Common Grackle

16
Jun

Birding Around Dayton, OH Part 3

Englewood Metro Park.   Dayton, OH     https://www.metroparks.org/places-to-go/englewood/ There are 4 separate areas that make up Englewood Metro Park.  We only had time to visit one of areas:  the East Park.  And we hit a bonanza of birds – the mother lode.  You can get the addresses for each of the entrances from the above website.  […]

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13
Jun

Birding around Dayton, OH Part 2

Woodman Fen.     2409 Newcastle Drive, Dayton.     https://www.metroparks.org/places-to-go/woodman-fen/ Some birding places are easy to find – this one would not be so easy.  Luckily its address worked on the GPS in my phone which took us straight to the small parking lot.    This fen is part of the city park system of Dayton.  […]

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03
Jun

Lots going on – birds are busy on both livestream cameras

I just posted a video Cleon took of birds at the large bird bath.  (Go to the website menu and click on ‘Videos’.  It is the first one.)  Here is a photo he took of the bird feeders.  From left to right:  on the platform feeder is a Mourning Dove, on the safflower feeder with […]

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06
Mar

We have changed the seed mix in our platform feeder ……

Here in central Illinois, spring migration has started.  And that means the arrival of the blackbirds.  We are fortunate in that most are with us only for a few weeks and then disperse to find nesting territories, mate, and raise their young.  But some blackbirds can be persistent and stay right here in our yard.  […]

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25
Nov

Birding The OBX – Early Morning

Are you like me and wondering what in the world – or where in the world – is The OBX?  It was on my previous trip here – about 10 years and 2 hurricanes ago – that I learned.  It is short for The Outer Banks and you will find OBX everywhere out here on […]

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13
Oct

Feeder and bird seed changes

This morning, Cleon and I changed the bird feeders and what we are offering.  We are now set up for winter.  We did this today because even though we are still having warm temperatures during the day – in the mid-60’s to 70’s – we are starting to experience cooler nights.  Our forecast: most of […]

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10
Jul

The habitat in our yard has changed. Will we see a change in our birds?

Anyone who has an outdoor space, no matter how small, has a habitat.  The definition of habitat from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: The physical environment that provides organisms with their basic needs for survival:  food, water, shelter, and space.  Our yard’s habitat was a savanna with a wide strip of woodland and our acre of property […]

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25
Jun

Youngsters are out of control – parents are harried!

Blue Jays have been practicing tough love and the Common Grackles need to take a page out of the jay’s book on parenting.  For the past few days, if you have been watching the birdfeeder cam, you will see juvenile grackles practically on top of their parents at the feeders – and screeching – and […]

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02
Mar

More signs of spring …….

Turkey Vultures are again soaring over the farm fields of central Illinois and for me, are a welcome sight!  Robins are now staying here in large flocks throughout the winter months and can be found in open woodlands and edges – look for them where there are copious amounts of berries.  But these vultures leave […]

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