Backyard Birds

I feel like such an amateur birder. I know that I certainly am one, but I wish it didn't feel so... evident. A short time ago, I began feeling more confident recognizing bird species that had been new to me not-so-long before. I was consistently spotting egrets, pelicans, and terns which was exciting, but I was hoping to expand my birding to new orders and families, particularly passerines.

On a sudden whim, I bought a sturdy bird bath and a solar-powered fountain to set up in my backyard. I was sure to keep the water clean and fresh, but to my dismay I discovered no new visitors. Even weeks after its installation, I've only noticed a couple instances of a mockingbird sitting at the bath briefly. Better than nothing, I suppose, but I was disheartened that the other birds I'd seen near the house (warblers, mourning doves, mockingbirds, humming birds, etc.) hadn't been enticed by my attempt to make my backyard more bird friendly.

My conclusion was that it's not bird friendly enough. So I looked on Etsy and got myself a bird feeder cage and home-made suet cake. I'm rethinking the decision for suet over seeds (I'm living in the heat of Florida, after all), but the photos of woodpeckers eating suet was appealing to me in the moment. I finally got it hung up on the eaves of the roof, and I waiting a few days for the birds to find its location, but in vain. I admitted to myself that even though it was an ideal spot for me to see out my window, it wasn't the best place for the birds seeking food. So I purchased a shepherd's hook and re-located the feeder near the mangroves separating the yard from the canal. I constantly hear birds within that vegetation, so I figured I'd see birds within maybe a week. I was wrong again, and my excitement deflated.

In a not-too-optimistic act, I saved the seeds from a butternut squash I had cooked for a soup. I looked up if they were safe for birds, and found out that mockingbirds, blue-jays, and cardinals can indeed eat squash seeds. I put them out by the mangroves on a plate and played the waiting game yet again. It took a couple days, but I finally spotted a northern cardinal pecking at my seeds! He was even there the next day as well. Of course, my camera was acting up and not performing at its usual quality, but I finally had some satisfaction that my efforts yielded a visit from my intended guests.

Perhaps this is a sign to get a new type of bird feeder?

Publicado el enero 26, 2021 11:01 TARDE por gemela-dos gemela-dos

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Cardenal Rojo (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Observ.

gemela-dos

Fecha

Enero 24, 2021 a las 05:09 TARDE EST

Descripción

Cardinal eating squash seeds I had put out for the birds.

Comentarios

Hi! I thought I'd make some suggestions to help you with bird feeding. Perhaps you have investigated the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website? There is lots of information on getting started with feeding backyard birds. Maybe you have looked at that... It really is a combination of the right foods for the birds in your area, presented in the best way for them to feed. There is "no melt" suet for hot climates! I use it in the summer. Anyway, just thought I'd chirp in!
Marla Knight, in northern California!

Publicado por maknight hace alrededor de 3 años

@maknight Thanks for your comment! I wasn't sure people actually read journals on this site haha. I frequently use Cornell Lab's "All About Birds" site when trying to identify bird species, but haven't explored much else of their website. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll take a look!

Publicado por gemela-dos hace alrededor de 3 años

Well, I'm not sure they do either! I'm new to iNat and I was just looking around, and was curious about the journal entries, and thought I would respond to something I actually know about! Hope you find more about backyard bird feeding on the Cornell site!
Regards,
Marla.

Publicado por maknight hace alrededor de 3 años

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