Bird Migration

[Texasbelle]

I love this thread!!! Living out in the country I have lots of birds. Don't know the names of lots of them that stop by but boy do we get so many.

Here's my cool bird story though... every day when we drive into town there is a hawk we see. He is always in the Pines Rd /3132 Interchange area sitting on the top of a light pole. He or it could be a she is there every day. It's our fun thing to look for him. We' ve even seen him pluck up a little grass snake as they were cutting grass! I need to take out my camera one day and snap his picture. He actually amuses me sitting there on a light pole watching the interestate!

[rhertz]

I used to live on Cross Lake 15+ years ago. I lived there for 11 years and there was a Bald Eagle nest right out of our window. For years Mrs Hertz and I would see the eagles return over and over. Quite a sight...

Now we live in South Shreveport and there is a hawk that lives across the street. The Pug is very scared of the hawk. I'm sure the Pug weights more, but they are about the same size.. Enough to make her uncomfortable when she senses the hawk circling above..

[purpahurl]

I have kept a life list(that is something birders do for all the species they have seen) since I was twelve. Cross Lake back in the day was one of the few places you could go and count Bald Eagles. Squirrel Point was where they were. I'm not an environmentalists by any means, but when they developed this site, the Eagles left. Now, fortunately, they are always up and down the river. They seem to fly between Wallace lake and the river with regularity. Also White Pelicans were a rarity here until the river project. Sometimes on Cross Lake and one on Bistineau when I was in college. Now they are residents in the winter.

[purpahurl]

Here are some samples of what you will get if you scatter seeds on the ground. These birds wil not eat from a hanging feeder, but will tear it up on a platform or the ground.

[purpahurl]

I don't intend to harp on this, but if anyone out there feeds birds and has problems with Grackles and House Sparrows, don't keep food out all day long. these birds will eat it all. The good birds will come after these leave but you have to get them established to coming to your yard first, then you can start controlling when you put food out. This time of year it's about 5:00, the birds you want will also feed on this very early, enough time to see them before you leave for work.

[rhertz]

Purpa, I'm a total amateur compared to you. but we do feed birds in the winter most years. I have a "finch bag" with thistle and also a seed feeder on a pole with the usual mixture of safflower, millet, sunflower, etc. We use a pair of binaculars to get a good view. We get a pretty good mixture dispite the fact that we keep the feeders stocked 24/7... Only finches will stick to the thistle bag. We get "golden finches" I do believe. Again, I'm not much for looking stuff up.

However we do get these bigass woodpeckers out here.. Pileated Woodpecker? They are huge.



We also see red-belly and red-head woodies... But I miss the ducks on Cross Lake the most. Grey ducks (Gadwalls) and woodducks.. Lots of water turkeys (cormorants) which seem to be ever present.

the White Herrings out on Cross Lake are specticle. Especially when they go poop. Like dumping a quart of white paint on the rooftops of boat houses...

[purpahurl]

The finch bag is pretty cool. Only put thistles in it. Gold finches, House finches, chickadees and titmouse can feed on this. That Pileated Woodpecker is very common here. Those are awesome. Red Bellied woodpeckers will eat out of a hanging or stationairy feeder. Red Headed woodpeckers prefer tall dead trees with alot of open space. I had two last fall at my house for the first time. I live in south S'port and my back yard backs up to two bayous. I get alot of stuff you normally would not get in town. As far as the Gadwall go, they are more common now than ever before. A common problem with feeding birds is filling your hanging feeder with mixed seed. This seed needs to be spread on the ground or on a platform. Sunflower seed or plain millet should only be put in hanging feeders. The results are instant.