The Zen Birdfeeder

Wordless Wednesday

  

Swirly Bird
Captured by Wingscapes Birdcam

Digi-grosbeaks

After I had saved my Grosbeak Gallery post, I remembered that I had some Rose-breasted and Evening Grosbeak images that I had digiscoped all on one day in mid-July.  So I'll share them with you now.

I digiscope with an older Nikon Sky & Earth Series scope, 15-45x, 60mm objective lens. It's a smaller scope, but I like the close-focus capabilities of it. I spend most of my digiscoping time in the 15x zoom range. I dream of getting a new scope, but this one will do for at least a while longer. 

I use a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N2 with Carl Zeiss 3x zoom lens, 10.1 megapixel, and a large touch-screen LCD.  The Zeiss lens sold me on this camera, and the touch-screen LCD display is especially helpful when digiscoping.

I attach the camera to the scope with a Vortex Universal Digiscoping adaptor (small).  I often just leave my camera attached to the scope.  This keeps my digiscoping setup ready to go!

  

My tripod is an older Bogen 3001 and an old, cumbersome Manfrotto head.  I'm looking to replace that head with a better tripod head for digiscoping.  Any suggestions out there???

Give digiscoping a try!

Grosbeak Gallery

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks returned in early May and have been very numerous and regular at our feeders. Many WBU customers are reporting rose-breasteds at their feeders too and a successful nesting season.  They are easy to attract and are a beautiful addition to the yard.

Here's a photo gallery of the grosbeaks in my yard.

Male and female enjoying a WBU Supreme Fare cylinder on a WBU exclusive seed cylinder feeder.
 

Male trying to stay out of the rain on the APS® Side Dish with Rain Guard.  This "high cute factor" combo fits on our great Advanced Pole System.
 

On this recycled feeder are two younger (first summer) males.  Enlarge the image to take note of the brown in their wing feathers.
 

A beautiful male enjoying safflower seed.  Safflower is our problem-solving seed.  Many birds enjoy it, including grosbeaks!
 

 

I first saw grosbeak young in mid-July, two-and-a-half months after the grosbeaks returned.
 

A young one chattin' with the chickadee on APS setup.
 

The future of the species.
 

We've heard more reports of grosbeaks then in previous years.  Have Rose-breasted Grosbeaks been more numerous this year in your yard?

The "Other" Princess Jess

The "other" My Princess Jess made a big showing on the turf Friday at Saratoga.  She won the Lake George Stakes, earning her third straight victory.  Her win paid $6.10/$3.40/$2.30.

I wasn't there, but had I been, I surely would have bet on her in memory of MY Princess Jess, who died June 7th.
 

Darn, I could've won at the track for once!

Wordless Wednesday

YARD SENTRY
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Watercolor Effect

More Young'ens

Here's more of the young birds in our yard, a mix of fledglings (have left the nest but are still not independent) and immature birds (no longer dependent on parents).

Mourning Dove - note the light edging of the feathers.
 

Downy and Hairy Woodpecker males - red is on the top of the head versus the back. The young females are a little harder - they are just fresher- and cleaner-looking than frazzled mom. 
 
 

Dark-eyed Junco - streaked appearance versus solid grey
 
 

Red-breasted Nuthatch - junior is on the left.  A little shorter bill, and newer, neater appearance (raising kids is tough on the adults!)
 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - there's the start of that beautiful rosy breast!
 

Hummingbird Success with Birdcam

 
Three times I had tried to use the Wingscapes Birdcam to take motion-activated images of hummingbirds at my feeders. Each time, a whole day of shooting produced nothing.  I had the sensitivity set HIGH, the camera up close and set on the appropriate distance, the number of pictures per event set at between 5 and 10, the aim was right, the rest in between event set at 2min.  But no luck. Admittedly it was set up on the shaded side of the house, but I've taken Birdcam pictures in deep shade before.

I talked to Birdcam developer Bart Stephens and my friend Melissa Morgan of Wingscapes while they were at the Wild Birds Unlimited vendor mart; they were very interested in the problem I was having and suggested moving the camera back. They asked me to keep them posted.

Last week, I set up the Birdcam in a position slightly above the feeder (I had previously had it aimed upward toward the feeder).  And I moved it back a little, just at about 2 feet.  At the end of the day, I checked my memory card with much anticipation:  SUCCESS!
 
 

I think the difference was the aim of the camera. Aiming at the feeder from below it may have caused the motion sensor to miss the action ABOVE the feeder. Aiming slightly downward from a camera position above the feeder may have helped catch these tremendously fast birds.
 

I'd be interested in hearing from other Birdcam users about your experiences taking images of hummingbirds.
 

The Wingscapes Birdcam is available at Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY and at many other WBU stores across the country and in Canada. By purchasing the Birdcam at your local WBU store, you'll be able to talk to experienced folks, many of whom have tried the Birdcam and would love to share their experiences with you!

Fledgling Identification Tips

My yard is FILLED with Blue Jay fledglings! Each day as these young birds become more independent, they seem to be replaced with more youngsters just emerging from the nest.
 
 

With so many young jays around, it's a good time to look for the things that help us identify fledgling birds. (Click on any image to enlarge to see greater detail).

Watch for wing quiver behavior as they beg for food.
 
 

Their landings are sometimes clumsy and they'll stumble on to perches.
 
 
 
Listen for whiny, squeally calls that come from one area for a period of time.
 

Their plumage appears softer and more "downy-like" than the adult.
 

Their beak is a bit shorter too.
 
 

They learn to preen their downy-type feathers.
 

Look for a soft, fleshy part at the edges of their beak.
 
 
 

Watch for baby jays!
 

Read "Backyard Mystery Birds" for more hints on identifying juvenile birds.

Summer Evening Grosbeaks

A pair of Evening Grosbeaks has been around since the 4th of July. This past winter, we had more Evening Grosbeaks than we've ever had, with a count as high as 27.  Their return in the summer months is appreciated.

They have nested in the vicinity before, though I have yet to see any sign of young this year.

In 2007, Audubon included the Evening Grosbeak on their list of "Common Birds in Decline", saying that in the last 40 years, the population of this bird has declined by 78%, from 17 million to 3.8 million birds.

Are you seeing Evening Grosbeaks this summer?

Wordless Wednesday

Why we get mad at Blue Jays.