The TJTwitter

[hazelrunpack]

Welcome to the TJTwitter--the place to come if you need a wild bird fix (and, I might add, the brain-child of Chris21711 ).

To start things out, I'll tell ya about the black-capped chickadees yesterday. I've been counting for ProjectFeeder Watch for a number of weeks now and have been seeing anywhere between 6 and 12 chickadees per count. (You use the maximum number you see at one time in your count.) Yesterday, the two winter groups seem to have joined up because hubby and I counted no less than 18 chickadees hanging out in the sumac and on the feeders

I love those little guys

[Chris21711]

I love those little guys too Hazel, when they see me coming with the seed pail to fill the feeders it's like their internal radar goes off and a slew of them come flying in....some patiently wait, while others decide that I'm taking too long to get cracking and go into the pail and take their pick......we have oodles. I have never tried to count how many, but will....just to see if I have more than you

One thing I have noticed for the longest, always the Cardinals are the first to come in the morning and the last ones in the evening, it never fails, sometimes I can hardly see them there is so little light.

[hazelrunpack]

Our cardinals seem to have disappeared this winter. We normally have a pair but they just aren't coming to the feeders this year I'm hoping they've found another feeder and will be back for the breeding season--I know lots of people down at the lake put seed out, so they may have gone down there (about half a mile as the crow flies...what an apt expression for this thread ) to partake of the bonanza.

[Chris21711]

I used to see the Cardinals flying from one tree to the next but hardly coming to my feeders .....in the last 2 or 3 years I've been successful in attracting them, the most I have counted at any one time has been 8, needless to say I have a big grin on my face

[Melinda]

are turkeys considered "wild" birds? we have four that come a few times a day to feed with or without the deer, one tom (mature male), one jake (young male) and two hens (females). my one female has developed a limp and there isn't a thing I can do about it, she worries me and daily I check for her to make sure the wolves/coyotes haven't gotten her, but she is a very strong flier.

[Chris21711]

Originally Posted by Melinda

are turkeys considered "wild" birds? we have four that come a few times a day to feed with or without the deer, one tom (mature male), one jake (young male) and two hens (females). my one female has developed a limp and there isn't a thing I can do about it, she worries me and daily I check for her to make sure the wolves/coyotes haven't gotten her, but she is a very strong flier.

I for one consider them "wild"....for the last few years I noticed Turkeys crossing the road in front of our house, in the early fall I counted 13 crossing together, 1 tom, 2 hens and the rest were young ones, all in a line, very orderly ...I sure hope nothing happens to the one hen with the limp.

Do you know if it is usual for the young ones to hang around with the matures...if it is, I find it odd that you only have the one young one, I hope that nothing bad happened to the rest

[Barkingdog]

Originally Posted by Melinda

are turkeys considered "wild" birds? we have four that come a few times a day to feed with or without the deer, one tom (mature male), one jake (young male) and two hens (females). my one female has developed a limp and there isn't a thing I can do about it, she worries me and daily I check for her to make sure the wolves/coyotes haven't gotten her, but she is a very strong flier.

Yes , they're wild birds , we have some in our yard , they will come and sit right on my front lawn . We have coyote that come through my yard too and I was worried about the turkeys. I have not seen for awhile so I hope they're OK.
The males are very pretty when they open up their tail and show off.

[Dee-O-Gee]

I heard a flock of swans returned to my area so I ventured out along the boulevard today to catch a glimpse.

At first, I saw these five little guys freezing their butts off in the river.



I looked down stream and saw a bunch of white blobs and what appeared to be more. Drove down further about a 1/2 mile and holy smokes...was there more!



Had to of been at least 50 of these beautiful creates.



My all time favorite bird.

[hazelrunpack]

These pics are a little bigger than on fb and I can magnify them a bit with my browser--they do look like they're mostly tundra swans, klm Beautiful birds!!!

[Dee-O-Gee]

Gonna take a trip down the boulevard tomorrow to see if they're still there and bring my good ole' trusty Minolta 35 mm SLR with me.

Quite a site to see in any event. Lots of Sea Gulls, Canadian Geese and the swans.

[hazelrunpack]

Downy woodpecker



White-breasted nuthatch



One of our many (and I'm talking more than 100) goldfinches:

[hazelrunpack]

Notice the frost crystals from its breath freezing on its cold little face--it was about -20 F that morning!


Some winter finches, Purple Finch and American Goldfinches:


Just a bunch of American Goldfinches.