Hi @Ankala Teaweed ! Such a shame you cannot have a feeder :( I know its not the same but here's my favorite virtual live streaming bird feeder at the Cornell Lab in Ithaca, NY - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/cams/corn ... ederwatch/
Does anyone have a hummingbird feeder? And if so, is it lots of work to maintain/keep clean? I was thinking of getting one but thought I'd read they need daily cleaning? I don't want any birdies getting sick.
Calling All Bird Nerds
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Elwing
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Brewer
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Cool! Yeah Cornell does important work. They inspire me.
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Fea
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Behold red kites of the Chilterns!
I've had worse views from the office!
I've had worse views from the office!
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Elwing
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Ooo Nia they're gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing. Are they year-round residents in your region?
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Chef
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Oh they're beautiful! I love the white wing patches and notch in the tail.
We're having an unseasonable snowpocalypse here and I've been bringing the hummingbird feeders in every few hours to thaw out. I have no idea how our little Anna's hummingbirds are wintering over in this, but it's nice to see the feeder appreciated.
The snow has also brought my very favorite bird, the varied thrush. This is the moment when I wish I had an actual camera, but he came up and ate from under the feeders, which they don't usually do when the ground is clear.
We're having an unseasonable snowpocalypse here and I've been bringing the hummingbird feeders in every few hours to thaw out. I have no idea how our little Anna's hummingbirds are wintering over in this, but it's nice to see the feeder appreciated.
The snow has also brought my very favorite bird, the varied thrush. This is the moment when I wish I had an actual camera, but he came up and ate from under the feeders, which they don't usually do when the ground is clear.
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Fea
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Thanks, Lail - yeah get them all year round here, which is just lovely!
Gosh that does look cold outside, Menolly! Glad to see the birds are making good use of the feeders!
Gosh that does look cold outside, Menolly! Glad to see the birds are making good use of the feeders!
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Elwing
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Oh they're so pretty Nia! Someday I'll get to birding over there, I hope.
hello hummingbird and thrush! I bet the hummers are glad you were so attentive to their feeders! It is interesting that the thrushes don't normally do that when there's no snow. Do you have any theories on this @Menolly?
hello hummingbird and thrush! I bet the hummers are glad you were so attentive to their feeders! It is interesting that the thrushes don't normally do that when there's no snow. Do you have any theories on this @Menolly?
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Chef
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@Lailyn my best guess is that, since they normally forage on the ground for bugs, they come to the feeder for suet or fallen seed to supplement their diet when the ground is covered in snow. I threw a few handfuls of peanuts out during the worst of the snow and while the jays ate most of them, one varied thrush came by and picked up a nut or two as well.
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Elwing
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Oh that makes sense! It both worries and fascinates me when adverse weather or other events seem to cause a change in bird behavior.
This is not a recent photo but one of my fav backyard birds the Dark-eyed Junco! They're so cheery during our dreary winters and fun and easy to watch. I heard one singing its spring song for the first time this past week! It was very exciting.
This is not a recent photo but one of my fav backyard birds the Dark-eyed Junco! They're so cheery during our dreary winters and fun and easy to watch. I heard one singing its spring song for the first time this past week! It was very exciting.
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Fea
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Elwing
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Oh Nia, he is so cute! Thanks for sharing. Your Robins remind me of finches...they sing such sweet songs!
I've been feeling extra stressed and burnt out lately. At least spring is my favorite season and there are so many lovely birds returning. The weekend before last, I saw my first swallows of the season, which was really uplifting. I could watch them swooping and chittering for hours!
Last weekend, I saw my first osprey (3 in fact!!) of the season AND the funniest thing - they have a nest situated high up on top of a bridge where I've seen them in prior years. But the day I was there, it was being rudely occupied by Canada Geese! I thought this was the oddest thing, but since looking it up, apparently geese and osprey will sometimes compete for nests! Nature is crazy and endlessly fascinating.
Swallows and osprey are two of my favorite birds (though it is impossible to choose, really, these two are extra near and dear to my heart). Seeing them gave me a small, but much-needed boost and I am thankful I have the opportunity to go watch them.
I've been feeling extra stressed and burnt out lately. At least spring is my favorite season and there are so many lovely birds returning. The weekend before last, I saw my first swallows of the season, which was really uplifting. I could watch them swooping and chittering for hours!
Last weekend, I saw my first osprey (3 in fact!!) of the season AND the funniest thing - they have a nest situated high up on top of a bridge where I've seen them in prior years. But the day I was there, it was being rudely occupied by Canada Geese! I thought this was the oddest thing, but since looking it up, apparently geese and osprey will sometimes compete for nests! Nature is crazy and endlessly fascinating.
Swallows and osprey are two of my favorite birds (though it is impossible to choose, really, these two are extra near and dear to my heart). Seeing them gave me a small, but much-needed boost and I am thankful I have the opportunity to go watch them.
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Counsellor of Gondor
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I wonder if I am now eligible to post in this thread... 
I can't say that I'm watching birds in RL, except chasing pigeons out of my balcony, but have fallen into watching 10 live streams from bird nests and finding it incredibly interesting.
This is the currently very popular white-tailed eagle Milda, many people are watching because the news spread that her mate is lost (since March 27). There are 3 eggs in the nest, but it seems that nothing will hatch - Milda is increasingly leaving the nest to go find food, and now another guy has started showing interest in her, is bringing her spruce tree twigs and such.
Then, a pair of storks...
And this very cute osprey, though now there's two of them already, his wife Vita returned yesterday.
How can one not watch them? lol...
I can't say that I'm watching birds in RL, except chasing pigeons out of my balcony, but have fallen into watching 10 live streams from bird nests and finding it incredibly interesting.This is the currently very popular white-tailed eagle Milda, many people are watching because the news spread that her mate is lost (since March 27). There are 3 eggs in the nest, but it seems that nothing will hatch - Milda is increasingly leaving the nest to go find food, and now another guy has started showing interest in her, is bringing her spruce tree twigs and such.
Then, a pair of storks...
And this very cute osprey, though now there's two of them already, his wife Vita returned yesterday.
How can one not watch them? lol...
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Elwing
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Ooo Pele I love watching nest-cams!! It's so fascinating, isn't it?! and I think its great because it makes it so accessible for everyone to watch and you can see the birds up close like you never would in the wild! I once got pretty into watching an Osprey nest so much that I had it up on my second screen at work. How is Milda doing without her mate now? Do the Osprey have any eggs yet?
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Counsellor of Gondor
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I have become rather addicted to watching these... *shakes head at self* Always one nest or other, or all 9 in one window in the background.
Milda has a proper soap opera going. She allowed one of the males trying to approach her into the nest, and he ended up sitting on the eggs, bringing twigs and some food. Two chicks hatched, but either because of strange eagles disturbing them or for some other reason Milda let them freeze to death and ate them. Some stranger ate the third egg, and it seems to be the same male that now seems to try and court Milda. She is seldom around these days, but the stranger visits the nest every day, and they have both been visiting together a couple of times. Got used to Chips (the first very helpful male) though.
He must have lost a fight with the stranger or something.
Ospreys have 3 eggs and are happily watching over them.
Then there are white storks with 5 eggs; two nests of lesser spotted eagles with one egg in each; black kites with an egg; a black stork couple (the lady came late, so I doubt they'll have eggs); and another nest of white-tailed eagles, though that is a young pair and no eggs. I assumed this was a plenty of nests to watch, so haven't sought out the other 9 cams, or any of those in other countries.
Milda has a proper soap opera going. She allowed one of the males trying to approach her into the nest, and he ended up sitting on the eggs, bringing twigs and some food. Two chicks hatched, but either because of strange eagles disturbing them or for some other reason Milda let them freeze to death and ate them. Some stranger ate the third egg, and it seems to be the same male that now seems to try and court Milda. She is seldom around these days, but the stranger visits the nest every day, and they have both been visiting together a couple of times. Got used to Chips (the first very helpful male) though.
He must have lost a fight with the stranger or something.Ospreys have 3 eggs and are happily watching over them.
Then there are white storks with 5 eggs; two nests of lesser spotted eagles with one egg in each; black kites with an egg; a black stork couple (the lady came late, so I doubt they'll have eggs); and another nest of white-tailed eagles, though that is a young pair and no eggs. I assumed this was a plenty of nests to watch, so haven't sought out the other 9 cams, or any of those in other countries.
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Counsellor of Gondor
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Still watching birds.
Two of the ospreys' eggs hatched, the babies grew strong until goshawk kidnapped one yesterday and another today. Very sad. Also, all the white stork babies were thrown out of the nest either by a stranger and/or mum. Seems that so many nests are unsuccessful this year.
Yet, the three black stork kids are still growing, the three goshawks and three black kites are all grown and flying round and about; also the lesser spotted eagle is growing nicely.
Still... SIGH.
Two of the ospreys' eggs hatched, the babies grew strong until goshawk kidnapped one yesterday and another today. Very sad. Also, all the white stork babies were thrown out of the nest either by a stranger and/or mum. Seems that so many nests are unsuccessful this year.
Yet, the three black stork kids are still growing, the three goshawks and three black kites are all grown and flying round and about; also the lesser spotted eagle is growing nicely.
Still... SIGH.
