calling all wild bird feeders!!

[duluthralphie]

OH BOY,,, it is a bad day here. My DW just pointed out my feeders are empty... Well, a few are...

No wonder I did not see any birds yet this morning.

 

[sourland]

Funny that - I ran out of feed yesterday. Off to TSC this AM.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have had lots of birds today,, It is amazing how many more birds a filled feeder gets..

Juncos are still here. time for them to leave, spring is here, supposedly..

I had a cardinal and blue jay at the same time, it only lasted a few seconds and the cardinal left. They are almost never here at the same time. (on the feeder)

 

[sourland]

When I filled the feeder down at the beagle club, there was a veritable mixed flock screaming at me - they were hungry.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a picture I took outside the window this morning, during coffee. I thought it was a Kestrel, but I have never seen one so small and the bill does not seem hooked.

sorry the pictures are so bad.

Any ideas. It is probably twice the size of a robin.

 

[keesmom]

I have a picture I took outside the window this morning, during coffee. I thought it was a Kestrel, but I have never seen one so small and the bill does not seem hooked. sorry the pictures are so bad. Any ideas. It is probably twice the size of a robin.

Isn't that a sharp shinned hawk?

 

[duluthralphie]

Isn't that a sharp shinned hawk?

That is what "merlin" said also.


They are listed as being uncommon in our area..

Do they eat chickens?

I have seen it twice in last few days.

 

[keesmom]

The ones here have never even looked twice at the chickens, even the bantams. The largest bird I have seen them hunt is a junco or titmouse. Once I saw one chase a junco through snow into a yew. Popped up through some deep snow with it's catch. Even if one were desperate I don't think they are a threat to any adult chickens.

Cooper's Hawks are a different story.

 

[sourland]

I think the chickens are safe, but they never hesitated to kill my pigeons.

 

[JeanR]

Thought it was a Northern Shrike--no threat to chickens, lives on small Song Birds, often sits on telephone wires and catches birds in the air. Not very common, but I had one hit my window this winter, as he missed the Junco. Got nice pictures, as it recovered and then it flew away-glad it did not return!

But then I saw the striped tail--Sharpshinned Hawk is our smallest hawk--but have never seen one with a White front???Immatures and seasonal plumage changes???