From the expert:

Midsummer Bird-feeding Tips by ScottCronenweth

Posted 15 days ago

Having just passed the mid-point between summer and fall, we’re now at the height of summer. Depending on where you live this can be a somewhat slow time for birdwatching. Young birds have fledged and dispersed, but fall migration hasn’t really started just yet. Here are a few tips for keeping your backyard birds happy at this time of year.

Are your birds panting?
In many places it’s hot -- too hot for birds to be very active during the midday hours. You might have noticed your backyard birds literally panting. Like a dog, they open their beaks wide and breathe in and ou...

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Fever Pitch

I can barely keep the 8 hummingbird feeders full at this point. We've had fluctuation of numbers thru the succeeding summers, but this one might be the busiest EVER!
Whereas it usede to be that right at dawn and just before last light, we'd see the biggest crowds - now it seems like there's a whirling mele all thru the day. Just incredible! Hard to tell if there's more Annas, Black-chinned or Broadtails. There's just one heck of a flock.

posted by Arcade

11 replies - last reply

Too selective?

Am I trying to be too selective? I have a single tall tube type of feeder and I cast seed around various parts of my backyard in the hope of satisfying all who arrive there, but I am becoming a little annoyed with some of the doves who seem to intimidate the smaller finches and the Quail who initially drew me to feeding birds. There is also competition for the seed from ground squirrels and rabbits. I don't mind feeding all; although, I fear that feeding the rabbits fattens them up for the family of coyotes that tour our area, or in the squirrels case, preps them for coyote appetizers and a full meal for the Roadrunners. The doves camp out by the feeder, so smaller birds and Quail no longer seem to frequent it. Am I expecting too much that all will participate, or am I showing favoritism and will have to resort to several feeders or casting feed around?
Any ideas?

posted by station2

6 replies - last reply

Young Blue Jay

I was looking out my window at the feeders, one of the open feeders for sunflwr seeds had a blue jay sitting in it. Sorta pecking around, then he`d flutter his wings like his Mom was close by to feed him. I watched him for a minute or so, then I went in another room and came back. Yes, the Mama was there trying to show the young one how to eat them. He`s as big as her and still fluttering his wings, as I took my camera to get a shot, Mama spotted me and flew off with him. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

posted by vintagelady

2 replies - last reply

Bald Eagles

posted by Deskjeting

4 replies - last reply

She put food out again!

Very fortunate here where we live, a wide variety of birds. One of my favorites, Indigo Bunting.

posted by vintagelady

6 replies - last reply

Grosbeaks are back

I have a couploe pairs of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks come to my feeder every spring. they usually hang around for a while, have their babies and then leave. This year they left about the normal time and then came back. I am enjoying their extended stay. This is one of my females.

posted by ChristyC

Hummer Behavior

Kept watching the hummers come up to the feeder, then hover above it and leave, so I went out to look more closely and discovered it was full of large black ants...inside and out! YUK! So I cleaned it out, refilled it with fresh nectar and, Boy are they active this morning. They keep feeding, then heading straight toward the sliding glass door as though to say "Thank you for seeing the problem!" before they dart off again. Love those little guys!!

posted by jujobe

12 replies - last reply

Tree Swallow Babies

We had Tree Swallows in our nesting box this year and I was lucky to get this close up.

posted by fourthebirds

8 replies - last reply

Baltimore orioles

For the first time this spring I tried to attract Baltimore orioles to a couple of nectar feeders, orange slices and grape jelly without any success. Our catbirds loved the grape jelly.

The orioles stuck around all summer. I would occasionally see them in our apple trees. The other day I saw a pair, male and female, on top of the netting over my blueberry bushes which are planted very near the house. They can reach some of the ripe berries through the netting which are growing at the top of the bushes. I am thrilled that they found something in our yard they like.