The snow birds are moving in ...

[Tilde]

The local birds have been chasing off snowbirds but there is not hing they can do to stop the invasion. Right now i've got some warring cardinals and blue jays trying to scare off the small birds ...

[john gault]

The bird that loves to drive off other birds, at least around here, is the mockingbird http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mockingbird. For most of my life I thought its name was "Catbird" because that's what I was told when I was a kid. I've now learned that the real catbird http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Catbird gets it's name from its cat-like vocalizations. Although, to call a mockingbird a catbird is also an apt name since it love chasing cats, even when the cat is no threat and the birds nest is nowhere around they just love dive-bombing cats.

However, it's not just cats, these birds harrass anything and everything; they are just simply mean birds. I've even seen them attack morning doves, which really are no threat to them since their foodsource is so different. I never see a mocking bird eat out of my birdfeeder, like the doves; they much rather chase insects.

[Marlingardener]

We usually get a good number of migrant birds, starting in October. This year we are getting hummingbirds in mid-September, which is early for us. We've also had a large number of great white egrets, which normally don't start moving south until next month.
With the drought, wildfires, and flooding in the midwest, this year may be highly unusual for our birds. We've had a Baltimore Oriole already, and that is the first one we've ever had here on the farm. I just hope the migratory patterns don't shift so much that we are left out.
John, mockingbirds are very territorial, and will chase a human if provoked. One buzzed me while I was gardening, and I took a swipe at it with my trowel and connected! The bird was momentarily stunned, and I was very surprised. I usually can't hit the side of the barn with a bat!

[Tilde]

Yeah, either I'm noticing them more or they're showing up earlier.

We saw a flock of egrets the other day and an immature one today - also a bunch of little birds that seem to be (yahoo tells me) eastern chipping sparrows. I'm going to talk to the school and ask if we can put up some feeders ...

[Marlingardener]

Tilde, if you're permitted to put up feeders, please make sure the school has a good bird identification book or two. Learning the names of birds and some of their habits would be interesting for the students (and staff).

[john gault]

Once in a while I get egrets in my yard munching on the little lizards. I've also fed turkey vultures leftover chicken carcasses, although they are very shy, unlike the black vulture.

[Tilde]

I will. They like to do nature lessons so maybe it will be a class project ...

[Marlingardener]

Tilde, I have no idea of the age of the students, nor the budget available to you, but used bird ID books work just as well as brand-new ones. If you want a cheap source of books, send me a private message and I'll give you an on-line used book source.

[Tilde]

Thanks, I've got a few due to the well-stocked GoodWill and used book stores here. Talked to teacher, said they might do it for their craft next week. We'll see.