We had a nest outside our bedroom upNorth, one season.

It was fascinating. But she did not return. She was very shy around people. If anyone went out there she'd fly up to the top of the tree. She really chased the little red squirrels too! 2 fledged out of that nest. I have some hummer pics in my album on my profile here, after I got a better camera.

I always put up feeders.

I had the itsy bitsiest little hummingbird nest in a small pine in my yard. We had hummers at my feeder all summer. If anyone says, 'hummer' we all freeze to watch them. When I lived further north, we had them fight over the feeders...we had tons of them. Saw a pilated woodpecker several times too.

Here we have orioles, many cranes, and herons, besides the every day birds. One day out on the bike trail, I saw 5 herons in the river...blue herons. Of course they are all gone now. I feel bad when they leave.

I always have a half dozen turkey vultures circling over me when I am outside...darn buzzards are waiting to have me for lunch.

I had a friend a while back, who was chased by a crane and bitten on the calf, lol. They are dangerous birds if disturbed.

We have regular bird watching hikes here and a very knowledgeable man who knows 800 bird calls. I have gone on a few. This Christmas I got new binocs and a bird book.

We get eagles here in the off season, by summer they are all north. Robins arrive back in the early part of March...by the 17th for sure.

Mrs. D and Cyclelops, it sounds like you all have a nice birdwatching area... We really enjoy the hummers in the Summer and have a feeder at the kitchen window. I love watching them and getting 'buzzed' by them when I am gardening.

We used to have wild turkeys when we first moved here, but over the years more houses have been built and you don't see them as frequently. The turkey vultures I have seen, especially near the farms. They are UGLY grounded but beautiful in flight.

A few lovelies I have seen in our back yard over the years that are somewhat unusual are:
Spotted Western Race (a pair comes every spring), Blue grosebeak, Brown Thrasher, Indigo Buntings and Pileated woodpeckers. The Indigo Buntings are especially beautiful.

When I was young and lived with my parents, we lived near a bird sanctuary in Ipswich, Massachusettes. It was on the Cape (Anne) and there were loads of year-round and migratory birds. It was my job to keep the feeders filled, LOL. That is when I developed an interest in watching birds and keeping track of them in the Peterson Field Guide.

Cyclelops, you will definitely enjoy your binoculars. I can be found on my deck in the spring and summer for hours watching the woods with my binoculars...

Mere

It's probably not too funny, but Cyclelops, I had to laugh when you said you friend got attacked by the Crane. I did not know that they were so territorial...

We have piliated woodpeckers that nest upNorth.

I have a picture of them in my album and also in the photo blog that is separate. It is very hard to get a picture of THEM.

We saw Sandhill Cranes whooping it up across the bay one summer. Their noises were amazing. We thought they were teaching their nestlings how to catch food. whoop whoop.
Could only watch thru Binos.

We have had eagles now for about 6 yrs. I saw a young one trying to manage a snake it had plucked off a rock, one day. A large garter. We also have Great Blue Herons, and also Night herons, up there. Last year the little birds were scarce. But the large ones were plentiful. I have to admit it is difficult now watching the eagles catch the ducks and mergansers. It is noisey and not always a quick catch. I watched one family get decimated 2 summers ago. The resulting chicks took a week to find new parents. The mergansers will adopt, and that is fortunate!

Bit by bit, but longer...YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Croci out in our front are little green threads about 2" high and potential Daffs are about the same. No sign of new and different birds tho except for the crows and or starlings. The few squirrells I'm able to see and track are definitely BUSY! Must be that 'time of year'? Nor yet, have I seen any real sign of buds swelling on any of the trees...they must know something we don't?
Blue cranes are soo beautiful and graceful? But deserve respect and DISTANCE, as do GEESE! Don't ever mess with a Canada Goose-they KNOW somehow they are protected and assert that knowledge!
I'd encountered a Golden Eagle 5 years ago about 30miles from here sitting on a fence post. I was on a country road and just watched IT in awe! IT watched me with disdain, I believe. Took about fifteen minutes? I stayed until it took off - such majesty and power in this creature!
Love hummers tho rarely have them where I live. I still like to offer them a 'stop' along their way.
Don't know about you all? I LOVE SPRING! I hate the allergies tho that come with it...but that is what good meds are for! Hugs for more WARM to all! -j

I just loved all of the beauty you showed us today Mrs. D,I kept saying wow
and smiling,thank you.

Dahlek watching those birds by your front dooor grow was pretty and just plain awsome. We have had Bald Egles all over saw some bue Jays ,
Robins,but I love seeing the first Cardinal. Thanks for this hugs,Sue

Well guys I got the call to go down south. Going to be gramma, again..number 3. So if ya don't see me for a few days, I did not croak! Maybe I will see a robin.

Scratch that last post....uh, I just checked the weather and that storm is in my way.....10-15 inches in Nashville??? Paducah KY 6 to 10?? Jeepers. What is wrong with this picture! Not to mention the ice. I can not believe it is THAT bad down there....holy cow! Well good thing I found this before I attempted to drive 8 hours in the middle of the night, and hit that crud in the wee hours...That would put me in a bad mood, or a psych hospital. Foooooo. Well guess you have to put up with me. What a disappointment. I am so tired an exhausted, it is probably insane to think I could keep my foot on a gas pedal for 9 hours anyway....sometimes fate intervenes.

On Sandhill Cranes, we get these huge flocks up to 100 of them during migration, it is an unbelievable cacophony of sound...it's beautiful. Usually the huge flocks are in Fall. In Spring, we get smaller flocks... every field has at least one pair, and they have one to two babies and they are so protective. 20 years ago, we had no Cranes...none. They have made a fabulous comeback. First time I saw them in the wild, I did not expect them and I thought they were loose domestic emus.

Today, we had a high of 9, actual temp. I can't wait for Spring and Cranes.