Migratory birds in JAX? (South Beach: living, safe, move to)

[Ryde41]

That's cool you took pictures. Nice pics. I probably wouldn't know one if I saw it. They look like so many other birds. All MY birds must be on your side of town..lol.

[Keith-n-Jax]

Dont forget guys the humming birds will be here soon,if your into wildlife Florida is a great place to live.I really look forward to seeing the humming birds each year.

[jbm32206]

You're so right....now that the flowers are starting to bloom...those beautiful little hummers will soon be in our gardens!

I'm soooo into birding, and it's such a joy to really take a closer look at the beauty around us, and Florida has a great deal to offer. Even if you don't go somewhere in particular to go birding, there's great finds right in your own backyard and neighborhood. Once you start getting into, you'll almost find that you're looking up all the time and become so aware...it's great!

[mawipafl]

Hey jbm32206 - another common interest we share!

I can't say that my FL backyard is highly populated with my feathered friends - there's yet to be any reason for them to stop and stay a while - which I intend to change. I do have two sets of nesting Mourning Doves, but that's about the extent of it right now. Except for a bunch of little, fast-flitting, very vocal birds that I can't yet identify.

In PA, well, that was a different story .. tons came and stayed including nesting blue birds on my front porch who didn't mind the purple finches (or were they house finches) that nested on the other end of the porch.

Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Amer Goldfinches, Starlings, Grackles, Baltimore Orioles, Robins, Hummingbirds, and of course the multiple species of Sparrows (Chipping Sparrows drove me nuts with their constant chirps :-) Lazy Red-tailed Hawks came often to dine on my "restaurant's" customers especially the Mourning Doves - neighbors thought I was nuts when I'd run out back in my PJs yelling at the hawks to get lost. Had a couple of Sparrow Hawks swoop in once.

Birdseed was a great attraction for deer, possum, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, mice, fox, and dang it rats (pushed out of nearby cornfields by development). No bears though. And no snakes. Tree frogs liked our unopen pool - great place to lay eggs - and then it was fascinating to watch the tadpoles over the weeks turn into frogs and hop out and disappear .. have to say the nighttime croaking beneath the bedroom window was not enjoyable. Oh I can't forget the farm animals from down the street that escaped one night and made their way to my backyard - a horse, a sheep, five goats.

[jbm32206]

I have my front yard set up with several feeders, baths, nesting boxes and even a squirrel feeder. In fact, it's been certified as a 'backyard habitat' through the national wildlife federation. So I encourage the feathered friends to come visit.

My most common visitors on a daily basis are: titmouse (actually there's several) house finches, house sparrows, pine warblers, blue jays, mocking birds, morning doves, and those goofy pigeons...and then there's the migratory ones that have been making their way through...saw the female painted bunting, wrens, ruby kinglit, and a few others. Oh and yeah, the woodpeckers and flickers.

I had a sharp shined hawk come through and there's usually a red tailed that happens by. Generally, he'll take a pigeon. As much as I wish the hawks didn't eat the other birds, I understand that it's all part of the food chain and mother nature.

If you can describe the birds that you can't name, I might be able to help. As well as describing the finch that you're not sure is a purple or house...although down here, it's more than likely a house finch.

Here's a shot of that hawk that was sitting on scaffolding to the house next door, that's being renovated.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s31/jbm32206/hawk3.jpg (broken link)

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s31/jbm32206/hawk.jpg (broken link)

[mawipafl]

Great photo of the hawk! Looks like he's supervising the work :-)

As much as I wish the hawks didn't eat the other birds, I understand that it's all part of the food chain and mother nature.

Yes, exactly true -- I just always thought I was making it way too easy for the hawks to get meals ... I know, silly.

The little birds I have move so quickly from tree to tree and branch to branch that I haven't even been able to snap a photo or to actually see much about their plummage. I'm guessing they're insect eaters because they love something in my swamp myrtles (I think that's the name of the trees.) Flight seems undulated - similar to finches. They might be gray and they might have a yellowish back hidden by their wings except in flight. They're kind of noisy with lots of high-pitched single chip-chirps.

I'm glad to hear that a lot of the birds I'm familiar with reside here - or at least stop off on their way north.

[jbm32206]

They sound like yellow rumped warblers, pine or palm warlbers...and yes, they make lots of noise...I have them here too and love watching them. They are indeed, bug eaters, although they'll sometimes pick at the suet feeders I have.

Oh, and the hawk sitting on the scaffolding had a great view of the feeders in my garden...so he was decided on lunch!

[jbm32206]

=mawipafl;2781209]Great photo of the hawk! Looks like he's supervising the work :-)

As much as I wish the hawks didn't eat the other birds, I understand that it's all part of the food chain and mother nature.

Yes, exactly true -- I just always thought I was making it way too easy for the hawks to get meals ... I know, silly.

No, I totally understand. I don't like seeing it, but know that it has to happen.

[riveree]

Here's a pic of a Red-Shouldered Hawk that was hanging out in my backyard...

[jbm32206]

Very nice shot...he sure does seem to be scooping things out! They really are beautiful, aren't they?