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Post by 1dave on Jul 19, 2014 13:34:28 GMT -5
Two pair of birds I haven't been able to identify began nesting in my yard. I provided water. Mom and Dad. One pair nested in the top of my Colorado blue spruce, the other above the light above the roll up garage door. The eggs hatched and the parents busily began feeding their babies. One hot night several weeks ago mom and babies above the light perished. Dad hung around lost for several days, then joined in feeding the babies in the other nest. Birds take better care of their families than some humans I know.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 19, 2014 14:35:44 GMT -5
The bird on the right is a purple finch. Can't help with the other.
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Post by 1dave on Jul 19, 2014 18:35:56 GMT -5
The bird on the right is a purple finch. Can't help with the other. You nailed it Don! There is an amazing variety. I expected them to look more like the bottom center.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 19, 2014 18:47:37 GMT -5
Dave, I have them in my yard here in S.D., and they look just like yours.
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Jul 20, 2014 22:29:52 GMT -5
We have quite a few around our fishing shack over on the Mississippi River also.
Harley
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Post by 1dave on Jul 21, 2014 0:00:15 GMT -5
Local birders tell me these are House Finches. apparently they are becoming more common everywhere. Wikipedia says
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2014 22:00:42 GMT -5
YES!!
I am seeing MANY more song birds. Both in species and in numbers. About 5 years ago there was a worldwide die off of English Sparrows. All known populations worldwide (including their native India) crashed for unknown reasons. Nobody cared much for these filthy immigrants. Not much was said.
In the ensuing years, in my yard, I have seen Band Tailed Pigeons (today I saw my first flock of these, 50++ birds), House Finches (as you illustrated), Black Phoebe and a series of LBJ's I cannot identify. After the west nile virus kill of 2006'ish, the crow numbers have rebounded too. With the advent of all these returned species of songbirds I am now seeing way more merlins, kestrels and sharp-shinned hawks too.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2014 22:05:28 GMT -5
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Post by phil on Jul 21, 2014 22:32:14 GMT -5
I;ve got a flock of those red ones that visit the feder every day. About 15 or so. They mingle with the english sparrows (about 25 of those), About 15 eurasian banded doves and a couple dang crows. Also some nasty pigeons. Flying rats!!! Wish I had some raptors to keep them in check. Also wish I had more variety, but as long as people keep letting their cats roam freely day and night, I'm lucky to have any I guess. Oh... had a nasty ground squirrel that learned to climb a STEEL pipe to get to the feeder. When he started digging holes around my yard, he sealed his fate..... He's now living up in the mountains, far far away.
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Post by 1dave on Jul 23, 2014 21:05:59 GMT -5
All I know about House Finches I've learned in the last two months. They mate and lay their eggs (3-6) in the spring. The male feeds the female while she sits on the eggs for about two weeks, then when they hatch out, both feed the hatchlings for about another two weeks. They begin flying and mom starts a new nest - up to six families a year!
I timed it just right and started putting out "black oil sunflower seeds" just as the young left the nest. Now the whole family and some neighbors swarm the feeder every time I put out a new handful. They like to park on top of my truck tires in the shade, but are not yet comfortable with my presence.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 24, 2014 7:01:26 GMT -5
we have house finches here, had them in IL too. invasive, maybe, but like some of the prettier non native plants said to be invasive, I don't mind looking at them, I even enjoy them. Interesting behavior- I suppose it is in the best interests of the species to parent others of his own kind. And he already had his papa program running.
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