tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post4797162346861538791..comments2023-10-26T05:52:41.012-07:00Comments on BB's Nature Notes: Wild birds againBovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05798594086901897654noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-23439129941344604812009-03-10T10:48:00.000-07:002009-03-10T10:48:00.000-07:00Sharon - That Purple Finch is SO pretty - should b...Sharon - That Purple Finch is SO pretty - should be a PINK finch though! or perhaps roseate . . . It has a pretty call too (I found an excellent site through Google). That Red-winged Blackbird has SUCH a jungle-sounding YELL. NOTHING like our gentle blackbird at all, which sounds actually more like the purple finch! I never realized you got snow arriving so late into summer.<BR/><BR/>Rowan - I've never seen Siskins or Redpolls, so perhaps I should indulge myself with a little niger seed next winter.Bovey Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05798594086901897654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-28076126292188195982009-03-10T07:31:00.000-07:002009-03-10T07:31:00.000-07:00March and April in Wyoming are months of heavy wet...March and April in Wyoming are months of heavy wet snows--very much needed in this area of low rainfall. The spring snows rarely stay more than a few days as the sun comes out and temps warm quickly, creating mud. There is usually a snow or two in May and even in early June--by which time we are well over reminding ourselves of the benefits. Summer is brief, but intense. Purple finch is "carpodacus purpureus"and not really as exotic as the name sounds--and not purple--has a rosey head and upper back. Lots of sparrows and finches of different varieties and I'm not an observant enough "birder" to tell them apart, especially the humbly garbed females. The call of the red-winged blackbird is a beloved sign of spring wherever I have lived--a musical bubbling chortle.Morning's Minionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912356455981434029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-43024522000211262232009-03-10T00:40:00.000-07:002009-03-10T00:40:00.000-07:00You're lucky having lots of sparrows, I rarely see...You're lucky having lots of sparrows, I rarely see them here these days. I have a niger seed feeder which brings in not only goldfinches but redpolls and siskins too. There's no waste, any fallen seed is gratefully accepted by various recipients lurking underneath - woodpigeons in particular!Rowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13679130612798888266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-88416039715691862482009-03-09T14:35:00.000-07:002009-03-09T14:35:00.000-07:00Lovely pics!As to niger seed, we used to buy that ...Lovely pics!<BR/><BR/>As to niger seed, we used to buy that but there was so much wastage, about half (or more) used to end up fallen on the ground. We had a special niger seed feeder too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-76097208823351164702009-03-09T11:10:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:10:00.000-07:00Back to snow again MM? What fun - not . . . How ...Back to snow again MM? What fun - not . . . How late do you normally get snow? Purple finches sound really exotic - I must go google them - and red-winged blackbirds. Hang on, just remembered that "somewhere" I have an American bird book that a Californian friend once sent me. Now to try and track that down . . .Bovey Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05798594086901897654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-29918900203521664002009-03-09T07:59:00.000-07:002009-03-09T07:59:00.000-07:00Snowing here today and I have to remind myself tha...Snowing here today and I have to remind myself that we need the moisture. I have two bird feeders swinging from the broken stub of limb, all that is left of the tree outside the big window. [The snow and wind early in the year brought it down.] We refilled the feeders twice since Wednesday and most of the seed landed on the ground as the feeders swung wildly in the wind. The seed mixture is pricey even in bulk and too much is going to waste. <BR/>Red-winged blackbirds singing mating songs, a variety of sparrows, purple finches, a chickadee or two.Morning's Minionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912356455981434029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-83362848228205453102009-03-09T03:25:00.000-07:002009-03-09T03:25:00.000-07:00Just peanuts - we buy them in a big sack as that's...Just peanuts - we buy them in a big sack as that's cheaper. The crushed oats I bought thinking I could grind them fine enough for breadmaking, but that made very sad bread! We use them in other cooking but the sack will take a while to get through! I'd like to feed bird seed and is it niger seed? to attract the goldfinches, but the cost is prohibitive as they scoff it at such a rate.Bovey Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05798594086901897654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5553568891433721040.post-83346704485132492272009-03-09T03:20:00.000-07:002009-03-09T03:20:00.000-07:00What do you put in your nut nets? I like the idea...What do you put in your nut nets? I like the idea of using oatmeal - I will try that with my birds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com