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Dave

I also have BB houses on the farm, and my first year the eggs/chicks were ravaged by something - coons, snakes, possum - not sure. So I added a squirrel baffle to each, and have never had another issue and have raised sometimes multiple broods in each house in a single season. They are cheap and well worth the investment.

I've never seen a bunting - Indigo or Painted, but they're both on my bucket list. We have Cardinals, Blue Jays, White Crowned Sparrows, Chickadees, Goldfinches, House Finches, Red bellied and Downy woodpeckers often visit the feeders daily year round here. Some species that are less common and get me excited are: White and Red breasted Nuthatch, Pine Siskens, White Throated Sparrows [awesome calls], Tufted Titmouse, and Carolina Wrens which are slowly creeping in from formerly warmer climates.

Besides the Buntings, I've also always wanted to see a Waxwing - Cedar or Bohemian - would be a huge treat. Apparently they're around, but I've never seen one...I think they prefer berries and there are a few good shrubs/trees to plant to try and attract them like a Hawthorne. Maybe some day.

apologies, i thought when looking for "bluebirds" that naturally meant the indigo buntings. I didnt even stop to think that there are true blue birds you could be targeting.

Thanks
skinny

edit....only on this forum can a tread about taxes be hijacked to a thread about bluebirds.....

I don't know what species of bunting we have but there are 7 different colors on the males. They are absolutely stunning. The females are a drab greenish yellow and just as shy as the males.

We get a few hummingbirds but not very many. The most interesting thing is watching large females chase the smaller ones away from the feeder. Those gals are viscous. I wish I could get as many as I've seen in trips to the mountainous areas.

I'm about to start building my bluebird houses for the year. This time, I'm going to give them a coat of paint, starting with primer and finishing with a sealer. The sun pretty well wrecks them in about 2 years when I don't give them a finish. I'm also going to make a smaller hole and screw a metal washer around the hole to TRY to protect them from the tree rats. My squirrels have somehow figured out how to whip the excluders. Or, I'm going to have to build a better excluder. I bought some from the Bird man. Although they worked for others, my rats somehow figured them out.

I think those are probably painted buntings. Indigo buntings, although they have several colors, are predominantly blue, with occasionally a rusty-orange belly. They molt in the winters, to the point where males and females are indistinguishable, but then in the spring, they molt back to a fairly brilliant blue color, albeit with a few flecks of green & brown in them as well, and some get the orange underneath.

If i can get a pic of one this year, i will post it on here.

much like you shouldn't take JHAP as any more than just informative, though, i'm no ornithologist, so you shouldn't go by my guess if you think i am wrong.

Teej, if you ever come my way, we can show you several indigo bunting at our farm. They like river bottoms and I had never seen one till we went up there. They love big weed fields. The males are solid black but in the sunlight they appear to be a very vivid blue. The females are a drab color and they let you get fairly close to them if you are in a truck. They make a pocket nest so I doubt if they would use bird houses but don't know for sure.

Two additional thoughts occur to me while reading this thread.


1. SB, you really need to work on your legal disclaimers.


2. For some reason I am not at all surprised that TJ is excited by a Red Breasted Nuthatch.

Dave have you tried squirrel baffles? Still no luck? Maybe a longer pole and get the baffle up higher so squirrels can't jump beyond the baffle location? I loathe squirrels...and I mean LOATHE them - on the order of GSF.

Ken that is a generous offer - again, it's a bird on my bucket list and I'd love a chance to see one.

Mike you never cease to amaze me, I had no clue you were into birding. Too cool.

Anyone have experience with Waxwings?

JHAP - anytime I can work breasts into a thread about something as vapid and soul sucking as US taxation I seize the opportunity. Don't even feint you aren't deeply grateful...you should employ this tactic for your clients moving forward to pique their interest during your meetings.

Cedar waxwings migrate through here in spring. We have lots of America Holly trees and the waxwings will eat the bottom 1/3,then the middle and finish off the top 1/3 on the third day. However this year the mast crop is down and the robins and squirrels have eaten most of the berries so the waxwings won't stay long. We have a rental home with a large mulberry and when I was working on it in May there were maybe 50 waxwings on that tree twice that was eating the black berries. I don't know if they migrated late or if they live close enough to return to this tree. This is a mulberry that produces black berries. I have never seen them on a red mulberry and they grow freely in this area. I have seen them migrating maybe 8 times in the 39 years we have lived here. I do see them in the summertime in W.Va. at elevations of 3500' or more.

I think we spend as much time watching birds at our farm as we do working--nothing wrong with that tho'. We regularly get blue birds in our houses and also some tree swallows. Indigo buntings are also regular but arrive late spring and leave early fall. We feed year round and have more goldfinches than anything. Occasionally, we'll get a horde of hummers--up to 50. Normally, though, we only have a dozen or so. Purple finches are regular too. This year we noticed our first waxwings and finally got orioles to eat from our feeders. Occasionally, we have rose breasted grosbeaks pass some time here in addition to summer and scarlet tanagers. We have a couple species of flycatchers, which hang around the bee hive--unfortunately and some wrens, chickadees, titmice, and ruby crowned kinglets. Of course, we get mockingbirds and the occasional catbird. In addition to the whitebreasted nuthatch, we have had our first regular red breasted nuthatch. There are loads of downies, hairies, red bellies, flickers, and red headed woodpeckers. We also had a couple pileateds this winter that were fairly regular. We have a covey of bobwhites and way too many raptors that chase them. Last weekend, both a kestrel and a red tailed hawk were hanging out at the pond, chasing a few of our pets. We've also got a lot of owls and plenty of crows to chase them. I could go on, but I've rambled enough. The wife even puts feeders around her tree stand while she hunts. I'm not that bad yet.

The information contained in posts on this site by the user skinnybass (hereafter "SB") is for general guidance on matters of interest only. The application and impact of laws can vary widely based on the specific facts involved. Given the changing nature of laws, rules and regulations, and the inherent hazards of electronic communication, there may be delays, omissions or inaccuracies in information provided by SB.

Accordingly, the information provided by SB is provided with the understanding that the authors and publishers are not herein engaged in rendering legal, accounting, tax, ornithological or other professional advice and services. As such, it should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional accounting, tax, legal, ornithological or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult an ornithological professional.

While SB has made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in his posts have been obtained from reliable sources, SB and Pond Boss's management, moderators, advertisers and members are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information in the information provided by SB is provided "as is", with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of ornithology and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will SB, its related partnerships or corporations, or the partners, agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in posts by SB or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

how's that?

-skinny


afterthought, I should make this my new standard policy on life:
Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult an ornithological professional.

second afterthought:
JHAP's advice is probably a little more solid than my understanding of ornithology. I mean....I see birds, he knows laws, i'm just sayin'. It's also more applicable to this thread, or at least it was until TJ brought redbreasts into the equation.

Squirrel Baffles, really? Are they anything like muffler bearings?

I just want my clients to stay awake, I don't want them all hot and bothered.

Now go play with your Squirrel Baffles.

That sir is a work of art.


Especially if you intend to flip the bird.

And TJ is constantly bringing them up!!!

Scarlet Tanager...another one for the bucket list.

Flying toilets and worm bellied cormorants are bad news without disclaimer.

sb, you're an artist

you all give me much too much credit, unless, that is, you consider copying and pasting an artform, in which case, friggin Picasso's over here.

Good luck with your bluebirds, Dave. I'd like to hear if you have any luck.

Again, anybody with info on how to convince an owl that he can stick around for the weekly service of tree-rat cleanup, I would greatly appreciate it. Of course, i would make him sign a contract to ensure services rendered.

-skinny