparrows were eating on the ground and at the tube feeder. Then a blue jay suddenly appeared at the tube feeder, scaring away the sparrows (blue jays love doing that). The jay hung precariously from the feeder, as if to show that he could do it, then flew away. A chickadee immediately flew in to the empty feeder, then the house sparrows came back. Like a Virginia reel.

Claire

Hi Kids,

Claire, thanks for the info on the seed trays. I checked the web site and they show that I can find them at three different stores right in my area. I think I might have a 'Dorothy's Cardnial Feeder' right in my garage, but I didn't know that was what it was called. I'll call it 'Sooey's Bluebird Feeder'. I got it to feed live worms to my Bluebirds when we lived in CT. I think it needs a new center support, but that should be easy enough to order. I have several hooks on the house that I hang my plants from during the growing season. I will be able to use them for more feeders...'Dorothy's' among them. Thanks.

Oh, I forgot to respond the other day to your birds hitting the window question. Over the years here at the Cape house, I have had very few birds hit the windows. I was worried about that since I have a lot of windows. My feeders are just off the deck which we get to through a slider. Next to the slider are two windows, all very near the feeder location. I also hang a plant infront of each window and have plants on the floor in front of the slider. A lot of glass with a lot of green. I am surprised we do not seem to have a problem. So, I have no answer to your problem. We do keep our screens at the windows all year...that might cut down on the 'see through' quality to the glass.

pm - Our 'no lawn' front yard has two Oak Trees and two Pine trees. We put down mulch ever three or four years which is quickly covered with pine litter, needles and pitch. We pull out any weeds that grow up through the mulch and litter but that's about it.

We don't have any House Sparrows at our feeders or in our yard. Not sure why but, I'm happy about it. I hate HS! So far I am feeding with Thistle, Safflower and yesterday I added Black Oil Sunflower. I will add suet as soon as I find some.

sooey

Mayalena, the problem I had was that birds on the other side could not see the big guy - squirrel or whatever - coming. It was a large tube-shaped feeder with ports on all sides. The deaths were all in early summer, and the victims were all young birds. The guys at the bird store said they thought the young ones had their heads way into the feeder when it closed, just judging by the design of this particular feeder. (Nope, no refund, and it was an expensive item!) Our yard is fenced, so there were no cats or other foragers to carry away the bodies, otherwise I probably would not have known this was going on.

My newest squirrel-proof feeder is one of the ugly squarish ones; all the birds are on one side and will see if a squirrel approaches.

The water was frozen solid in the copper bird bath this morning, so I turned it on its side to thaw out. The water saucer on the ground had enough ice so that a mourning dove was walking around on it trying to figure out how to get a drink. This saucer I can turn over and I carefully stomp on it to break the ice.

The heated bird bath is on the other side of the house.

I went back in the house and a little later I glanced out and saw a ring-necked pheasant feeding on the ground under the tube feeder! I use a mixture of sunflower seed, cracked corn and thistle seed, so I guess it found something it liked.

I hope it comes back on one of my Project FeederWatch count days. And brings its friends and family.

Claire

Oh My Goodness, claire! A ring-necked pheasant in your yard! I hope, hope, hope he comes back and, often! How beautiful.

A big frost has hit Brewster. When I went out on the deck yesterday morning, the last of my flowers did not look happy. They still have a little life left in them but, not much. I had to take some I ice from the bird bath so it is now plugged in for the season. Seems a little early but, ice is ice... The birds need the water.

The new tube feeder I put up last Sunday with the black oil sunflower seeds has been a hit with the birds. They discovered it by mid-morning on Monday. By noon, the tube was down by 1/3. The best part is...so far, no squirrels! I know they will figure it out one day soon, but for now, not a single squirrels has made a meal of black oil sunflower seeds in my yard...except for what hits the ground naturally. I go to the Bird Watchers Store in Orleans tomorrow for more seed and to check out the seed trays.

I look forward to tomorrow and being back to normal after the holiday. I hope the Pheasant comes back, Claire. How fun it would be to have it as a frequent visitor to your yard! They are so beautiful.

Enjoy, everyone!

sooey

Hello, all!
So...the bird store recommended putting white millet on the ground near the thicket which is also the sparrow condo, as a way of keeping them off the other feeders so natives can get in -- and it's working relatively well so far. But...turns out that squirrels like millet too! Hmm. I've added a domed tray feeder with safflower, also, and so far the sparrows have mostly left it alone. I did see a female cardinal on the ground below it cleaning up fallen seed. I also changed my black oil sunflower tube off the deck over to safflower, in hopes that squirrels would stop emptying it every day -- but they seem just as content with safflower there. O well....
Most surprising to me, though, was the squirrel eating rose-hips yesterday. Lots of them! Untroubled by thorns! Is that typical squirrel food too?
Thanks for supporting this novice in her adventures....
Best,
ML

Oh Man...am I ever glad I don't have a problem with House Sparrows. We are far enough away from the locations they love...gas stations, malls, main street, etc. that I have not seen any at my feeders. I'm not saying I will never have them but, I have my sling shot at the ready...yikes...that sounds awful, even to me.

I have three seed feeders and one suet feeder. I offer Thistle, Safflower and Black Oil Sunflower. The squirrels do not like the Thistle feeder and do not bother the safflower. The Sunflower feeder was just added 12 days ago and so far I have not had a problem with squirrels. I watch them try to get to it, but so far, so good. I'm sure they will figure it out at some point and I will need to take action...don't know what action that will be but, in 12 days, I have only needed to filled it twice. As I type, there are four, fat squirrels eating the fallen seed on the ground below the feeder but, they have not figured out how to jump directly to the feeder.

I'm not sure about squirrels and rose hips. I'm sure they will eat anything that is avalable to them. I will not have any rose hips until this time next year...I hope...

A while ago mayalena asked "Could you post pics of your bird-feeding set-ups?",
and I responded "I'm still using a film camera so there's an annoying delay between my taking photos and actually getting them on a CD."

Well, I just got an early Christmas present - my very first digital camera!

so I've been busy figuring out how to use the thing and how to post pics of my feeders.

Combined tube and suet feeder with two squirrel baffles

Combined tube and suet feeder with moveable finial

Moveable finial (blue jay) in winterberry

Hopper feeder with two squirrel baffles isolated in field so squirrels can't jump on it from a tree

Two blue jays on hopper feeder as seen from house through winterberry

Copper bird bath

Saucer bird bath on ground with little birds

Heated bird bath on other side of house (issues of how to route cord so people like me won't trip on it)

I also have a free-standing suet feeder not shown here, and I broadcast seed on the ground for doves and squirrels and crows (and hopefully pheasants and towhees and turkeys ....)

Note that the plastic squirrel baffle doesn't work terribly well, but it does keep some rain and bird droppings off the feeders.

Claire

WOW, Claire! Congrats on the new camera! You're gonna love it! Good pics of your feeding stations and bird baths. Where did you get your copper bird bath? It looks like a nice one...clean and simple.

I'll try to find some time tomorrow to get a few shots of my feeders. I can get lots of pictures but my issue is posting them. I don't do it enough to remember from one time to the next. It's always a much larger production for me than it needs to be. I'll give it a shot.

What camera did you get? I look forward to seeing more. Love that moveable finial...

sooey

Great photos, thanks.

Sooey, you might try Google's Picassa web albums. It's free and has a downloadable plug-in (also free) that lets you easily upload your photos, then embed them in posts at different sizes - the small size is excellent for GW posts. The embedded images are also clickable, linked to the full-size image in your picassa web album.

I used to have a server here, which made it easy to serve images, but it crashed and I decided not to revive it since I mostly used it for images. The google alternative is just too easy to use. I know there are others that people like, this one's just my own fave.

Here is a link that might be useful: picassa at google

sooey:

I got the copper bird bath a few years ago at White Flower Farm (I had a gift certificate). It's the first bird bath to freeze up, being metal and above ground.

The camera is a Canon Powershot S5IS - 12X optical zoom so I can get shots of moveable finials if they sit still. Blue jays sit still for a while; at least that one seems to love standing on the shepherd's crook. Cardinals refuse to wait long enough for me to get the camera out, turn it on, fiddle with the LCD display, etc. ....

I haven't bothered to set up an account yet at Picassa, although I really like the thumbnails. I use Tiny Pic tinypic at google. You have to have your photos resized before you upload.

Claire

Hi, Kids,

These are my feeders. As you will see, they are kinda close to the house. That's both good and bad...the birds are easy to see and the feeders are easy to fill but it also limits the type of birds I get. ie: no Ring Tails in my yard ;(

These are the two tube feeders that are just off the deck. One Thistle and one Safflower. The squirrels don't bother them. The dome baffles are mostly for protection from the weather. I have a seed try for the Safflower tube but I can not attatch it until the tube is empty.

This shows the edge of the deck, the suet feeder on the pine tree, the two tube feeders and the heated bird bath. You can also see the older 'bird condo' in the back.

This one shows the tube feeder that is hung from the tree that is just outside the den and kitchen windows. It is for black oil sunflower seeds. This is the one that the squirrels have not yet gotten to. I see them on the tree, reaching...but they can't get to it. I see them on the pole above the feeder but, they are unsure of the larger dome baffle. It's been up since Nov. 18th but I have not seen a single squirrel eating from the feeder. Lot's of squirrels on the ground below, but that is as close as they have gotten...so far.

Same feeder taken to show how close it is from the house/deck.

Same feeder, looking up from the ground. It's about 15 feet up...another reason the squirrels are unsure ?

Last one. This is my view of the same feeder from my desk. This is to show you how close it is to the house...about 12 - 15 feet. Also, Claire, you can see some of the plants that hang/sit in front of the window...from the birds hitting the window question.

OK...one more. This is my view from inside the house, through the slider screen. My desk and chair are about 4 feet from the slider. From my chair I can look from the tree feeder to the suet and pole feeders...like watching a tennis match. Sorry about the ugly grill.

I hope these come through and I hope they are not too big. Let me know.

sooey

sooey:

The photos are sized fine.

The 15 ft high feeder might be deterring the squirrels - one of mine last year used to make Hail Mary leaps from a tree to the hopper feeder, but the feeder is only about 5 ft high.

- A question about your deck-mounted heated bird bath: I agonized about it, but decided not to mount one on the deck because I was worried about bird droppings on the deck, and about attracting squirrels to the deck. Do you have a problem with the birds making a mess?

- Is that hanging plant an epiphyllum (orchid cactus)? Does it bloom for you? I have a couple in the cellar now that I'm trying to force to bloom.

I can't easily hang plants in the windows where I have birds hitting the glass. It's in the kitchen by the sink and counter and I'd hit my head on the plants. I've been thinking about hanging something on the outside of the window - not sure what yet.

Claire

Hi Claire,

I was worried about the size of the photos. Glad they did not cause you a problem. I'll make the next ones smaller.

I think the 15 ft is an issue to the squirrels. I thought I would put a seed tray on the bottom of the feeder but that might give the squirrels something to aim for and hang on to. I think I'll leave it alone. If I do see squirrls on it I'll try one of those tube cages.

The bird bath has not been a problem as far as mess goes. It hangs on the outside of the deck. It's the clamp on type but it does not fit the deck rail very well, so it tilts. We have tried to fill the void under the rail but so far the wood blocks we have used have not held up. It's a work in progress. We check it every morning, dump out the dirty water and refill it. The birds love it. The squirrels also love it as well as a few cats. I got the clamp on because I didn't want to drill any holes in the deck...but now, I don't remember why I thought that would be an issue. But no, the birds do not cause a mess. The pine trees yes, the birds no.

YES! The plant in the window is an epiphyllum! You are the first person to recignize it. It blooms like crazy every June. It's a red one but has one pink stem. I have another one hanging in the window right next to it that bloomed for the first time this summer, all pink. I put them out on the deck as soon as the fear of frost has passed, the end of May. I call it their summer camp. You can see some sun damage on the leaves, so next year I will hang them in a more protected area. I have read that they will not bloom until they are tight in their pots. The big one in the picture is old and, has been in that pot for at least 10 years or more. You can see one red fruit on the end of the stem in the upper right. I'm sure it will be full of seeds. What should I do with it? and when? I better read up on it.

sooey

Sooey:

I have one big epiphyllum and a cutting I rooted. I've had them for about 3 years but they've never bloomed. I read that they need a winter dormancy; cold and dry from November to March, so they're sitting in the cellar now by a little window (temps about 55 degrees). They summer (and Fall) on the deck - I left them out until the temperatures hit the middle 30's. I don't know anything about the fruit.

RE deck-mounted birdbath: I think I have the same railing you do, so I would probably have the same problem with the clamp. The squirrels run up and down that oak on the left and I figured they wouldn't be able to resist leaping from the tree to the bird bath, which would become a spring board.

I love my new digital camera!

Claire

Hi claire,

Yes, it looks like we have the same deck railing. I need to master this bird bath issue. I really enjoy seeing the birds so close. It's a bird magnet. The squirrels enjoy it but they walk around the railing to get to it. I've never seen them jump down to it from a tree. We have that big pine that holds the suet basket/cage next to it, but they have never made the leap.

I have pictures someplace that I took of my epiphyllum while they were in bloom this summer. I'll try to find them. I also have some good house plant books, only one of which covers epiphyllum. I'll dig it out. I bring mine in before frost and hang them in their windows where they get afternoon, winter sun. I water only when they look sad until I put them back out on the deck in May.

Is that CCB in your back yard? Wow!

sooey

sooey:

I've been going by Logee's fact sheet on epiphyllums:

Cultural Information  Epiphyllum

"Comments: Epiphyllums are easy plants to grow, loving dry conditions and some direct light. The flowers form at the notches on the flat or triangular leaves of last year. To help induce blooms grow dry and cold in the winter with nights below 60 degrees and above freezing. Once buds are clearly visible watering can be resumed."

Is is cold next to your windows? I keep the night temps at 62 degrees since I have a few really wimpy tropicals who hate cold.

Yes, Cape Cod Bay is right in my backyard - a plus in good weather, a minus during nor'easters and hurricanes.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Maybe it's time to start a new thread on Project FeederWatch, since this one is getting kind of long.

Claire

Hi Claire,

I agree, lets start a new thread. But first, I'll post some pics of my epiphyllums.

This is the big ol' epiphy you saw in the pic above. You can see it is red with one pink stem. This was taken when she was past peak bloom. Several blooms had already fallen off.

A close up of the bloom.

The pink one, sitting on the corner post of the deck. this is the first year for it to bloom. You can see the feeder pole on the pine tree in the background.

another view...

A close up of the pink.

These photos are still a little large. I need to learn how to crop better.

Time for a new thread, You're It.

Whoa! Stunning! ..... she says falling off the computer chair....

I'm going to print these photos out, bring them down cellar, and wave them at my epiphyllums, saying SEE, SEE, THIS is what I expect of you!

Thanks.

I'll start a new thread, but first I have to see if I have anything to say in it.

Claire