Ornithology (Bird) Thread

[bighomer]

These little rascal sure like the sugar water on a rainy day.

[Waukonda]

These little rascal sure like the sugar water on a rainy day.

You got some good pictures!

[bighomer]

Thanks buddy.

[Mumbleypeg]

Great hummingbird pictures! How you get them to share a feeder is a mystery to me. We have two different varieties (and three feeders). They’re territorial and fight all the time. At least one bird sits in a nearby tree and chases away any other hummingbird that approaches the nearest feeder. But it’s fun to watch their acrobatic aerial antics.

While I was out today I spotted a killdeer and its offspring at their nest just a few feet from a busy road. I was able to snap a couple of pictures and wanted to stop to investigate but there were too many cars going by. I think the nest is in the mulch under a tree. Killdeer chicks are mobile and start following mom around immediately after they hatch.

Ken

[doglegg]

Great hummingbird pictures! How you get them to share a feeder is a mystery to me. We have two different varieties (and three feeders). They’re territorial and fight all the time. At least one bird sits in a nearby tree and chases away any other hummingbird that approaches the nearest feeder. But it’s fun to watch their acrobatic aerial antics.

While I was out today I spotted a killdeer and its offspring at their nest just a few feet from a busy road. I was able to snap a couple of pictures and wanted to stop to investigate but there were too many cars going by. I think the nest is in the mulch under a tree.

Ken

nice pics , love the kildeer. Fun birds to watch.

[Waukonda]

Great hummingbird pictures! How you get them to share a feeder is a mystery to me. We have two different varieties (and three feeders). They’re territorial and fight all the time. At least one bird sits in a nearby tree and chases away any other hummingbird that approaches the nearest feeder. But it’s fun to watch their acrobatic aerial antics.

While I was out today I spotted a killdeer and its offspring at their nest just a few feet from a busy road. I was able to snap a couple of pictures and wanted to stop to investigate but there were too many cars going by. I think the nest is in the mulch under a tree. Killdeer chicks are mobile and start following mom around immediately after they hatch.

Ken

Nice pics, Ken

[FRJ]

As a kid in Spokane I would walk through a field to get to the river.
If you came near a Killdeer nest the hen would drag a wing as wounded and try to get you away from the nest.
Pretty cool.

[bighomer]

Ken I have nothing to do with it, I put the juice out and leave them to the politics. It's been my experience that there's always a few feeders that were shared and then some that were guarded fiercely. I've cut back to 3 feeders this year in my peak years I had 12 of the perky pet feeders out, l've been cutting back for the last 4 or 5 years. The little devils don't realize it but I swap those feeders around to keep the community feeders full. Like you we really enjoy watching them.
I showed some photos back early in the spring of a pair of killdees looking over my driveway for a possible nest site, they hung around for 2 or 3 days and I reckon it was to busy for them. Back in the days when I was gainfully employed there was several pairs that raised in the limestone gravel along side the railroad tracks just outside my control room, one day as I was out patrolling the vaporizers momma bird jump over the rail and baby tried to jump over and couldn't quite make so I caught it and set it over the rail, naturally I got poop on in my hand for my good deed. It was always a hoot to watch momma do the broken wing act.

[Mumbleypeg]

All of our feeders have only 3 or 4 feeding ports, so maybe not enough feeding ports per feeder? We have a lot of flowers they visit too.

We few years ago a killdeer nested in the middle of one of the roads here on the ranch. Right in the "crown" between the tire tracks. Like others said they will put on their broken wing act to draw you away from their nest, but if that doesn't work and you get too near the nest, sometimes they'll attack you. Don't ask how I know!

Ken

[treefarmer]

These little rascal sure like the sugar water on a rainy day.

Goodness, I plumb jealous of your hummingbirds! We think it's special when more than 2 show up at a time. Many years ago, we went to visit Miss Joy's youngest brother living in Blairsville, Georgia and we all remember literally seeing what looked like 50+/- around some feeders. That was my 1st time seeing them sitting on a branch. I personally think a hummingbird is on of God's most interesting creations. How researchers determine heart rate is a puzzle to me.
Video with audio would be great.
Your statement about heavy feeding on a rainy day has also been observed here at Starvation Plantation. We figured that a steady rain probably cases the blooms/blossoms they were feeding on to become inaccessible because of drooping or closing.
Treefarmer

[Boji]

I only have 1 hummingbird feeder, seldom see more than 1 at a time. Probably because the Orioles are on the feeder so much. This year for the time, Downey Woodpeckers are enjoying the sugar water.

[bighomer]

Farmer I think you are absolutely correct about the flowers. When I had the 12 feeders out I'm sure that at peak times ie mornings, late evenings and rainy periods that they numbered way more than 50.
Boji I've had downys and hairys on my feeders several times.

[FRJ]

A handsome Heron at the pond.

[doglegg]

A handsome Heron at the pond.

They are a little elegant.

[FRJ]

I think you're right.

[GSPTOPDOG]

North rim of the Grand Canyon.