# My backyard visitors



## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

I thought I would share some of my backyard visitors with everyone here  
http://ImageEvent.com/heartyart1/beads
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Wonderful pics!!!!. I so enjoyed them.
You have a great variety of birds visiting your backyard, you're so lucky.

Reti


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Lovely pictures, Mari. 
You have a beautiful piece of property.
Let me know if you need a roomate.


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

Thank you, Reti, Charis  They are all such great company in the summer, though with so many heading out for the winter, I tend to go through that "empty nest syndrome".
Sure, Charis, I've got extra rooms here, kids are all on their own ....From what it sounds like, I will need someone to do loft cleaning daily when I'm all set up - ah ha ha ha!  *halo fades momentarily*


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## NitaS (May 26, 2007)

Mari, you sure have a nice place for your feathered friends. Doesn't it just seem to make all the problems go away watching them?
I started putting a feeder in my back yard again this year. Hadn't had one for several years and now I realized how much I enjoyed watching the different birds come in!
I also have several chipmunks, a mom and baby red-tailed squirrel and a gray squirrel!
Nita


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

NitaS said:


> Mari, you sure have a nice place for your feathered friends. Doesn't it just seem to make all the problems go away watching them?I started putting a feeder in my back yard again this year. Hadn't had one for several years and now I realized how much I enjoyed watching the different birds come in!
> I also have several chipmunks, a mom and baby red-tailed squirrel and a gray squirrel!
> Nita


It sure does, Nita- I don't know what I would do without my birds 
I haven't seen a gray squirrel in quite some time- How lucky you are!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Mari, I enjoyed your pictures very much. I have never seen an oriole in our area. We used to have a rose breasted grosbeak but I haven't seen one in many years.

I am really interested in your extender for the bluebird house. We need to try that because even though we love our crow family dearly they do try to get the eggs/babies out of the nest. You may enjoy one adventure we had a couple of years ago with a snake and our bluebirds.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=75613&postcount=1


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

we have had loads of nest aroound here 1 sparrow nest in the motor home threw the top 5 babys,1 blue jays nest under the hitch of a trailor its a cap over 4 babys..1 sparrow in my pigeon coop took them out because they were attacking my birds he go in threw the window lol he can slide under it 4 eggs,1 more birds nest in my other pigeon coop no eggs just nestings, and one in my fruit stand 1 sparrow nest dunno what he has i can hear him moving around and babies squeaking and see some nesting straw, and for last 24 pairs of pigeons nest in the pigeon coop -.-


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

Glad you enjoyed them, Maggie 
We are lucky enough to have an old overgrown apple/pear orchard in the back 40. This attracts alot of the Baltimore and Orchard orioles, though it isn't a necessity to get them to come. Try putting out orange halves- I always check the discounted stuff at the grocery. (I nailed a couple nails in a board half-way and just push them on- This is mounted on a pole. The feeders work really well too- Just be sure to change the nectar often.  

If your crows and Jays are getting into the bluebird boxes, the entry hole is probably too large. Check the specs here: http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/
I have many of these birds around here, and never a problem. The crows actually help with the hawk situation  

Good job saving those bluebirds and deterring the snake! They do have pole-mount guards for that available too, and the parents could feed and warm the babies throughout the night as well- Important when they tend to start laying when there is still snow on the ground, again in the summer, and even a third clutch late summer/early fall. I am far enough north that I don't have to worry too much about snakes.
For the hole extenders, we used 2" PVC pipe (which is bigger than the house entrance) and cut into 5" sections. We then just took off one side of the pipe at the last 2 inches to form the landing platform. Attach 2 L brackets at end and screw (use good wood screws, or a **** can tear the extender right off!) it right to the front of the box, centered so that the bottom of the house entrance forms a little dam that will stop the extender from funneling in the rain


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

Wow, Pigeon Lower- You do have alot of nests! Aren't they fun to watch?


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

nope not really dont only the pigeons and blue jays i dont like sparrows there is to many in the world


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Mari,

I appreciate you sharing your backyard birds and backyard. What a wonderful yard to share with all Gods creation. 

We used to get the Flickers in our yard in the fall, I just love them, they are so funny to watch.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Pigeon lower said:


> nope not really dont only the pigeons and blue jays i dont like sparrows there is to many in the world


 No such thing!! That's like saying there's too many pigeons! The only thing there's too many of in the world are people lol.  

What beautiful pictures!! You are so lucky to have so many birds near you (and they're so lucky to have you to give them such lovely real estate and meals!) What a wonderful thing you have going there.


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

LOL- Yes, pigeon lower, the house sparrows can be a pain at times. I just love to watch all the young birds grow, and they have amazing personalities too, if you pay close attention. I have also learned that I can learn so much from them about pigeons too 
Trees- The flickers are one of my faves- so beautiful! There is a funny downey woodpecker who likes to take shelter in the closest bluebird box in the winter too- He's hilarious!


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

Hi MaryJane 
Thank you- I figure, if I have to be stuck at home I better make it enjoyable  I'll be content once I have pigeon poop to keep me busy- LOL.
eek: Wow...I never imagined I would be saying THAT!)


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## roy-me-boy (Dec 28, 2006)

Really lovely pics there Mari.I do like your Goldfinches.There so different to the ones here in England.


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

Thanks, Me-Boy  Would love to see pics of some of the birds you have over there too


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

Just beautiful!


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

Thank you for sharing those pictures, what a variety.

The backyard guys I have are not very colorful.


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

*really enjoyed that!*

Thanks so much for such a lovely way to start my day. I sipped my coffee and enjoyed your photos - they are just fantastic. I love the idea for the extender on the bird boxes and we may just have to borrow that idea. We are only a week or two off Spring here in Tasmania Australia and the birds are already looking for nest sites. We have a very old farmhouse on 3 acres and so far have had to cut 4 holes in our walls to rescue birdies who fell from the roof into the internal walls - Its a 14 room house and the whole roof needs replacing and we just do not have that kind of money just now. Hmm, that started 4 years ago and now I have 8 talking starlings (who I love to bits) and a male European Blackbird. Have saved 24 birds so far from pulling them out of the tight spots they get themselves into. My hubby and I are like a magic act, but it is me that has to put my arm into the wall cavity up to my armpit and feel around the icky stuff in there to catch the biting, screaming birdie. LOL  So this year, it's nesting boxes everywhere we can and I was worried about Possums and Ravens getting into the smaller boxes for sparrows (we love them here and only have about 5 in our yard, so they are precious to us) and the starlings and blackbirds - mostly Blue Wrens and Red Robins here. So again, thanks for the inspiration - 
love and light
Susan in Tasmania 
PS - How do you stop the birdies getting into that lovely veggie patch?


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## michbird (Jul 5, 2007)

Hi Susan  I so much enjoyed reading your post as well- It is so interesting the differences we have in our areas. The European Starlings and House Sparrows are not native here, though they don't realize it. They think they belong here, and that the native birds are the invaders. This makes them very competitive for nest sites with our native birds. Because of this, we have to watch entrance hole sizes carefully in order to keep starlings from the bluebird/tree swallow boxes. Pairing boxes also helps to provide housing for both sparrows and bluebirds/tree swallows. In the starling & house sparrows' native realms, they are not destructive as they are here.
The veggie patch? We LOVE the birds in our veggie patch! They eat the bad bugs mostly, though I have had to chase stalings from seedlings early on in our growing season...but the bunnies are a bigger problem. The older bunnies have learned they don't belong- They're smart animals which can be trained to stay out if you chase them out constantly for a few days....but when the young begin feeding on their own, it is a much bigger problem in many more numbers- ha ha! I just plant extra and put chicken wire over their favorites


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