Any birders out there?

Keesha said:
Sorry fanciful. There are no real birds called cowboy birds. What you are referring to are called cowbirds.
They are metallic navy and brown. They are known to kick the eggs out of other birds nests and replace them with their own. They learned this from following the buffalo herds where they didn’t have time to nurse their own eggs so are known bird villains.
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Oh my, they are bad guys! Thank you for that. And this looks like them too. I take pictures through the back door in the morning while they are eating and the sun doesn't hit just right to hit their colors and markings. But, that is them.
 

drifter said:
I tried to be a birder twelve or fifteen years ago. I tried again six or eight years ago.
Bought field glasses, camera, loaded up on bird feed. What do I have to show for it?
An old camera, old field glasses, no pictures. Happy birds and tired old me.

I had one hummingbird show up in all the time I tried, time and again. A two tone grey.
He wasn't very pretty. Expect he didn't think I was either. He never tarried very long.
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Sorry your experiences weren't up to par. Mine aren't all that great just watching a patio at an apartment complex. But, I happened to notice one of the cowbird's feet was turned backwards like it was broken or something. I also notice how they try mating, or squabble about a place at the feeder. Some of the baby birds can't fly yet and it is pleasant to watch them open their mouths/beaks to be fed. I like to watch birds and their socializing skills. and the different times of day they stop by.
 
I read, a while back, a wonderful non-fiction book about Birders in the Ramble in Central Park, NYC. It was called Red-Tails In Love, Pale Male's Story.

It's about the hawks who settled their nest outside a Fifth Avenue Luxury apartment, a true story some of you may remember. I remember it. It's about so much more, too. Well written by Marie Winn.
 

Say, it just snowed here and the high is 20 degrees! I fed the birds this morning and they seem happy to hang out on the patio near our back door even though the seed is all gone. I didn't know if to feed them again this afternoon or not so I put out a little more. The bird bath water is frozen and would freeze again if I put it out. Do you feed them when they are just hanging out or do your usual schedule? Oh, and I was looking the sparrows over and there are some with a red breast and under the head. Is that a house finch?
 
fancicoffee13 said:
Say, it just snowed here and the high is 20 degrees! I fed the birds this morning and they seem happy to hang out on the patio near our back door even though the seed is all gone. I didn't know if to feed them again this afternoon or not so I put out a little more. The bird bath water is frozen and would freeze again if I put it out. Do you feed them when they are just hanging out or do your usual schedule? Oh, and I was looking the sparrows over and there are some with a red breast and under the head. Is that a house finch?
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I top-up the feeding stations whenever I see them getting low, sometimes twice daily if need be.

This time of the year it's important, because the little ones need nourishment to stay warm and healthy. As for water to drink, most little birds fair well, because they've adapted to taking beaks full of snow and allowing it to melt for water, though we do have a heated stainless dog dish filled with small smooth stones for the birds to stand on when it dips right down, and that way they can still have a drink.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I top-up the feeding stations whenever I see them getting low, sometimes twice daily if need be.

This time of the year it's important, because the little ones need nourishment to stay warm and healthy. As for water to drink, most little birds fair well, because they've adapted to taking beaks full of snow and allowing it to melt for water, though we do have a heated stainless dog dish filled with small smooth stones for the birds to stand on when it dips right down, and that way they can still have a drink.
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That helps a lot because, today we got 20 degree weather with snow all day, and tomorrow and the next day. I fed them once this morning and gave them some more but not all this afternoon. After the food was gone, they left. So since they need it, I will feed them. Thanks a lot.
 
I am putting out more black oil sunflower seed-not in the shell. It has and is snowing and they seem to really like it. New birds showing up. I think they are house finches (red head and breast and the size of a sparrow), and ready for more to show up.
 
fancicoffee13 said:
I am putting out more black oil sunflower seed-not in the shell. It has and is snowing and they seem to really like it. New birds showing up. I think they are house finches (red head and breast and the size of a sparrow), and ready for more to show up.
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You're talking black oil sunflower kernels?

Birds go crazy for them! They're going to love you for it, Fanci. :)

Try to work out how much black oil sunflower kernels your birds go through each day, that way their food is staying fresh, because you're putting it out each day. Every other day, or even twice weekly is fine, but speaking for myself I like to put out a little fresh each day.

We have a large number visiting right now, and I find they're going through approx. 250 mL of black oil seed each day.

As for our Dark-Eyed Juncos, they've been hitting the finely crushed roasted and blanched (unsalted) peanuts we've been putting out just as much as they do the white millet mix.
 
Aunt Marg said:
You're talking black oil sunflower kernels?

Birds go crazy for them! They're going to love you for it, Fanci. :)

Try to work out how much black oil sunflower kernels your birds go through each day, that way their food is staying fresh, because you're putting it out each day. Every other day, or even twice weekly is fine, but speaking for myself I like to put out a little fresh each day.

We have a large number visiting right now, and I find they're going through approx. 250 mL of black oil seed each day.

As for our Dark-Eyed Juncos, they've been hitting the finely crushed roasted and blanched (unsalted) peanuts we've been putting out just as much as they do the white millet mix.
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Yes, kernels. I put out quite a bit of the cheaper mixed seed in the other feeders which they visit and fight over. But, now I have a new finch feeder, and I put the mixed seed and the black oil sunflower kernels in it everyday. I love watching them feed. Do you name your birds? I have named one, Broken Foot, (he has one) and PeekaBoo (who tends to sit on a chair arm and look in the door.
 
fancicoffee13 said:
Yes, kernels. I put out quite a bit of the cheaper mixed seed in the other feeders which they visit and fight over. But, now I have a new finch feeder, and I put the mixed seed and the black oil sunflower kernels in it everyday. I love watching them feed. Do you name your birds? I have named one, Broken Foot, (he has one) and PeekaBoo (who tends to sit on a chair arm and look in the door.
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Awww... so sweet!

We have so many, and with nearly all looking alike, we don't name them, but one name I have given them from day one is, my little sweethearts.
 
Red-Tailed Hawk Spotted Outside UWS Window
Red-Tailed Hawk Spotted Outside UWS Window
Mike Mishkin March 11, 2020 Community
A red-tailed hawk sighting recently took place on the Upper West Side. Our reader spotted the bird sitting on an AC unit outside of her window, located in a building on West End Avenue between 106th and 107th Streets.
red-tailed hawk upper west side
 
Pepper said:
Red-Tailed Hawk Spotted Outside UWS Window
Red-Tailed Hawk Spotted Outside UWS Window
Mike Mishkin March 11, 2020 Community
A red-tailed hawk sighting recently took place on the Upper West Side. Our reader spotted the bird sitting on an AC unit outside of her window, located in a building on West End Avenue between 106th and 107th Streets.
red-tailed hawk upper west side
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Beautiful.

So majestic looking.

Thanks for sharing, Pepper!

P.S. I was getting worried about you, because I hadn't seen you on the forum in a few days, so it comes as a relief to see that you posted. :)
 
Unusual bird phenomenon here yesterday. We just had about all the snow melted from earlier in the week and about 5 pm a small flick of robins had landed between my apt complex & the one adjacent. I think there were as many as 10 spread out foraging in the grassy areas & drinking the snow melt. Both males and females. There are a number of trees to roost in, with the leaves still on, sheltering. They disappeared as the sun set and gone without a trace this morning.
Hopefully on their way migrating. I had occasionally seen that type of thing back east but never before here.
 
Geezerette said:
Unusual bird phenomenon here yesterday. We just had about all the snow melted from earlier in the week and about 5 pm a small flick of robins had landed between my apt complex & the one adjacent. I think there were as many as 10 spread out foraging in the grassy areas & drinking the snow melt. Both males and females. There are a number of trees to roost in, with the leaves still on, sheltering. They disappeared as the sun set and gone without a trace this morning.
Hopefully on their way migrating. I had occasionally seen that type of thing back east but never before here.
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Our robins, tend to hold on right to the bitter-end, until every last mountain ash berry is plucked and consumed, however, failing a proper cleansing of such trees, we usually get a swarm of cedar waxwings late into the fall/winter, that finish-off any last remaining berries.
 
I have a cedar waxwing story from when we lived on a large lot outside of Pgh.We had some very old apple trees that still bore fruit that wasn’t really edible. One fall we hadn’t gotten around to doing our raking and there was a large amount of wind falls under one. One afternoon a big flock of cedar waxwings landed & started feasting on the apples. Well, they must have turned into hard cider because pretty soon the birds were staggering drunk! Hopping, bumping into each other, staggering, squatted down. Still there around sunset, but gone in the morning.
We have occasionally had a robin or so winter over, but not in the last few years.
 
Geezerette said:
I have a cedar waxwing story from when we lived on a large lot outside of Pgh.We had some very old apple trees that still bore fruit that wasn’t really edible. One fall we hadn’t gotten around to doing our raking and there was a large amount of wind falls under one. One afternoon a big flock of cedar waxwings landed & started feasting on the apples. Well, they must have turned into hard cider because pretty soon the birds were staggering drunk! Hopping, bumping into each other, staggering, squatted down. Still there around sunset, but gone in the morning.
We have occasionally had a robin or so winter over, but not in the last few years.
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That's exactly what happened. If the fruit have been there for a while and or there's been a good frost, the fruit has turned into wine.
Not so much in the fall, but in the spring, the Mountain Ash berries, if there's any left, will be like wine as well, has been a lot of tipsy robins, waxwings, and others.
Sure hope they called for a designated driver after.
This is a story from my farm days.
 

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