# Birds, Birds, Birds (and a little Bull)



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

We are all very excited in my house. Yesterday, we discovered a Killdeer nesting alongside the road across from our driveway. She has 4 eggs. It took me a bit of research to discover what kind of bird it was.










See how close to the road she is? I don't have a close-up, the zoom isn't working. We put up signs this morning so people would be careful around the nest. Hopefully my neighbor (who's only there on weekends) won't mind.

We also found a nest in the tree in our front yard. There were no eggs and we didn't know what kind of bird had made the nest. Well, this morning, I saw the bird and had an idea of what it may be (I know next to nothing about birds). When she flew off, I grabbed the step stool and the camera to see if I could get a picture of inside the nest (I'm too short to see in it) sure enough, I got the picture and it was exactly what I was expecting.










A beautiful Robin egg

Last year we had a pair of House Finches build 2 seperate nests in my hanging planters on my front porch. Shortly after the first eggs hatched, they built the nest in the 2nd planter and we had another set of eggs from the same pair. It was pretty cool. I haven't put the planters out yet this year, but hopefully they'll return. The kids really enjoyed watching the birds from the front window. The male Finch was quite chatty and fun to watch as well.


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## MAGreen (Jan 5, 2009)

Birds are do much fun! We had a hummingbird nest right outside the bedroom window, close enough I could have reached out and touched it. I loved watching the eggs hatch and grow, but it was even more fun to see my daughter, who was only 3 then, get to see the babies grow and learn to to fly. She wanted to keep them!


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

I know you homeschool your kids...what a wonderful teaching opportunity!


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## vsch (Mar 5, 2009)

I love to feed and watch the birds, especially in the spring when something new happens to stop at the feeder. here is a favorite picture of mine from my backyard.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I loved that story.  I am enjoying listening to birds singing outside my window today over the past 3 hours.  They are producing beautiful songs.


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## Avalon3 (Dec 3, 2008)

luvmy4brats said:


> Last year we had a pair of House Finches build 2 seperate nests in my hanging planters on my front porch. Shortly after the first eggs hatched, they built the nest in the 2nd planter and we had another set of eggs from the same pair. It was pretty cool. I haven't put the planters out yet this year, but hopefully they'll return. The kids really enjoyed watching the birds from the front window. The male Finch was quite chatty and fun to watch as well.


A friend of mine told me this morning she has a purple finch nest in her spring wreath on the front door. I'll post pictures when she sends them to me. I love that Robin's egg blue!

It's great to watch nature up close!


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## Avalon3 (Dec 3, 2008)

MAGreen said:


> Birds are do much fun! We had a hummingbird nest right outside the bedroom window, close enough I could have reached out and touched it. I loved watching the eggs hatch and grow, but it was even more fun to see my daughter, who was only 3 then, get to see the babies grow and learn to to fly. She wanted to keep them!


Here's a livestream web cam with one hummingbird baby. Great quality cam in color.

http://cam.dellwo.com/


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## Avalon3 (Dec 3, 2008)

vsch said:


> I love to feed and watch the birds, especially in the spring when something new happens to stop at the feeder. here is a favorite picture of mine from my backyard.


Gorgeous picture and the orioles do like their oranges!


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

Beautiful pictures!


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

We've been putting out bird seeds for a couple of years now.  Every year, we get a pair of mourning doves that hang out and feed on birdseed we leave in the planters.  They are very calm and quite cute.  Even the squirrels don't faze them.  Yesterday, Hubby grabbed the zoom lens and took pix of one of the doves sleeping while perched on the edge of the planter.  

We also get these brown birds with long tails (towhees?  cowbirds?) who love to take bird baths.  I leave out a simple shallow dish and they splash water everywhere.  It's a lot of fun to watch.

This year, for the first time, we are getting loads of finches to hang out as well.  Not sure why they never discovered the stash before.

Hubby is installing the humming bird feeder as I type.  I've been watching the hummer visit a couple of times a day to check out what the fuss is about...he always gravitates toward the red patio umbrella, then takes off again.

We used to get a pair of blue scrub jays too.  Then they brought their baby--all downy feathers;his name was "Baby Blue"--and he learned to sit outside the patio door and peer in until he got his peanuts.  One day last Sept., they all stopped coming, and I haven't seen any scrub jays in the neighborhood since.  

N


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

Where ever we live we put out thistle for the yellow finches and it amazes me how they find it.  I thought for sure they wouldn't find it here in Arizona.  The neighbors said they never saw them before we put out the thistle. We also attract hummingbirds but in Arizona they are really big.  Back East they were smaller and faster.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Photo taken of kildeer in my backyard. I have since fenced, planted grass and flowers and 2 trees. Kildeer love gravelly rocky ground to lay their eggs. My kildeer eggs never hatched. Something must have gotten them. I would take a step, then another photo, etc. Kept the last one I was able to get. Notice egg in the background.

ps I had totally forgotten how to put a photo in a post but worked my way through it.
Go Me!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

I better go fill my hummingbird feeders!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

And my sunflower feeder


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

and my thistle feeder


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Dori, I can't get that close to this one. She starts hollering when we get within about 15 feet. 

There are some great pictures here. Thank you for posting them. I look forward to seeing more.

We have a bird feeder in the front yard. We mainly get Grackles at it and they seem to chase off the other birds. They also eat the food we put out for the dogs in the back.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

My new digital camera has a good zoom feature.  I know this because my 9  yr old great nephew showed me how to do it.   He took photos inside of a large lego star wars thing that he built.  oops off topic.  Maybe the lego set had a bird in it.


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Aww, what beautiful birds, I love pictures of them.

Thank you for sharing,

Sailor


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Dori said:


> My new digital camera has a good zoom feature. I know this because my 9 yr old great nephew showed me how to do it.  He took photos inside of a large lego star wars thing that he built. oops off topic. Maybe the lego set had a bird in it.


My new digital camera HAD a great zoom feature...until my children got ahold of it. I'm not sure which one it was. I'm being told it was Not Me or I Don't Know <sigh> those two do everything...Monsters.

If he's putting birds in his Lego creations, you might have some issues with him later


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

I know we have parrots from the pirate ships we built.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Love that oriole picture! That's a prize-winner. I have only a little shirt-pocket camera, so I don't get a lot of great bird pictures. I do better with cats. Here's the best bird picture I ever took. Hard to believe I actually snuck up behind this critter, but I did. He was resting out of the wind on our balcony. That's a 2 x 4 he's perched on, which'll give you an idea of how big he was.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

wow, great shot Brass Man.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

The oriole photo is  stunning.  I have watched birds for years and have yet to see an oriole.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Cool owl


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

Good picture Brassman but owls creep me out for some reason!


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

I had never seen an oriole until we moved to Mexico.  Apparently we are on their migration path, but we have all types of orioles in the spring and fall, with different colors.  We also have lots of hummers and I feed them with natural flowers, but they are so fast there is no way I can get a picture.  Mostly they are small and dull, not like the ruby throats in Dallas.

I love the picture of the killdeer, how cool is that, and the picture of the owl, in the daytime!  WOW


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## vsch (Mar 5, 2009)

Brassman, I hope you don't mind, but your beautiful owl picture was in need of a little post editing. It looks like you took the picture through glass, I just removed the glare. I have always wanted to see an owl in the wild...lucky you!!


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## egh34 (Jan 11, 2009)

Was gone for a week on the East Coast, came home to this baby sparrow in my climbing roses.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

No, I don't mind. Here's a shot of what I was dealing with. I sneaked up behind this fella, stood to one side, held out the camera and clicked. Would you believe, with me inside the glass, and the wind howling outside, he/she heard that click and swiveled around to look? I had kept my arm in position and clicked the shot you saw above.










Here's another, later shot of the same owl, or a relative. I put out some hot dog pieces to attract it.










I have no idea why it was out in the daytime--ailing, perhaps?


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Oh wow, BrassMan,

These are the most gorgeous Owl photos I have ever seen. So amazingly beautiful. What a handsome specimen!

Thank you so much for sharing,

Sailor


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## Rhiathame (Mar 12, 2009)

I took this in Ketchican last week.


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Thank you for posting this...

The Bald Eagles are BEAUTIFUL! So mighty and majestic. WOW!

Sailor


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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

Why we have to take our birdfeeders down in the Spring. Damn bears got another feeder this week -- I hate to take them down because I love to watch the birds! I also am aggravated because if I'm going to lose a feeder, I want to at least see the bear, LOL! This shot was taken a couple of years back. Sometimes we catch them in the act, other times we just find a smashed feeder.


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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

After 15 years we finally managed to get a pair of Eastern Bluebirds to nest in the yard last year. Sadly, another bird tossed the eggs out (we think it was a Carolina wren).


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

We had quite a number of painted buntings migrate through here last month. They've headed north now. I never could get a decent picture of one, but a local photographer got this one. They're tiny!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

I LOVE these pictures!  That painted bunting is gorgeous!  In which part of the country are they found?


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## Rhiathame (Mar 12, 2009)

sailor said:


> Thank you for posting this...
> 
> The Bald Eagles are BEAUTIFUL! So mighty and majestic. WOW!
> 
> Sailor


Seeing them was amazing. We had about 30 of them surrounding the boat we were on.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> I LOVE these pictures! That painted bunting is gorgeous! In which part of the country are they found?


I can't find my wife's bird book right now, but as I recall they migrate between Central and South America and the northern U.S. and Canada. As many species do, they tend to funnel through South Texas when they're on the move. Hummingbirds are big attractions here during migration season. Watchers along the gulf coast can see eight or more species on a given day. (They fatten up before flying all the way across the Gulf of Mexico.)

We might've seen a dozen or two painted buntings around our feeders over about a month. Neighbors three miles away, also with bird feeders, didn't see one. I guess we're lucky or just in the right place.


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Rhiathame said:


> Seeing them was amazing. We had about 30 of them surrounding the boat we were on.


I only now noticed, there is a baby bald eagle on the bottom right of the photo! Too cool!!!

Couldn't even imagine the grandeur of seeing all 30 of them at once. That must have been so memorable.

Sailor


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## Aravis60 (Feb 18, 2009)

Found a nest with eggs in it this afternoon in my planter. I'm looking forward to watching the babies. They must be smart birds, because they found one of the only cat-free zones around my house.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

Wow that is so neat and exciting!


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## kevin63 (Feb 10, 2009)

These pictures are beautiful.  We get the red Cardinal and the bluejay around here.  Our hummingbirds are either green or grayish, wish we had some colorful hummingbirds around.  In the fall we do bald eagles around the cliffs across the river in Illinois (especially up around Alton).  I'd love to see one of those orange Orioles around here.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Awesome awesome pics.  I love watching birds.  Last spring when my grandson was visiting we had some birds coming to my feeders and the neighbors feeders.  He, then 4, sat with my bird book and had a great time looking up them up.  
Thank you everyone for posting.  
deb


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

We have some friends in Mabank, Texas that had painted buntings this spring.  I had never seen any.  There is quite a big bird watching group here year round, but it is during my t'ai chi time so I can't go.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Beautiful photos. I have never seen a painted bunting. I love watching the birds. I collect Stangl Pottery Birds and have a curio cabinet with about 20 in it.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Wow  vsch.  Great photo editing.  I don't know how you do that.

I love eastern bluebirds.  My friends tried to get them in their yard to no avail then looked in their newspaper delivery box and found a nest there.  I thought I had photos of this in my computer but guess I do not.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

RangerXenos said:


> Why we have to take our birdfeeders down in the Spring. Damn bears got another feeder this week -- I hate to take them down because I love to watch the birds! I also am aggravated because if I'm going to lose a feeder, I want to at least see the bear, LOL! This shot was taken a couple of years back. Sometimes we catch them in the act, other times we just find a smashed feeder.


Woah! Where do you live? It is sad about your feeders. I can not imagine having an animal that big in my YARD! OMG! I sit outside in the morning to drink my coffee.... I would FREAK!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

MAGreen said:


> Birds are do much fun! We had a hummingbird nest right outside the bedroom window, close enough I could have reached out and touched it. I loved watching the eggs hatch and grow, but it was even more fun to see my daughter, who was only 3 then, get to see the babies grow and learn to to fly. She wanted to keep them!


We have hummingbirds too! Got one fiesty one that dictates who gets to eat & when. We named him Rufus cause he always sits on the edge of a tree branch that is on top of our neighbors house. I have no pics but will soon try to get one.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Dori, this is off topic, but I know you're posting in this thread and I wanted you to see it.  
Yesterday I was sitting in traffic at some road construction.  One of the cars that passed me had a clown driving it.  I immediately thought of you.  LOL. 

Back on topic: Since it doesn't look like I'm moving soon I guess I better go today and get a hummingbird feeder.
deb


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

drenee said:


> Dori, this is off topic, but I know you're posting in this thread and I wanted you to see it.
> Yesterday I was sitting in traffic at some road construction. One of the cars that passed me had a clown driving it. I immediately thought of you. LOL.
> 
> Back on topic: Since it doesn't look like I'm moving soon I guess I better go today and get a hummingbird feeder.
> deb


OT too but my daughter really believed in clowns until this past year, she thought they wore the make-up all the time and drove cute cars like VW Beetles and stuff and she thought they had clown kiddos too...


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Anju No. 469 said:


> We have some friends in Mabank, Texas that had painted buntings this spring. I had never seen any. There is quite a big bird watching group here year round, but it is during my t'ai chi time so I can't go.


OK, I found my wife's bird book, and I was wrong about about the range of painted buntings. Their summer breeding range includes Texas, the border areas of Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Louisiana, as well as small bleedovers into neighboring states. The winter range is the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico, the southern tip of Florida, and Yucutan.

The owl picture, like I said, was the best bird photo I ever took. These are more typical of my bird-snapping efforts. I guess if I were serious I'd get rid of my shirt-pocket camera and get one of those "big gun" digital SLRs. I have better shots of hummers at feeders, but that doesn't seem fair.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

kevin63 said:


> These pictures are beautiful. We get the red Cardinal and the bluejay around here. Our hummingbirds are either green or grayish, wish we had some colorful hummingbirds around. In the fall we do bald eagles around the cliffs across the river in Illinois (especially up around Alton). I'd love to see one of those orange Orioles around here.


Kevin, 
In early April, I was driving with my Dad from Jacksonville to Quincy. We counted 33 red tailed hawks on the way. They were huge and easy to spot because they would perch in the trees that hadn't leafed out yet.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Dori said:


> Beautiful photos. I have never seen a painted bunting. I love watching the birds. I collect Stangl Pottery Birds and have a curio cabinet with about 20 in it.


Dori,
My aunt would send me a Lenox bird for Christmas every year. My collection has really grown over the years. My aunt lives in the country and she puts out about 5 lbs of bird feed daily! She has some happy birds! She is who I based the character of Aunt Jess in my Baling novel. She is a rare gem!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Dori,
> My aunt would send me a Lenox bird for Christmas every year. My collection has really grown over the years. My aunt lives in the country and she puts out about 5 lbs of bird feed daily! She has some happy birds! She is who I based the character of Aunt Jess in my Baling novel. She is a rare gem!


SEEEE! Now that kinda stuff is what makes me wanna read a certain book. If I know the characters, when I read I feel at home.


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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Woah! Where do you live? It is sad about your feeders. I can not imagine having an animal that big in my YARD! OMG! I sit outside in the morning to drink my coffee.... I would FREAK!


We live in Connecticut, we're in the suburbs, but not too far in the sticks, LOL! Burlington is one of the towns with the highest number of bear sightings in our little state. It keeps life interesting, LOL! I think we've lost 5 feeders in 15 years, not too bad, but they've all been in the last 4 years or so. I hate to take them down as we love to watch the birds; without the feeders out, they keep to the trees.

I do love to see the wildlife, the bear sightings are exciting, but I just wish they'd leave the feeders intact! It's getting expensive. You never know what you're going to see, bobcat have become regular visitors as well. I swear I saw a mountain lion a few years ago, though they keep claiming there haven't been any in the state for 30 years or so. Coyote and deer are always around. No moose yet, though.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> SEEEE! Now that kinda stuff is what makes me wanna read a certain book. If I know the characters, when I read I feel at home.


Oh? Well, I can tell you if I knew there was a book where a kid thought clowns drove cars and had little clown kids, I'd check that book out!


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Back to birds. Here's a heron I shot at Choke Canyon State Park (TX).

Full disclosure: this is two pictures. I got the bird flying across a trashy parking lot, but it looked better once I moved it over the lake. Both pictures were taken in the same place, at least, and fifteen minutes apart.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Meredith, that is too cute.  Kids come up with the craziest ideas.  
deb


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

Another Bald Eagle for our collection taken by a bud of mine. 
There is just something about a Bald Eagle, or any bird of prey for that matter, that speaks volumes about their very existence and survival in nature. I love Raptors! 
-Sailor​


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

I apologize for the quality but I only have a few painted bunting pictures and they were all taken from inside the house, through a dirty window with a telephoto.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Cowgirl said:


> Good picture Brassman but owls creep me out for some reason!


This little guy shouldn't be creepy, he's about as big as a sparrow.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Jeff, you always have the most awesome pics.  
Thanks for sharing.
deb


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

drenee said:


> Jeff, you always have the most awesome pics.
> Thanks for sharing.
> deb


I'm happy to share, Deb, and I've got lots of pictures.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Jeff,
How similar is a painted bunting to an indigo bunting?  Anyone have a picture of an indigo bunting?


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> How similar is a painted bunting to an indigo bunting? Anyone have a picture of an indigo bunting?


They're about the same size but the indigo bunting is all brilliant blue. I have some pictures somewhere but Google was easier:










http://sdakotabirds.com/species_photos/indigo_bunting.htm


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Just gorgeous.  I'm sad these birds aren't around here - so. Cal.  I might have to go on a trip to find them!
Thanks for the picture, Jeff.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Just gorgeous. I'm sad these birds aren't around here - so. Cal. I might have to go on a trip to find them!


If you're a birder, Central Texas is a great place to visit. We're on the cusp of the easter and western flyways and we get a fair number of occasional visitors from Mexico.

Does anyone have a good picture of a scissor-tailed flycatcher? None of mine show their colors well.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

And Jeff - don't forget the monarchs in the fall!


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Anju No. 469 said:


> And Jeff - don't forget the monarchs in the fall!


Ah yes. I've only been in the middle of that migration once; it was like a religious experience. Do they come down as far as your home?


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Hey guys.  Saw your messages and klown talk goes in this topic because I make balloon hummingbirds    It is the easiest animal that I made ( that is past tense).


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Dori said:


> Hey guys. Saw your messages and klown talk goes in this topic because I make balloon hummingbirds  It is the easiest animal that I made ( that is past tense).


Pictures?


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

C'mon, Dori.  We wanna see.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Ah yes. I've only been in the middle of that migration once; it was like a religious experience. Do they come down as far as your home?


Actually Jeff, they hibernate not far from here, a couple hour drive. There are all kinds of tours going there in Feb and March, but we have not been, there is a lot of controversy over the logging and outsider disturbance of the butterflies by all the tourists. You also have to walk up a very steep tall mountain and be in pretty good shape, which unfortunately I am not. I can go up, it's the coming down that gets me.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Sorry Jeff, don't think I have any photos of the many many balloon animals, fruits etc. that I made.  If I can find two of the correct balloons I will try to recreate that baby for this thread.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

A little bird told me that I might just be bumping my post count.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Anju No. 469 said:


> I can go up, it's the coming down that gets me.


Perhaps Dori's balloons might help. Let me see...



Dori said:


> If I can find two of the correct balloons I will try to recreate that baby for this thread.


Great, Dori, thanks. Now, can you manage a helium filled hummingbird to get Dona off that mountain in Mexico?


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Latex Hummingbird (Indiana species) on Coreopsis

A labor of love for my kindleboard friends. After 20 popped balloons (they are old and rotten) Looking for a pump, I used to do large parties from my lungs, a dog that will never speak to me again, and gust of wind that I could have had a video of bird in flight, etc etc etc.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Yeah Dori!  Great hummingbird!  How did you do the beak?  I bet it's a trade secret! 
And thanks so much for trying Baling!


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Dori said:


> Latex Hummingbird (Indiana species) on Coreopsis


Thanks, Dori. Do you think it can lift Dona?


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

YVW Carol.   Not if she weighs more that 1/2 ounce Jeff.

The hummingbird is made from an apple balloon and therein is the beak.   The second balloon is a pencil balloon.  Tie the pencil and twist into a figure 8 then wrap around the apple balloon to leave a head and beak.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

and eight posts to go and counting.  tweet tweet


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Dori said:


> Not if she weighs more that 1/2 ounce Jeff.


I'm not going there but thanks again, Dori.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Dori, 
What's an apple balloon?
(You'll get there!)


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

It is a balloon to make apples.  A small oval with the stem.  In making it into an apple you push the long stem down into the oval part and twist and make a short stem.  Apples have worms and BIRDS like worms.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Did somebody say birds?


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

Jeff said:


> This little guy shouldn't be creepy, he's about as big as a sparrow.


Still creepy to me...Love birds but Owls not so much!


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Gorgeous.  What are they?


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Dori said:


> Gorgeous. What are they?


A golden pheasant and roadrunner.

Here's a better picture of the pheasant on wikimedia:


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## Tippy (Dec 8, 2008)

Wow you guys are amazing!  Dori, love your hummingbird.  It is sooo colorful.  How long did it take you to make him?  The baby owl is kinda creepy -- amazing how much it looks like the bark on a tree.  I think the eyes are the 'creepy' part.  It is like they are looking right through to your very soul.  The golden pheasant painted bunting and roadrunner are all amazing.  I really liked the kildeer photos and the story that went with it.  Thanks for sharing.  You are all so talented.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Tippy said:


> Dori, love your hummingbird. It is sooo colorful. How long did it take you to make him?


Took a long time. Find balloons, find pump, blow up, pop, blow up, pop, etc etc. However after having two blown up balloons in your hands it takes a few seconds to form the BIRD.


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## Tippy (Dec 8, 2008)

ROFLMAO


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Blow up, pop, blow up, pop.  Dori, too funny.
deb


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Dori said:


> Latex Hummingbird (Indiana species) on Coreopsis
> 
> A labor of love for my kindleboard friends. After 20 popped balloons (they are old and rotten) Looking for a pump, I used to do large parties from my lungs, a dog that will never speak to me again, and gust of wind that I could have had a video of bird in flight, etc etc etc.


I see everyone is still on here from the morning!  I love this thread! I Love hummingbirds and collect the ceramic ones.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

I don't think I've ever seen a golden pheasant - not even a picture.  They are strikingly beautiful!


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

Dori said:


> Took a long time. Find balloons, find pump, blow up, pop, blow up, pop, etc etc. However after having two blown up balloons in your hands it takes a few seconds to form the BIRD.


My question is for Dori, the latex hummingbird maker, (please keep in mind that I've never spoken to a real clown before and it reminds of the first time I sat on Santa's lap and well... ) anyway, Dori, do you also make wiener dogs?  Just kidding. I love, love, love the balloon bird! And the pictures of the real birds make me want to weep for real. I am an amateur birdwatcher and I have some hummer feeders. Love to watch them sparring with each other. Thanks for sharing. Brendan


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

drenee said:


> Meredith, that is too cute. Kids come up with the craziest ideas.
> deb


Yes, they do, I am a teacher, so I hear a lot. For all you parents out there.... be careful what you call your spouses... cause, yes, they tell US that stuff! "My mama says that my daddy is a....   

Oh, birds... Sorrry, that Golden Pheasant is AWESOME. Glad you found a more interesting thread... Jeff.... saw you napping on the Author's


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> I don't think I've ever seen a golden pheasant - not even a picture. They are strikingly beautiful!


Me either..... that's what I'm saying!


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> Glad you found a more interesting thread... Jeff.... saw you napping on the Author's


When one attains a certain age involuntary napping is a given. And I was yawning with them not at them.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Brendan Carroll said:


> My question is for Dori, the latex hummingbird maker, (please keep in mind that I've never spoken to a real clown before and it reminds of the first time I sat on Santa's lap and well... ) anyway, Dori, do you also make wiener dogs?  Just kidding.


In the day (ie a long time ago) I did indeed make weiner dogs, poodle dogs, horses, octopuses? sp , squirrels, turtles, giraffes, and many other animals plus fruits and a fruit basket.

I, too, am enjoying all of the "real" bird photos on this thread.What a treat. Better put this on the bump this day thread.


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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

Here's a photo of our goldfinches. (a few days before the bear took down the feeder!) I have to take them through the window, they're skittish and won't come if I'm outside near the feeder.


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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

Here's a red tailed hawk that hung around most of the Winter. He got a few mourning doves, we'd find small piles of grey feathers in the yard -- they're not the brightest of birds, most birds head into the hedges when he's around so that the hawk can't get them.


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

Love the yellow finches...that even looks like my feeder!


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

It's ok Jeff - I am a "tad" more than1/2 oz.

Absolutely love your hummer Dori!  Only 3 more to go!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Love the finches, love the red-tailed hawk.
Here in So. Cal. we get the Lesser Goldfinch, looks more like the female American Goldfinch.  Sometimes we get an American Goldfinch, and it is a real treat!


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

Dori said:


> Latex Hummingbird (Indiana species) on Coreopsis
> 
> A labor of love for my kindleboard friends.


And your KindleBoard friends thank you!

I am loving all the pictures! Never realized we had such birdwatching/photographing/balloon-making talent here! 

N


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Dori,
How long will the hummingbird last?
1 more post and you've got it!


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

The hummingbird is alive (not really) and well  with a magnet holding him in place on my refrigerator.  Sometimes the balloon creations last a week or two and go down very slowly; however these balloons are quite old so I don't expect more than a few days.  Today I had my 9 yr. old great nephew again and he was surprised to see that I had been making balloon toys and wondered who had been over here.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Dori said:


> The hummingbird is alive (not really) and well with a magnet holding him in place on my refrigerator. Sometimes the balloon creations last a week or two and go down very slowly; however these balloons are quite old so I don't expect more than a few days. Today I had my 9 yr. old great nephew again and he was surprised to see that I had been making balloon toys and wondered who had been over here.


Congrats DORI!!!!!!      Congrats Dori!!!! Congrats Dori!!!!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Dori said:


> The hummingbird is alive (not really) and well with a magnet holding him in place on my refrigerator. Sometimes the balloon creations last a week or two and go down very slowly; however these balloons are quite old so I don't expect more than a few days. Today I had my 9 yr. old great nephew again and he was surprised to see that I had been making balloon toys and wondered who had been over here.


You are an amazing lady Miss Dori! You seem to be very energetic and full of fun. Aren't nine-year-olds wonderful? Remember I am the one with the nine-year-old girl who LoVes clowns...  Tel 'im it was my daughter (Madison) she LOVED the balloon, she often peeps over my shoulder to see "who" I am talking to.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

TYVM  Yes I do remember you are the klown person.  My favorite age is whatever age Luke is.    We watched a few hummers at my feeder as we built a lego garage, workshop, parts store and 7 vehicles.  It was a delightful day.  I volunteer at his small Lutheran school so I am around the third graders a lot.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Dori said:


> TYVM Yes I do remember you are the klown person. My favorite age is whatever age Luke is.  We watched a few hummers at my feeder as we built a lego garage, workshop, parts store and 7 vehicles. It was a delightful day. I volunteer at his small Lutheran school so I am around the third graders a lot.


Well, we will ALWAYS have the same favorite age! She is my only child and today is our first official day of Summer Vacation. It is so nice for you to be able to spend time with him, and cool that you play with him too. My FIL is the one who plays with Madison, school, baby dolls, whatever.... she is his LIGHT, and their only grandchild and they live in New Orleans, we live in Houston, so they come stay with us for weeks at a time.... I know people are saying your INLAWS for weeks   but not true... they are the BEST. My parents have been gone a long time so...

I had no idea though that there are so many neat threads on here for readers. I actually got started on here because of the authors involvement, now I have truly come to love every part of it. BIRDS are a big deal for us. My daughter and I watched a Kildeer's nest for a good while, quite interesting.  Then a storm came up and she was worried about the babies... next day no sign of anything, I told her they were big enough to run away, because they probably did not need to learn how to fly? Is that correct? Does anyone know?

Have a good night Dori, I will be heading to bed in a few.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

We get visiting White Pelicans at our lake house in NE Texas every winter as they are migrating back to Canada. They hang around from a couple of weeks up to 2 months. They arrival of the pelicans is our first indication that winter is about over and Spring is coming.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

CONGRATULATIONS Dori

WOO HOO WOO HOO


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Angela - we have pelicans that winter on the lake down here, unfortunately I don't have any pictures that have come out.  Who knows these might be the same ones


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Thank you very much Anju.

The pelicans are beautiful.  Great shot.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Great hawk, great pelicans!

We had some bird experts over last night and finally identified a bird we hear all the time but had never seen: the common paurauque. We thought it was some kind of whipoorwill because of its call. Turns out it's a night bird and it stays low in the grass after insects, so we're not likely to get a picture of it. There was a nearly full moon last night and no wind. We could hear several of these birds a couple hundred yards off.

Here's a shot from a friend in town. He heard a thump against a window and found this guy, knocked silly, on the ground. But he revived in a few minutes and zipped off.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

These are our harbingers of summer, snowy egrets, better know locally as cow-birds:


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## Gregor (Feb 28, 2009)

I feed birds year round and get a pretty wide variety.

Putting suet out ensures I have woodpeckers (down, hairy, rosebreasted) year round, and they really love sunflower seeds, too.

Lots of chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, yellow and purple finches and mourning doves.  Got some bluejays, too.

I was able to entice a pair of bluebirds into nesting near my house.  Saw the male feeding on suet last winter, put up a house, and the pair has raised at least 1 brood, maybe 2.

Kinda funny how the smallest birds like the chickadee are OK with me being on the deck when they're at the feeder, but the bluejays take off if I even approach the window!


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

A few years ago, we had scrub jays, that's a western version of a blue jay, nest in a tree in our back yard.  I went out there, and apparently got too close to their nest, and one of them dive-bombed me and actually pecked me on the head!  It was such a weird feeling to be attacked by a bird!


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Yup, cattle egrets. We're 200 miles south of you, Jeff. We've got 'em too.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

My neighbors having longer horns than yours, Al.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hmmm...not exactly birds, but since you brought it up, try this varmint:










These are actually neighbors:










OK; back to birds. Our bird expert friends say the owl I posted several pages back is a great horned owl. Here are some more local birds. In the second picture, it's not dead, it's just taking a dirt bath.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

You win.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Nah. Not a contest. Besides, that was a Mexican longhorn, from Monterrey.

BTW, I shot some pelicans from a T-head restaurant in Corpus Christi a couple years ago:


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Wonderful photos.  I love the little hummer in hand.  Glad that he was ok.

Long Horn pics are great too.  Birds could use those guys for a landing place.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Dori,
Did you do a little dance after the BIG post?
I think birds landing on the longhorns would be funny..... how many would fit per horn?


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Probably at least enough birds could fit on the longhorns to bake a pie.

I do a lot of happy dances.  Most of them sitting down, much to Luke's chagrin.  He once said Aunt Do the hokey pokey is much more fun when you stand up.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

LOL!  Too cute, Dori!


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

It doesn't seem fair to post someone else's picture, but this one, which came from I know not where, you just gotta see. These are supposedly Australian parrots.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

OH MY,  what an unusual shot.  Thanks for posting the parrots.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

ok guys, I am going to have to get with it and get some pictures of our wildlife!  Not many longhorns, but ordinary cows, and horses so I'll leave those alone but will try for some fun birds!


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## Tippy (Dec 8, 2008)

Brassman -- would love to hold a hummingbird.  Great photo!  The parrot phot is fun -- love the colors!


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

I think it funny that the *green* parrots hang together.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

That was a friend holding the hummer. I guess his wife took the picture. The closest I ever came to holding a hummingbird was way back in junior high. We were at a cookout with friends, and I was wandering around their back yard at dusk--I could barely see. There was a clothespin left on their clothesline, and I grabbed it to pull it off...and it flew away! It was a surprised hummingbird. So I can't actually claim to have held one, but I did touch one once.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

When I was a kid growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, we kept a hummingbird feeder that attracted nothing but ruby throated hummers--but it usually had 4 or 5 at a time around it.  One day I filled it & went out to hang it back up.  I had just stretched out my hand to put it up & heard a bird coming--he came in right over my shoulder, next to my ear!--and proceeded to feed off the bottle I was still holding for about 5 minutes before he finally took off.  It was sheer magic.

Today was my most recent "close encounter of the hummingbird kind".  Most of what I've seen up here in Washington state are the rufous sided hummers, both males & females.  Over the winter though, I had spotted one at a bit of a distance that I was fairly sure was a female Anna's, which is the only species known to overwinter on this side of the mountains.  This afternoon, I was out on the deck with our new red patio cushions when I heard that distinctive hum.  Looked up from my Kindle to find a male Anna's about a foot from my face.  He was eyeing both the cushions & the red flowers on my shirt, and seemed pretty disgusted that neither was edible.  LOL

That's all the incentive I need though to finally get my containers filled tomorrow.  I've got a couple of lists of hummingbird plants pulled up already so I can go shopping in the morning. Hopefully this boyo & his mate will stick around long enough for pictures next time!


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## Tippy (Dec 8, 2008)

Great story Victoria.  I have planted 'butterfly mint' I think it is actually called agastache. . . or something like that.  It had very pretty coral color tubular flowers.  The hummers loved them.  However comma it seems we attracted brown hummers, forget what they are called.  I was hoping for something more colorful -- but ya get what ya get.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

BrassMan said:


> It doesn't seem fair to post someone else's picture, but this one, which came from I know not where, you just gotta see. These are supposedly Australian parrots.


Loved the picture, Brassman! Those Australian parrots have a lot of discipline as well as beauty. LOL. I like they way they lined up. Reminds of those seagulls and pelicans down at Galveston Bay. They like to line up on things. Don't look real. Right now I have huge Centex doves beating against my patio doors, demanding breakfast. Hey, everything's big in Texas and they're scary too.  Heeeey, just saw the picture of the Longhorn... and realized, duh! You must live or spend a lot of time in Texas.  Longhorn watching, which is akin to bird watching, is my second hobby. We have some doozies around here. Beatiful beasts.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Nuts! I meant to post this on the pets thread. I'll move it. My bad! Sorry!


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

BrassMan said:


> It doesn't seem fair to post someone else's picture, but this one, which came from I know not where, you just gotta see. These are supposedly Australian parrots.


Brassman, couldn't resist showing off one of my former neighbor's bulls. This is a Watusi in case you haven't seen them before. Awesome.








My apologies to all the bird people. I promise not to do it again.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Just change the topic to Birds, Birds, Birds, Bulls, Bulls, Bulls.
deb


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Maybe we need to split off a Cattle thread...


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

intinst said:


> Maybe we need to split off a Cattle thread...


doubt if we would get much traffic


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

drenee said:


> Just change the topic to Birds, Birds, Birds, Bulls, Bulls, Bulls.
> deb


No, no, no, please don't do that. I beg forgiveness!


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

LOL.  I bet we'd get a lot of views out of simple curiosity.  
deb


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

Brendan Carroll said:


> No, no, no, please don't do that. I beg forgiveness!


Birds, Bulls, Birds, Bulls, Birds, Bulls better?


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Well we do have a lot of bull


Spoiler



caka


 around here


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Dona, too funny and too true.
deb


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

OK; back to birds. I love these guys. They're so curious and quirky. I've heard they can be trained to come up for hamburger, but since we have cats that probably wouldn't work.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

You guyz are too funny.  like in dodo bird.

I thought I was going to have to spin off a clown thread for a few posts the other day.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Brendan Carroll said:


> Brassman, couldn't resist showing off one of my former neighbor's bulls. This is a Watusi in case you haven't seen them before. Awesome.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Holy bull horns, Batman! That thing could gore an eighteen wheeler!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

We checked the robin's nest today and discovered there are 4 eggs in it!  

Loving all the pictures. Dori, congrats! Love the balloon.


I changed the title of the thread..so nobody is off topic.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Had to wait to stain the fence for this family. It is lunchtime apparently.

coming up next is the soft landing of the first flight


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)




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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

So what do you put in your hummingbird feeders?  Store bought, make your own, clear, colored?
I boil 3 cups of water, add 1 cup of sugar. No color added.
Anyone else?


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Anything that I read says to use 1/4 cup of sugar per cup of water.  I have used 1/3 cup for a long time, but lately am using the 1/4 cup and see no decline in the traffic.

I boil the water and add the sugar.  Clean and fill the feeder when the nectar cools.

Most so called experts say no color.  I used to add red food color but quit that last summer.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

This mama duck laid 13 eggs underneath the cypress tree next to our boathouse in the spring of 2003. They began hatching on May 16 just before one of the worst thunderstorms I had ever seen at our lake house. These pictures were taken just before the rain began.

















The next morning we only counted 10 ducklings... 3 didn't survive the storms during the night.









Later that afternoon, she had them out for a walk in the neighbor's yard! I never could seem to get them all in the picture at the same time. There were always a couple of ducklings that would wander off and she kept calling them back, just to have another one or two begin to wander off!

















About 24 hours after they began hatching, she had them all in the water for the first time.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Anyone mind PMing me as to how to post pics, I am sure I saw a thread somewhere but con not find it anymore.  I love birds, and have ducks by my home as well as hummingbirds and woodpeckers and kildeer among others. My family love to sit on the patio and watch the hummingbirds and I got pics, I just can't get the blasted thing to work. 

Thanks


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

^ Here's how to include a picture in your post:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,35.0.html

And, more tips like this are in our Forum Tips thread which is here: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,231.0.html


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

Dori,
I also heard 1/4 cup sugar to water ratio.  somehow I got on the 1/3 cup sugar to 1 cup water ratio, and the hummingbirds just flock to my feeders.  I have also seen a honeybee land right on the little hole, and I have seen other birds trying to drink from it - although I don't know how successfully.
One day, the hummingbird kept squeaking, landing on the feeder, sticking his beak in for a second, then flying off squeaking loudly.  I went to the feeder and jiggled it a little - there was a large air bubble preventing him from getting any of the food.  After I jiggled the air bubble out, he came and ate quietly!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> Dori,
> I also heard 1/4 cup sugar to water ratio. somehow I got on the 1/3 cup sugar to 1 cup water ratio, and the hummingbirds just flock to my feeders. I have also seen a honeybee land right on the little hole, and I have seen other birds trying to drink from it - although I don't know how successfully.
> One day, the hummingbird kept squeaking, landing on the feeder, sticking his beak in for a second, then flying off squeaking loudly. I went to the feeder and jiggled it a little - there was a large air bubble preventing him from getting any of the food. After I jiggled the air bubble out, he came and ate quietly!


Well, he got your attention didn't he?  I have a Ruby named Rufus who controls our feeders. He was gone for about a week after Ike hit and knocked his tree onto our house!  I thought we lost him but the whole family came back and we were quite pleased.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

I have read that you can gradually decrease the amount of sugar in the nectar after the hummers start visiting the feeder.  The article said they will continue to come at a ratio of even 1/9.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)




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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

Dori said:


> I have read that you can gradually decrease the amount of sugar in the nectar after the hummers start visiting the feeder. The article said they will continue to come at a ratio of even 1/9.


That's interesting, we'll have to try decreasing. We've always used 1/4 ratio.


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

If you decrease it, do they come by more often?


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

How did this thread get so low?  Any pictures, anyone?  I need pictures!


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

I am carrying my camera outside with me every time I go out and it appears the birds can smell it as they all disappear!  I did get a picture of a hummer on a branch, but he was so far away he looked like a pod on the tree.


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> How did this thread get so low? Any pictures, anyone? I need pictures!


OK, OK. I warned you. Don't get me started!

Here are some wild turkeys which wandered across our yard a while ago. They're all around here but it's unusual to see them close like this. Usually we just hear them gobbling at sundown.



















At no extra charge, here's a great horned owl:










Feel better now?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I think you're confused, Al. THIS is Wild Turkey:


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## Carol Hanrahan (Mar 31, 2009)

BrassMan,
Those turkeys are awesome!  Thanks so much.  Now I feel better....


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I think you're confused, Al. THIS is Wild Turkey:


Man, I'd love to see a flock of those in the back yard. Never much cared for the gobbling kind--I let those guys walk on through. Your kind I would have thrown a net over!


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## BrassMan (Dec 8, 2008)

Carol Hanrahan said:


> BrassMan,
> Those turkeys are awesome! Thanks so much. Now I feel better....


Uncle Al, the sailor's pal! Just call--that's all.


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