3:36 AM – We put a kind of jury-rigged bird bath at the far end of the yard, hoping to capture videos of wild creatures at night. That’s a plastic gallon water jug cut down, with rocks to weigh it. Instead of exotic wild animals, our first customer was a standard variety Robin. We’ll see what we get at night.
This is about four minutes of various birds coming and going on the platform feeder. We have these birds coming and going and coming back again: Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, female Purple Finch, Purple Finch and a Sparrow.
3:46 AM – Typical action on the platform feeder, except for the Red-bellied Woodpecker. He’s just an occasional visitor, preferring the suet and compressed seed cylinder.
More platform feeder birds, this time Carolina Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Purple Finch, Sparrows and more Cardinals.
4:08 AM – Busy time a the platform feeder. The sparrows get into a free-for-all, until a Bluebird comes along and runs them off. Note the sparrow that flies at the Bluebird. That’s bold behavior by the little bird.
When the water is frozen a good part of the day, and most of the night, the animals get thirsty. This raccoon is really lapping it up. Fortunately the cold snap is about over, and temps at night will be above freezing.
4:27 AM – As mentioned before, peanuts are very popular, particularly in freezing weather. Here are a couple of montage videos of heavy traffic on the platform feeder.
In the first clip (in order of appearance) we have a Bluebird, male Cardinal, Brown-headed Nuthatch, White Breasted Nuthatch, female Cardinal.
Second clip has a Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Sparrows and a Dark-eyed Junco.
4:16 AM – More platform feeder activity. Yesterday’s videos showed some scuffling and squabbling. In today’s clip the birds seem to be a little more tolerant, though there are a few moments. Maybe more than a few, but in general, they’re all grazing peacefully next to each other. Like cattle.
Bluebird and Pine Warbler on the cylinder feeder. Nice colorful birds on a gray afternoon.
4:02 AM – Typical day on the platform feeder, with various birds showing up – all regulars. In order of appearance we have a Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Sparrow (of some variety) and Cardinal. The peanuts seem to be particularly popular.
Sometimes Cardinals don’t like to share. Here’s Mr. C with a couple of Sparrows. It doesn’t take him long to decide he wants to dine alone.
3:20 AM – We don’t know too much about the Dark-eyed Juncos. Wwe’ve only seen them with the other birds a few times. Today we found out they can be a little aggressive, at least toward Sparrows. We’re not sure they’d try this with a Cardinal.
Red-bellied Woodpecker is heavy enough to partially activate the anti-squirrel mechanism. He has to approach the feeding port sideways to fit his head/beak in. The Red-bellied is the biggest local resident bird that visits the hanging feeders – the Doves stick to the platform.
1:39 AM – Birds drinking – a Bluebird, Yellow Warbler and Robin.
Typical traffic on the Squirrel Buster. The Purple Finch is pushing everyone around, though he gets some kickback from a Sparrow or two.
First in a series of Bluebirds Behaving Badly. We have a number of these clips of juvenile Bluebirds terrorizing the other birds. In this one, a young Bluebird takes on a Dove twice his size, runs him off, then looks around for more victims.
3:22 AM – We have plenty of current videos on hand, so we’re skipping the Retro-Sunday feature until next week.
Another ‘snow video’, this one some random birds eating during a lull in the snow fall. Although it snowed all day, it was not a very heavy snow fall. The birds were able to get out and feed throughout most of the day.
And, trying to drink from the frozen birdbaths. We put some liquid water in them, so every bird got their thirst quenched.
From before the snow, colorful birds on the Squirrel Buster – a House Finch and Pine Warbler.
12:48 AM – The Squirrel Buster feeder is jammed with Sparrows until a House Finch shows up and clears the deck. Or rather, tries to clear the deck. The Sparrows just keep on coming back. Near the beginning of the video, a little Brown Headed Nuthatch sneaks in for a few bites.
Another mealworm feeder video, this one of a Yellow-rumped Warbler.