Just a quick shot of the feeder… which I have neglected to show for a while.
Mr. Ruby Throated Hummingbird is coming in for a rest on the top of the feeder pole.
Finding a new view…
Mr. Oriole is waiting to get at the grape jelly and orange slices.
Meanwhile, the Missus is tucking in.
I assume the bears and bushy tails are staying away?
Ahhh, I really love those orioles. We have nothing so… fluorescent (?) over here in Ireland.
Jack: The bears are so far not a problem!
We have eastern blue birds and tree swallows at our church, and today an northern flicker. Orioles here are just passing through. No indigo buntings on the property this year. Four baby bluebirds in the box closest to the rectory. We are raising our own mealworms . . . gross, but it keeps the bluebirds here. We call, “Bluey,” and the bluebirds fly up to the rectory for their worms. They come when we call them by name . . . really. Think there are sparrows in one of our bluebirds boxes . . . time for an eviction.
Fr. Jim: I see an Indigo Bunting only occasionally right now. Last year I had a bunch of them, males and females. This year I have only seen one two males.
You have actually conditioned the Bluebirds to come when you call?
Yes.
We\’ve been buying mealworms by the thousand.
Now we are breeding our own.
Whenever I go out to feed them, I call \”Bluey.\”
I have been moving the blue cup closer to the house, now at the back door. Now, if I call \”Bluey,\” they come right up to the back porch and wait for their succulent treat.
Parish Council did not believe me when I told them, then they saw it and were amazed!
This is not a fabrication.
This is a photo from Fr. Jim, above:
A few years ago a flock of bluebirds alit in our front yard as they were heading south for the winter. I had never before seen a bluebird, so to see a whole flock was an extra special gift. Thank you, God!
Fr Z, do you feel the birds all through the year or only when food may be scarse e.g. winter?
Here is Australia we are encouraged not to feed our birds after winter because they might become dependant on us and loose their natural ability to find food.
Bluebirds are notoriously friendly and readily “tamed.” They love the mealworms so much. We have four bluebird boxes in the four acres behind the church, also a tall perch. Yesterday (Saturday) I went to monitor the boxes and was happy and pleased to see that one box I thought was empty had four babies inside. I held the nest in my hand with the four babies. At first I was concerned, but then read that smell is not a strong sense in the bluebirds, and those who monitor their nexts often come across young. They seemed healthy with no sign of blowfly larvae, which sometimes attach to them. Mealworms can be purchased online for a very low cost, last time I got about 3,000 mealworms for about $40. We only take out about ten or a dozen at a time. It’s not like taking out seed for other birds . . . you put it out and wait. With mealworms, you take them out and the bluebirds APPEAR in seconds!
I didn’t think that hummingbirds would ‘sit’ still long enough to be photographed, or even perch, period! Great pictures as usual, Fr. Z!
The ‘Bluey’ stories are cute, Fr. Jim! Nice picture that you sent to Fr. Z!