Conquered the Squirrel Problem

I have been having so many probelms with the squirrels eating my bird feed and tried many things to deter them. Nothing worked until just recently when I took an idea a friend had and modified it to suit my purposes. I have taken empty, 2 liter soda bottles and cut the tops and bottoms off and placed them over the hook and then down the post of my crook that I hang the feeder on. I went almost all the way up the post and so far it is working. The squirrels have tried to jump on but fall off. I am hoping they don't figure out a way to get up these bottles. I feel very happy that I am not going through anyway near the amount of seed I was when the squirrels were getting to the feeder. They still can get what is dropped by the birds and there is plenty of acorns and fruit on the ground from my trees so they will be just fine without my bird seed. I know it looks funny but I don't care as long as it works. You are welcome to take my idea and try it. Good Luck!!!!

Evening Grosbeaks

For the second Tuesday, the Evening Grosbeaks came to visit my feeders. I just love their color. I got some pretty good pictures of them. They helped to make my day a bit brighter.

Common Mergansers

Art and I were driving by the Sugar River on our way to the hardware store when I noticed some white birds on the river. We got what we needed and dropped it all off at home, I grabbed my camera and we drove back to the river. Downriver near the dam were two of these white birds with dark heads and necks and bright red bills. There was also a darker bird with them. I really couldn't get a good look at the darker one because they were far away. We went a bit further upriver and there were 2 more, another of the white birds and a grayish bird with a reddish brown head. I snapped more pics. I was pretty sure the grayish one was a Common Merganser but I wasn't sure about the white because I had not seen a picture of a male.

When I got home and loaded the pics on the computer, I got a good view. The darker bird with the two white was a female Common Merganser. I checked out my bird book and saw that the white birds are male Common Mergansers which I pretty much figured out but wanted to be sure. This is the first time I have seen these birds. Another first today. I can't believe all that I have been missing all these years.

I hope you like the pictures. Anne

A Saturday Morning Visitor

I love Saturday mornings when I don't have to rush around. I got up pretty early and got on the exercise bike which is right by my wondow so I can watch the birds at the feeders. There were goldfinches that are almost totally yellow again, purple finches, red-winged blackbirds, grackles, brown-headed cow birds, blue jays, robins, a couple of song sparrows and mourning doves. Basically my usual group.

I went about my morning routine but for some reason was drawn to the window again. There I saw a beautiful bird. One I had never seen before. A friend of mine told me to look up flicker in my bird book and there it was. This bird is a Northern "yellow-shafted" Flicker. How exciting for me to see a new bird. I hope he stays around for the season.

I also had another bird eating at the feeder. I am not sure if maybe she is a female red-winged blackbird or not. I will try to find out. I just love the picture of her on the branch of my pear tree. I have been watching birds for only a couple of years and most of my watching is done right in my own back yard.

I did see an American Kestrel yesterday as I was driving in Lempster near some wetlands. He flew beside my car for a few seconds. How beautiful!

Enjoy your day! Anne

Purple Finches, Red-winged Blackbirds,and more

This past St Patrick's Day, I was visited by two pairs of purple finches. I had gotten a glimpse of one last year but this time they stayed at the feeders for awhile and have come back a few times. I haven't had the chance to watch for the past few days so I am not sure if they are still eating here but will watch this weekend.

The Spring birds are returning and I am back at taking pictures. I had never seen a female red-winged blackbird before this past Saturday. They are actually very pretty with their stripes and speckles. I love the shades of browns mixed with the black and they also have the yellow and orange on their wings. there were about 9 females and 5 males at the feeder on Saturday along with some common grackles and what I believe were two brown-headed cowbirds. I sent some of the pictures to the NH Audubon Society to ask about them and about the finches. I was told these are purples finches but they did not mention about the cowbirds. I have replied to the email so hopefully I will get an answer. They are really good about getting back to me when I ask a question. Enjoy the pics and I hope to start taking more as the weather gets warmer.

Bluebirds

Today was a day at home for me and as always I try to get things done that have been put on hold the rest of the week while I work. It was kind of a crisp and oversast day and I didn't really want to go outside much. My husband came home for lunch and asked if I had noticed all the crows out on the bcak field. I went to look and just as I looked out the window something blue flew by very quickly. I thought maybe it was the indigo bunting but I quickly forgot about it as I saw about 50 to 60 crows in my back field. My husband said he had never seen so many crows together before accept on the movie"The Birds" and I thought how appropriate for the day before Halloween.

I called the Audubon Society and was told this is very normal for this time of year. The crows get together in groups and roost together in the trees. It is like a safety in numbers thing. I told her about the blue bird I saw and how I thought it might be the indigo bunting and she thought maybe it was on it's way somewhere.

Later in the afternoon as i was sitting in my livingroom, I noticed 2 small birds sitting on the wire outside. I got up to look and was so happy to see 2 Eastern Bluebirds. This is only the second time in my life I have seen Bluebirds and actually it was about the same time of year the last time. I of course went for my camera and found them out on the old dead tree that so many birds seem to enjoy sitting in. There were 5 or 6 of them out there and I was able to get a few pics. Unfortunately the day is gray and the pics were a bit dark but you can see the colring on them and can tell they are Eastern Bluebirds.

I looked them up in my "Animal Speak" book and the message they bring was very fitting for me. I hope you enjoy the pics.

Nighthawks

This is the time of the migration of the Common nighthawk. I had been wanting to go over to the Connecticut River and join the survey being done on the numbers being seen migrating but have not had a chance to get there.

This evening as I drove home from work, I found myself wondering if they ever migrate down the Sugar River. I even looked to the sky to see if I could find any but with no luck. As I drove up my road I saw my husband raking the grass he has just cut. I drove into the driveway and was making my way into the house feeling very tired when I noticed my husband looking up. I followed his gaze and to my delight I saw a number of what I thought were nighthawks flying and circling the pool below them.

I ran to get my binoculars and got a closer look. I had only seen a picture of a nighthawk and not the actual bird. I was pretty sure these were nighthawks and asked my husband to get my camera.

They must have been filling up for their trip south because they were flying in circles and very erratically trying to catch every bug they could get there beaks on. They were so quick that I couldn't use my zoom as high as I would have liked but I was able to catch a few pics of them.

It seemed as soon as I was finished taking their pictures, they flew off in a southwestern direction, probably on their way to the Connecticut River to finish their migration.

How lucky I am to have been home at just the right time to see these beautiful birds and how nice of them to save me the trip to the river. Enjoy the pics. Anne