Any birdwatchers out there? (purchase, great, Baltimore, learn)

[Calvitts]

I have to put in a plug here for WBU bird seed/food.

I have always purchased the bird seed at the hardware store or grocery store or Sam's Club -- the cheap stuff that sprouts grass around the base of the pole and everything...

This summer, after reading posts on another CD forum about the WBU bird seed attracting more birds, I thought I would try a bag or two. Those folks weren't kidding! I also want to recommend the suet they sell as well. I've never had birds go through suet so fast!

My birthday was this past Wednesday (August 6), and I asked for and received the Advanced Pole System to hang my bird feeders (with squirrel baffle!), and I am so excited! I wake up every morning and look out my back yard to see many, many birds. It is beautiful!

Then I step out on my front porch, and I hear the buzz of hummingbird wings... I love it!

Next I will have to get the CD to go along with my bird guide to help me identify the bird calls and songs.

[cmacf1]

Originally Posted by Calvitts

I have to put in a plug here for WBU bird seed/food.

I have always purchased the bird seed at the hardware store or grocery store or Sam's Club -- the cheap stuff that sprouts grass around the base of the pole and everything...

This summer, after reading posts on another CD forum about the WBU bird seed attracting more birds, I thought I would try a bag or two. Those folks weren't kidding! I also want to recommend the suet they sell as well. I've never had birds go through suet so fast!

My birthday was this past Wednesday (August 6), and I asked for and received the Advanced Pole System to hang my bird feeders (with squirrel baffle!), and I am so excited! I wake up every morning and look out my back yard to see many, many birds. It is beautiful!

Then I step out on my front porch, and I hear the buzz of hummingbird wings... I love it!

Next I will have to get the CD to go along with my bird guide to help me identify the bird calls and songs.

Happy Belated Birthday! I LOVE our advanced pole systems (with squirrel baffles)!! We got one for a wedding present and then I gave hubby another one for his birthday. Both are in our backyard, but in two separate places (one right outside the kitchen window where I seem to spend a lot of time washing dishes!) I haven't tried the WBU food. I think, after your recommendation, I will need to go by some.

Oh, by the way, the squirrel baffles will work well as long as your pole and feeders aren't within jumpable distance. Our feeder is about 8 feet from the nearest roof and some squirrels are able to leap horizontally that far. I've tried our corgi to race to the backdoor as soon as he hears me say squ---. I don't even have to say the whole word . He never catches them, but he sure thinks he's going to.

[Calvitts]

Originally Posted by cmacf1

Happy Belated Birthday! I LOVE our advanced pole systems (with squirrel baffles)!! We got one for a wedding present and then I gave hubby another one for his birthday. Both are in our backyard, but in two separate places (one right outside the kitchen window where I seem to spend a lot of time washing dishes!) I haven't tried the WBU food. I think, after your recommendation, I will need to go by some.

Oh, by the way, the squirrel baffles will work well as long as your pole and feeders aren't within jumpable distance. Our feeder is about 8 feet from the nearest roof and some squirrels are able to leap horizontally that far. I've tried our corgi to race to the backdoor as soon as he hears me say squ---. I don't even have to say the whole word . He never catches them, but he sure thinks he's going to.

One pole is definitely good for starters... I can see myself wanting more than one. I will have to keep an eye on where I placed mine to make sure I do not have any "Olympic" squirrels in my backyard. I did purchase one of the squirrel proof feeders, too, so hopefully the bird food will all "go to the birds."

Do give the WBU food a try; I would never have dreamed there would be such a difference. Living in NC, we have some pretty warm weather, so I have been buying the "no melt" bird suet to go along with the bird seed, and the birds have been wild for this stuff, too. I have never had birds eat every last drop of bird suet until now. Amazing!

Thank you for the belated birthday wishes, too!

[Redhawk]

I’ve been a birder for years and always get a lift from watching birds! Since my retirement I spend most of my free time out watching and photographing birds and other wildlife. I used to keep feeders in my yard when I lived down south but haven’t put any out since our move here to SE Alaska as the feeders tend to attract the bears. I enjoy photographing the bears but I prefer going to them rather than having them come to me. There are indeed a lot of birders on CD and many (myself included) post their photos in the photography forum.

[Calvitts]

Originally Posted by Redhawk

I’ve been a birder for years and always get a lift from watching birds! Since my retirement I spend most of my free time out watching and photographing birds and other wildlife. I used to keep feeders in my yard when I lived down south but haven’t put any out since our move here to SE Alaska as the feeders tend to attract the bears. I enjoy photographing the bears but I prefer going to them rather than having them come to me. There are indeed a lot of birders on CD and many (myself included) post their photos in the photography forum.

Redhawk, I have seen and greatly admired your many photos on the photography thread! You are GOOD!

[emeraldsky]

I love trying to identify birds anywhere I go. One of my joys in life... I especially love when I see an owl (rare occasion). Here where I live in Wyoming there is a nice fishing lake where great blue herons frequent. I always enjoy walks at this park and am constantly on the lookout for them. (Someday I'll get a camera that zooms in better...)



Recently I was in Portland, Maine... I found a nice spot beside the water to enjoy a turkey sub and had fun sharing my bread with this little fella. The seagulls kept wanting to take his bread though...

[grandmallie]

I to am a birder, both my grandparents and my mom did it all there lives, evenbuilt an in-law apt on there home with floor to ceiling windows for that reason.It didnt interest me much until I lost my mom, my favorite bird is the great blue heron,so majestic and beautiful.I swear my mother has come back as one, because I have seen her where you wouldnt have really seen one, or she is around when my brother and I are together.I have a bird feeder, very small on my window in my bedroom, have a larger window one with one way glass that my husband wont let me put in the window, becuase it is to much of a pain in the butt to keep the heat in, and insulate the window during the cold Connecticut winters. so I am going to save up and get a bigger stick on window feeder. life is to short, and if birds keep me happy than bird feeding is what im gonna do

[mommabear2]

Thought I'd revive an old thread... I'm new to bird watching but I'm thrilled when I get hummingbird visitors. I have a new bird feeder in front of my house which attracts Scrub Jays, Quails, and another little bird (I don't know the name yet - a touch of orange on their heads, brown feathers, and they look like big finches) that's been dominating my house... their must be twenty of them hiding in my bushes right now. It's like Club Med for birds.

[LauraC]

I love to photograph birds. As a result I've learned a lot about them. But, I have to admit my favorite birds to photograph are roosters, hens and peeps because they have a personality.

Does anyone have the software game Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island? You travel around to different birding locations in the US and you take photos of the birds (examples: get 2 photos of robins preening; get 2 photos of canvasbacks in the water; get 3 flying shots of whooping cranes; get 2 shots of common grackles feeding) in nightime and daytime, using your mouse to snap them. Better "photos" get more points as do two birds in one shot. They take off or walk away in seconds so it's not that easy like in real life bird photography. They give you tools (birdseed, different zoom lenses, flash, etc.) as you move through the bird stops and it's up to you to pick the appropriate tool for your assignment. You can replay locations to improve your score. You want to try to get one perched/swimming/walking shot of each bird and one of each bird in flight for your bird journal. It's good because you learn the different birds in each part of the US where the birder stops. You also get to create a bird, name it and they put it on bird island where you and other players can photograph them.

[LauraC]

I just want to mention that if you would like to see a City Data forum for birds and birding, please vote for it now.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/about...w-general.html

You can also see a lot of birds in the City Data Photography forum where there is a 97 page thread with bird photos (thread titled "Bird Pictures"):

http://www.city-data.com/forum/photo...-pictures.html