| Author |
Message |
    
emmie
Citizen
Username: Emmie
Post Number: 242
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 10:32 am: |     |
I wish I knew more about birds, but for the life of me I can't figure out why there is a robin sitting in my holly tree feasting on the berries. I thought robins flew south for the winter. The first robin was always the first sign of spring. Duh! Hope holly berries aren't poisonous. |
spw784
Citizen
Username: Spw784
Post Number: 453
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 11:29 am: | |
Maybe it missed its opportunity to head south, and decided to stick around in your yard instead. I'd think with the mild weather earlier this season, the food supply is better for certain species.
From GardenWeb.com :http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/edible/msg0409434710325.html
..."Holly berries are poisonous. Do not allow birds to be a guide to the edibility of plants and berries. Their digestive systems are vastly different to that of humans, and many have evolved to withstand substances that will kill humans - same applies to certain animals, too...."
My instinct says the berries are okay for the birds, but not humans. |
Cedar
Citizen
Username: Cedar
Post Number: 112
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2004 - 6:01 pm: | |
Wondered the same thing myself about three weeks go. Numerous FAT robins in the yard at an odd time of year, coupled with some cardinals, and finch-type little birds beginning to try to nest (read: fight over)in our bird houses. Did they get really distracted this year? |
imacgrandma
Citizen
Username: Imacgrandma
Post Number: 218
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 6:21 pm: | |
I saw this red fat thing in my backyard the other day. Squinting, I could see it was a cardinal. Wait! I said and ran upstairs to get my binoculars. Sure enough, a big fat male cardinal. What a sight! I watched as long as he stayed there. |
emmie
Citizen
Username: Emmie
Post Number: 244
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 6:30 pm: | |
I had two cardinals, male and female, at my window birdfeeder today. I couldn't stop watching them. The male would stand guard in the holly tree while the female ate, then the reverse. A couple of beauties. |
blackcat
Citizen
Username: Blackcat
Post Number: 149
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 7:30 am: | |
We get several sets of male/female cardinals in the winter at the feeder along with black and white finch types. Then there's the huge amount of sparrows that seem to have adopted our feeder. During really snowey times the jays come and take over the feeder. I almost forget our buddies the squirrels that help themselves to the suet and seed..we also give them peanuts. |
brusin
Citizen
Username: Brusin
Post Number: 61
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 9:34 am: | |
We've got cardinals, slate colored juncos, a downy woodpecker and assorted sparrows. And on Saturday, a sharped shinned hawk perched in a tree in the back of the yard eyeing the bird feeders! |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 134
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 12:39 pm: | |
Those black and white finch-types are dark eyed juncos. This is there 'south for the winter" home. We also have a family of downey woodpeckers visting the suet feeder. |
blackcat
Citizen
Username: Blackcat
Post Number: 150
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 7:28 am: | |
Dark-eyed juncos...thank you. I knew they weren't finches. Just checked the Audobon Society's Eastern bird book and stand corrected. If I can figure out how to scan and post photos, I've got great ones from the last snow storm. The cardianls and juncos were hanging out in our "Christmas tree" (dwarf spruce)on the back deck. |
barbara wilhelm
Citizen
Username: Bartist
Post Number: 120
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 8:54 am: | |
blackcat is this it?
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
6". Adult mainly slaty gray; midbelly white; bill pale pink, conical. Flight reveals white outer tail feathers. Imm. gray areas browner. Juv. chest and back striped brown. Travels in flocks. Voice Song: loose musical trill. Call: light snack. Habitat Mixed woods, summits (summer); woods, brushy edges, parks (winter). Range May–Sept.: mtns. of NY south to w VA. Oct.–Apr.: entire region. |
blackcat
Citizen
Username: Blackcat
Post Number: 153
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 8:58 am: | |
That's it! They always seem to land on the deck or tree for seed rather than the feeder. Could be because the sparrows take over the feeder. They do a little back and forth shuffle to get to the seed under the falling/fallen snow. Drives the cats nuts! |
barbara wilhelm
Citizen
Username: Bartist
Post Number: 121
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 9:17 am: | |
blackcat,
I love watching winter birds against the white snow and at the feeders. Here is another that is more difficult to spot that brusin posted.
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
6 1/2". The common small woodpecker. Like Hairy Woodpecker, head boldly pied; back white; wings black, white-spotted; underparts white; male has red nape patch. Downy is smaller than Hairy, with shorter bill and black spots on white outer tail feathers. Voice Rapid descending whinny, flat pick; long drum. Habitat Woods, suburbs. Range Resident in entire region.
|
barbara wilhelm
Citizen
Username: Bartist
Post Number: 122
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 9:27 am: | |
brusin,
I saw one of these a few weeks ago as well. Beautiful!
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
L 12"; WS 21". Adult upperparts and crown gray; underparts barred rusty. Legs thin, yellow. Imm. brown above, striped below. Flies with fast wingbeats followed by glides; tail square, often notched. Expert at capturing small birds, often at feeders. Voice High kek notes. Habitat Woods, shrubby areas. Range Sept.–Apr.: entire region; uncommon breeder, mainly in hills. Locally common in migration. |
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