BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Birding Spring's coming

Are the birds looking for nesting spots? I noticed a bluebird checking out the newspaper box under the mailbox. They often make their nests there.

Bluebirds like to checkk out several locations before building a nest. I would suggest that you block off your newspaper box somehow and build or buy a couple of bluebird boxes to put out. If the birds nest in the newspaper box they could get hurt by something/someone that goes by on the road or someone could inadvertently toss a paper into it not realizing that the baby birds are three. Just because a bluebird is checking out a spot doesn't mean that they are definitely going to nest there and I wouldn't suggest letting them. Put some boxes in good places around the yard so you can watch them from afar and enjoy their brooding. By the way, today March 6 at 8am I opened my front door and was pleasently greeted by the spring songs of many birds. I look forward to this day every year. Happy birdwatching.

I have had boxes out but they never seem to settle in my yard. As I am driving through the neighborhood, I have seen them fly out of the paper boxes. We had a bluebird a number of years ago. He sat in front of the side view mirror and looked at himself and was so excited. He left dropping on the side of the car. We had to cover the mirror so that he wouldn't sit and look at himself.

Angie, That is so funny about the bluebird looking at himself. He must have been a 'fine catch' because he was so intimidated by himself that he pooped to show his dominance. How aggravating to have a rival do exactly the same poses at exactly the same time!

Yes, I guess he was aggravated - it was funny and messy and I was glad when he moved on. We do have a lot of bluebirds in this area. My subdivision is a bird sanctuary so between the ducks on the pond, the geese, swans, and all the birds, it can be very interesting. In fact, it is so windy today that few birds have been around - a crow, mourning dove, blue bird, white throated sparrow, chickadee. That's it.

I wish I could say 'Spring's coming'. I live very close to the begining of the Red River of the North. Since that's been in the news so much lately and will continue to be for the next week or so, you know what kind of weather we're still having. {I only have a small amount of water in the basement - not real flooding.} Because we got another healthy 'white' covering today, I went out and ground-fed. My yard is less than 100 feet wide and I must have had 100 birds feeding. I always have more Grackles than Robins and that was the case today. I also have sparrows (at least 3 varities) and finches (mostly House). My Blue Jay couple are also here. This year I have added 4 Nuthatches. But today, I had at least a dozen of a bird I can't seen to identified yet. The coloring is similar to the White-breasted Nuthatch, but only the very bottom of the belly is white (the entire head and neck is black/gray), and it is much smaller. My field guide is "Birds of Minnesota" and this bird doesn't appear in it.

Any suggestions?

Spring may be on its way. I saw my first Mourning Dove of the year just a short time ago; also my first Goldfinch. A more careful look through my field guide brought me to Dark-eyed Junco as the bird I could not identify yesterday. Don't know how I missed that page. Also don't know why I haven't seen one before. I have nearly as many birds in my yard today as I did yesterday. They are as fun as watch as children are with their 'antics'.

Happy Spring everyone.

Yesterday I saw a Goldfinch attack a daffodil! He had almost finished turning yellow (you know they are olive drab in the winter and then grow a new set of bright yellow feathers in the spring) and he caught my eye when I saw him fluttering over the blossom, then he swooped down and gave the flower such a smack that he knocked it down to the ground. I guess he thought it was some strange goldfinch trespassing in his territory. After teaching the daffodil a lesson the goldfinch flew away.
An excess of springtime testosterone, I guess!

Too funny - like my bluebird.

I have some gold goldfinches today too at the feeder. They are so pretty. Once the days become longer, they "change their feathers."

Do you put thistle out for them? I do not have good luck with thistle and they seem to be content with black oiled sunflower seeds and sometimes the fruity mix.

And people wonder why I spend soooo much time by my window. But it's just like with kids, you never have the camera ready for this.

My birds had better be content with sunflower seeds. My brother brought me a pick-up-box full of them nearly straight from the farmer. I would have seeds for years and years, but apparently they cannot be kept that long, so I'm trying to find other feeders to give them to.

I can't believe your daffadils are blooming already. I did notice that the hollyhock have broken through our newest snow, but I haven't seen anything else. Maybe soon!!