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| Michael Ng | profile | all galleries >> Winged Wonders >> Birds of the United States >> Birdfeeder Diary | tree view | thumbnails | slideshow |
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5th November 2005: After almost three weeks after the day I purchased my US$2.00 birdfeeder, I saw some birds eating from it. I was about to write off that cheap sock with holes filled with sunflower kernels. I saw two species of birds. Birds Sighted: - Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) - Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 7th November 2005: Once again my birdfeeder had some small birds around it in the morning. I’ve identified all of them. None of them were seen before this. There were about three Chickadees around and one Red-Breasted Nuthatch. The Chickadees weren’t too pleased with having to share their seeds with the nuthatch. There was one and then a pair of Blue Jays around the birdfeeder. It seemed like they didn’t know what to make of the birdfeeder and only ate the kernels that fell on the ground. A squirrel also came to have some sunflower kernels. The Chickadees were at the birdfeeder all day, and by evening, the birdfeeder was totally empty. Birds Sighted: -Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) -Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) -Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) -Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 8th November 2005: I woke up to discover about three chickadees already hard at work transporting the seeds to what I assume are their nests. I discovered today, from my friends at www.fredmiranda.com that one of the birds I saw on my first day was a dark-eyed junco. Some of the other birds from yesterday showed up too later in the morning. I’m still waiting on the identification of two more birds. A Blue Jay showed up. He seemed to be the big boss around, scaring away the other birds so he can feed. His partner showed up later on. They still don’t pick from the feeder, but pick the seeds on the ground. I shot outside today as opposed to behind a window. I definitely got better images as there’s less glass in between the birds and me. I’ve also incorporated flash photography to get that attractive “catch-light” in the birds’ eyes. Birds sighted: -Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) -Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) -Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) -Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) -Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) -White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 11th November 2005: I was pleasantly surprised to find five, yes five Blue Jays around my birdfeeder. The most I've ever seen at a time. I also saw a female cardinal perching on the tree of my feeder, but once I got my equipment out to shoot, it disappeared. Birds sighted: - Female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) - Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) -Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) -Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) -Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 12th November 2005: I introduced superworms together with the seeds in a separate container. The worms were missing after a while but I only managed to see one being eaten by a Tufted Titmouse. The Blue Jays were clueless. Later in the afternoon I shifted the birdfeeder to a tree next to my bedroom window. It took a while before a flock of Tufted Titmice found it and hung around the tree. I also saw a Downy Woodpecker, which came to roost on a branch but did not eat from the feeder. A new species of bird finally! Unfortunately the bird took off as I reached for my equipment. Birds sighted: -Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) -Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) -Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) -Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) -Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 14th November 2005: Yesterday I had purchased a new sock-with-holes birdfeeder. The price had dropped to 99 cents from the original $2.00. I also picked up a cage and some suet to attract woodpeckers. I really would like to see that Downy Woodpecker again. So now I have two feeders. Feeder1 is the original sock, while Feeder2 has a sock and a suet cage. It was an extremely fruitful day for birding. An American Robin (official bird of Michigan) came to pick up some seeds below Feeder1. There was another yellow bird which was about the size of a Blue Jay that I couldn’t get a good look at. Hopefully it will return and I’ll get a good shot of it. A Downy Woodpecker visited Feeder1 briefly, and then took off before I could even raise my camera. I mobilized myself and took a walk around my neighborhood. Finally, I managed to catch a shot of a male cardinal. It was perched very high up on an oak tree. Seconds after I took two pictures of it, a large crow came and scared it away. I do hope for more sightings and better images soon. Feeder2 was frequented by Blue Jays and the usual perching birds like the Tufted Titmice and Chickadees. For an extremely brief moment, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker came to inspect the suet cage. I only managed to take one shot before it took off. Birds sighted: -Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) -Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) -Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) -White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) -Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) -Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) -American Robin (Turdus migratorius) -Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) -Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 20th January 2006: After a long hiatus, I've decided to put in one more entry for now. Sorry, no new pics. Winter is here. Has been for a while, which has caused me to be rather slothful. I really appreciate the kind words from fellow bird lovers who have found my page to be useful. I do promise that this is not the end of the Birdfeeder Diary. I just need to get some inspiration. 24 April 2006: I finally got a proper birdfeeder from Meijers. It cost me $4.00, which is really worth it considering the amount of sock feeders that have stained and torn over the past few months. I have a couple of new visitors since the last post, which I am very excited about. I've managed to attract house sparrows, cardinals and american goldfinches. They usually come in mating pairs so I do get to see what both birds look like. I have also seen a flock of ceder waxwings, which dont come for the seeds but for the berries in a few trees nearby. It's been a very exciting past 3 weeks. I have also placed two hummingbird feeders nearby with the hope that I'll get to see and photograph some hummers. It's been about 3 weeks now and no activity so far. They take a while to show, so I'm still patient. Birds sighted: -Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) -Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) -Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis) -White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) -Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) -Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) -American Robin (Turdus migratorius) -Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) -Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) -American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) -House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) |
 Dark-Eyed Junco |
 Blue Jay |
 Black Capped Chickadee |
 Squirrel |
 Blue Jay Pair |
 Blue Jay |
 Blue Jay |
 Tufted Titmouse |
 White-Breasted Nuthatch |
 Red-Breasted Nuthatch |
 Dark-Eyed Junco |
 Near Miss |
 Black Capped Chickadee |
 Chickadee Action1 |
 Chickadee Action2 |
 Chickadee Action3 |
 Red Breasted Nuthatch |
 Tufted Titmouse |
 Red-Bellied Woodpecker |
 American Robin |
 Northern Cardinal (male) |
 Merlin (Falco columbarius) |
 Merlin II |
 Black Capped Chickadee |
 Downy Woodpecker |
 Downy Woodpecker |
 Foraging BlueJay |
 White Breasted Nuthatch |
 Calling Chickadee |
 Northern Cardinal (female) |
 American Robin |
 Feeder Marauder |
 Northern Cardinal (male) |
 Northern Cardinal (male) |
 Northern Cardinal |
 House Sparrow |
 American Goldfinch |
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