I lost this thread & the month is half gone.

Very cool BFF Glen!!!!!! They are pretty darn large. I don't think we have anything in the bat family nearly that large in the US.

I've been enjoying everyone's photos.

A little male Downy Woodpecker visited the nugget feeder today. Not the best pictures cause I can't figure out what I've done to my camera ... again! When I look through the viewfinder everything looks clear but when I press the button it darkens and the photos come out real dark and I have to try to lighten them once I've downloaded them to my laptop.

Interesting idea behind that Magic Halo. That sparrow approach from the top of the feeder.

Here's the pics I got today.

Downy Woodpecker


Now is this a Hairy Woodpecker or a Female Downy? I am never sure


I wasn't sure what these were either, had to look it up in my bird book. I think they are all Dark-Eyed Junco but there seems to be a lot of color variation in them. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.




Everyone seems to be enjoying the new bird feeder!
White-Breasted Nuthatch and Sparrow

Nice, nice photos Cat!

Very nice Cat! I think that third woodpecker is a female Downy. The Downy and Hairy WP's look a lot alike but the Hairy WP has a longer bill, almost the same length as it's head and totally white outer tail feathers.

Hairy WP - click on the image at top right (notice the length of it's bill): http://www.google.com/imgres?i...
Downy WP (notice the shorter bill length): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D...

LOL, I don't know Junco's but those sure are pretty little things! Love, Love, Love the Nuthatch!

Cat, yes your one woodpecker is a Downy. Once you see a Hairy it is easy to tell the difference. Hairy is larger than a Downy but smaller than the red - bellied.

With the juncos the males are the black & whites ones - your first 3. The fourth one is hard to tell but think it is female. I am not positive but #5 could possibly be a hybrid (dark-eyed & Oregon mix) or an Oregon Junco. #6 is a female. The females are lighter, more a brownish color. I usually spot at least 1 Oregon every winter here in the yard.

More info on the "Magic Halo" and such deterrents can be found here: http://www.sialis.org/halo.htm
And yes, I should have used the term "monofilliment" not fishing line. If done properly it will not harm any birds, just deter the House Sparrows.

If concerned then do as is says on sialis : "tie the line/wire to ground stakes or a second ring on the ground; or tie the line to springs attached to a stake or nail in the ground. If hobby wire lines are hanging free, use something heavy (a metal nut or fishing weight) to weight them down"

Edit: back on topic, my yard birds are fairly few right now. Few days ago I had D E ??Junkos, the cardinal pair, Chickadees and a Blue Jay (a rarity for in my yard...)

Brenda, I thought fishing line was monofilament line, that they are one and the same?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

The first Junco is a slate colored, males and females are similar, the other could be juveniles.

Wow! Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Learn something new here every day!

I am really interested in the Magic Halo also! Really need something for all the Sparrows!

Northern Mockingbirds:

Very Pretty Lin! Forgive me but what bird?

The first & third are Mockingbirds and the 2nd one is a Carolina Wren.

Thanks!

I took these photos through the window today.

I get the little ones mixed up sometimes and I'm not sure but I think this is possibly a juvenile Myrtle Warbler?:


I think this is a Wren, House Wren? Marsh Wren? The bill is too short for the Carolina Wren:

This is from a few days ago.
Sparrow, female Cardinal & I'm not sure what the one with it's back to us is but I think it's a sparrow too.

Oh Ann, they are so cute in the birdbath!