WOW! Hummingbird Hawk Moth. 

Squacco Heron: Never heard of either Bobbie. Thanks.

I would love to put up feeders during Spring and Summer but with the Cats here, I don't dare. Winter is when I do the feeders as the cats do not go in my backyard then. Not sure if they can catch a Hummer though....what think?

MAK, Dan gone, (he got handed a pamphlet), Suzanne and Don: Archer or Beauty, (not sure which) been stooping off Mercury and missing. Can't keep up with all this action this am.

Miss Callidora is probably on an adventure again

She just loves to do that to the watchers, gone all day, show up at dusk. Maybe mom and dad gave her a curfew.

  I am so sorry to have not replied sooner to all your well wishes!  I have had a busy week!  It was a really good birthday, got in some pool time, and had dinner at Red Lobster and home to Turtle Cheesecake!    Won't be getting on the scales for a while!
Thank you again for the sweet wishes.

Never sorry, as long as you had a good time.

Main Cam Wandering

7:55am; MAK/Dan  Archer made his appearance on Mercury, stooped, missed and now back on Mercury. Waiting for Miss Callidora now.

I am in Northen Indiana and have  a whole lot of the ruby throated at my 3 feeders!  They are incredible to watch!  I don't understand how people get more than one or two to feed at the same feeder at the same time!    I fill these feeders almost daily!  Neighbors say they don't get but maybe one or two since they all hang out at my house!  We will be spending time in Southern Florida this winter and am hoping to attract them at our location there.  Love watching and feeding these busy little ones.  Got that from my parents! 

Yay for you, I have never seen a Hummingbird but I'm sure it's a thrill. Thanks.

Mega Maryland

This is especially good because it allows a universal industry accepted methodology across several different message vehicles. 

 

    

Huh??

Yeah that too Bobbie!  ???

Back again for a brief visit

6:55am: MAK/Dan:  Beauty when she left nest box, flew to Mercury, stooped right by Us and down into river on a duck and missed. Then she went up and stooped  again on another duck and missed. She then went back to Mercury, stooped off Mercury and went behind Reuters. She then continued on to the nest box, stooped off there and we lost track of her. NO C or A yet.

Mega Maryland

This is especially good because it allows a universal industry accepted methodology across several different message vehicles. 

 

    

Beauty visits

First thought Archer

Beauty preened a feather out to make it look like she is Archer. Little trickster.

[I pondered at the end of yesterday the whereabouts of juvie 1. I do not believe that we have seen two juvies at one time since Friday]

Osprey Diary August 15, 2010
August 15th, 2010 by rboardman

Light shrouds of mist in the basin as I came to work, heavy dew on meadow, and a wren singing its’ heart, and of course mine…

It has been clearing as I have done my chores and now the loch is crystal clear and quiet, save for the occasional groaning of great crested grebe and the quacking of mallards. It feels as if it will be a bright warm day. We shall see. This is Scotland, on an island…

I pondered at the end of yesterday the whereabouts of  juvie 1. I do not believe that we have seen two juvies at one time since Friday. They were flying over the Loch. So, at present I can only conject, which I am sometimes uncomfortable. Has “ourâ€� greedy juvie started to fish? Is it fishing and has drifted off? I will note that the timing may be within the range for fishing, and we do know that this bird can eat and is aggressive in action. However it seems rather early for the bird to have flown away. The other juvie has been feeding well in its’ siblings absence.

So, we will be diligent about our observations today, as ever.

Enjoy your moments of sight, sound and touch today. Rinchen

[20,000 calories a day to keep even with a hummingbird.]

 Archilochus alexandri

Hummingbirds in Utah are preparing for the migration that will take them south for the winter. Before they go, it is imperative that they build up their fat reserves, so be sure to keep your hummingbird nectar feeders up and full with fresh nectar.

The hummingbird is the flying jewel of our suburban backyards. Hummingbirds are the smallest of all North American birds. Black-chinned hummingbirds spend the spring and summer throughout the western U.S., primarily west of the Rocky Mountain range. They are spread north to the Canadian border and south to Mexico.

The male black-chinned gets its name from his black chin that lights up in a dazzling purple when he flashes his gorget. The gorget is on the front of the neck. It looks like a neon sign that wards off encroaching males and welcomes females into his breeding territory. He has a greenish head with a black throat (when not flashing the gorget) bordered by a white collar. The bill is straight and black. The underparts are whitish with dusky green flanks. The upperparts are greenish.

Females and juveniles look alike, featuring greenish upperparts, dusky sides and flanks. The throat is whitish, as are the underparts. The green tail is rounded with white corners.

Black-chins, like other hummingbirds, are neotropical birds that migrate to the tropics in the fall, returning in the spring. They have one of the longest migrations when you measure the distance they must advance their tiny 3.75-inch body on each leg of a 2,000-mile journey, as they migrate from Mexico and Central America to North American and back. They make the journey across the Gulf of Mexico in one flight at night. It is a remarkable bird with untold energy.

All hummingbird species, like the black-chinned, are easily attracted to backyard nectar feeders. They have binocular vision and can see your feeder from about ¾ mile away. Their tongue is longer than the bill. They can lap up nectar at 16 licks per second, give or take a lick. Their metabolism is incredible; a human would need to consume approximately 20,000 calories a day to keep even with a hummingbird.
     

[sparrow is a sparrow is a sparrow. Right? Wrong!]

sparrow is a sparrow is a sparrow. Right? Wrong! 

The sparrows you see at your backyard feeders may be American Tree Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows or Golden-crowned Sparrows.

And the House Sparrow? He’s no sparrow at all. House Sparrows actually belong to the weaver finch family.

Here are some facts that may help you distinguish the sparrows in your yard.

American Tree Sparrows typically live in northern forests and visit feeders only during migration. Many times they will scratch for millet underneath feeders. They have a large crop (or neck pouch) in which they can store up to 1,000 seeds.

Chipping Sparrows are shy at feeders when other birds are present. When these birds were studied in Arizona researchers discovered they ate seed every few seconds. During the winter-long study, a Chipping Sparrow consumed 2 ¼ pounds of seed – 70 times its body weight!

Fox Sparrows are the largest sparrow and tend to feed on the ground by scratching with both feet in search of millet and insects. They tend to be more abundant at feeders in the West than the East.

Song Sparrows have a wide range, and when it’s cold they are hungry! These birds must eat 85 to 4,000 seeds an hour to maintain energy levels when the temperatures are freezing or below. They visit platform feeders in search of millet and sunflower seed pieces. And they like to have a nearby brush pile (to escape to if necessary.)

White-throated Sparrows are one of the most widespread sparrows at feeders. There are two types – one has white stripes on its crown and the other has tan stripes. The birds with white stripes tend to be more vocal and aggressive than the birds with tan stripes. These birds follow a well-defined hierarchy, which puts males ahead of females and older sparrows ahead of younger sparrows. The oldest male birds are the ones that sing the most.

White-crowned Sparrows tend to visit feeders early and late in the day. They enjoy millet and also will eat sunflower chips and cracked corn. They will avoid conflicts when eating by facing the same direction as other birds. Some White-crowned Sparrows migrate; others do not. Those that migrate join larger winter flocks and establish communal territory. They will return each winter to the same area.

Golden-crowned Sparrows live in California eight months of the year and spend winter along a narrow strip of the West Coast. They form large winter flocks and cover 15 to 20 acres. They avoid face-to-face conflict with other birds while feeding (like the White-crowned Sparrows) by facing the same direction while feeding.

To attract sparrows, place a blend of millet and sunflower seeds in a WBU ground feeder. Many stores sell this as Select Blend.

Q: Why am I attracting only English House Sparrows to my nest box and what can I do about it?



Answer Many times English House Sparrows are attracted to nest boxes because of the placement of the box. If boxes are placed near shrubbery or in areas near human dwellings, they are more likely to attract the sparrows.

English House Sparrows are not native to North America and have presented many problems for native birds. They are notorious for breaking open eggs and pecking other birds to death by piercing their skulls.

If the sparrows have built a nest in a nest box or house designed for another species, for example bluebirds or Purple Martins, you should remove the nest and eggs. But be sure you’re removing the nest of an English House Sparrow. All other native backyard birds are protected by the federal government!