Hummingbird Hack: A Maker Makes

Welcome to Snopocalypse 2019. We have gotten 3 feet of snow in the foothills east of Seattle in the past week. 3 feet! 

We recently bought a hummingbird feeder and were able to hang it outside our kitchen window. While most hummingbird varieties fly south for the winter, the Anna's hummingbird stays around all year. 

I had read that a string of electric lights (not LED) could provide enough warmth to keep the hummingbird nectar from freezing. It works! What I didn't realize is that the hummingbirds would sit on the bulbs for warmth, like little heating pads. So sweet! 

The snow was coming down so hard I couldn't stand seeing the hummingbirds getting snowed upon. I thought, I am a maker and I can solve this! I took an empty large clear plastic egg carton from Costco, cut a slit down the center and slid it around so it would rest on the top of the feeder. I used some clear packing tape to close the slit and keep the plastic shield resting around the top of the feeder. As it snowed, the egg carton closed a bit under the weight of the snow, so I propped it open with a wire bottle cleaning brush. Success! 

Our little lady has shelter, warmth and food during this unusual weather in the Pacific Northwest.  

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Glimpse of a Great Blue Heron

I was quick on the draw and was able to capture a Great Blue Heron fly past our deck on Lake Michigan. Isn't it wonderful?

My mom saw him first and pointed in his direction. This handsome fellow chose the wrong section of wetlands and tried to "come home" along our section of beach. From where she was sitting, my mom saw this great blue heron fly in toward our shore and then do a quick about face when he realized that he had the wrong section of beach.

He must have his nest in the natural wetlands farther down the shore. As we both enjoy this beautiful summer weather, I will keep my eye out for this magnificent bird.

Bald Eagle Nest: Nature Cam Shows 2 Eggs About to Hatch

I want to make sure that you know about the LIVE Eagle Cam that is set up to view the movement inside an active Bald Eagle nest in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The website states that this nest has been used by eagles 7 out of the last 10 years and we are all indebted to the parties responsible for making this live video stream possible. Different individuals and entities have worked together to install the camera, get an internet feed and provide electricity which allows for this unobstructed look at nature. Their contributions are detailed on the eagle cam website.

I have tuned in periodically and it has been very interesting to see the eagle mates taking turns keeping the eggs warm and dry. I saw one eagle covered in snow, only her neck and head exposed, during a snow storm a few weeks ago. Another time I watched as the bird kept its wings open like an umbrella, shielding the main nest area from rain and cold. It is very interesting. 

There are 2 eggs in the nest and today the first crack appeared! We should be able to see some action in the eagle nursery soon. I wouldn't be surprised if someone creates a Twitter contest to name the fledglings. There are almost 60,000 members of the Hanover Eagle Watch Facebook group. Modern incubation, that's for sure.

By the way, I only use my own photography at Moments of Delight, so I've included a photo I took of a bald eagle on the beach in Northern Michigan as a "this post is about eagles" reference point.

Christmas Ornaments: Birds

I thought about titling this blog post Winged Victory, in a cute reference to all the beautiful wings and feathers depicted on these German blown glass bird ornaments. It is true that birds of a feather, flock together. I was in good company with others at the Christkindlmarket, oohing and ah-hing over this incredible selection of bird ornaments. I would never believe that there were this many choices.

Many of the shop owners in the German Christkindlmarket in Chicago have walk up wooden kiosk to display their merchandise and interact with shoppers. The Lauschaer Glaskugelhaus has an entire wooden cabin that allows for a much larger display. If you can't make it to Chicago by Christmas Eve, you can shop for these spectacular bird ornaments here.

Birds of a Feather Flock together. We have several bird ornaments on our tree already and I simply couldn't decide which one to add to our collection. They are all beautiful.

Seattle: Regal Eagle

I saw my first eagle on the Pacific Northwest! I had been told that they liked to nest on the tall trees by the bridge on the edge of Lake Washington, but I looked almost daily in April and never saw one. Then the day we arrived last weekend...tah-dah!

2 Minute Bird Feeder

It may not be glamorous to have an empty toilet paper tube in the tree outside my office window, but boy do the birds love it!

I simply save the empty toilet paper and paper toweling tubes and every once in a while I make 2-minute bird feeders.  I slather the tubes with peanut butter and roll them in bird seed.  The tubes slip onto the branches easily and the birds practically line up like it's a Starbucks drive thru!

It looks like you can see the bird's tongue in this picture!  Anne Reeves, nature photographer, signing off...

Bald Eagle

Delight in America! I took this photo of our national bird, the Bald Eagle, on the beach in front of the cottage on Lake Michigan.  I was easily 200 feet away, but was able to get this photo be using the zoom on my Nikon CoolPix P90  and shooting through a window on the second floor.  What a thrill!

My parents confirmed that we have a pair of bald eagles that nest nearby and that they often see them soaring over the water or sharing a fish on the beach. Up until now, I had only seen them in the sky.

My Own Little Muppet Baby

I don't think I'll ever take another photo of a baby robin that I will like better than this one.  This is Gayle, with her beak wide open and her hair all askew.  She is my own little Muppet Baby.  Tiny, cartoon-like with a big personality.

I was so very happy when a mother robin came back to nest in the crook of the gutter on my house again this year.  Remember last year when she had 3 baby boy robins named Reggie, Brice and Steve?  This year I decided that they were girls and named the three little darlings, Charlotte, Stella and Gayle.

One of them is far more insistent for food, eager to try squawking and most often found hanging her head out of the nest looking for someone to talk to.  I've named her Gayle.

You can see Gayle (above) in the nest craning her neck past Stella in hopes of being fed.  I love this photo because both Mother and Father Robin really look like parents.  They are sitting next to each other on the nest, looking at the kids and considering what is best for them.  I can see the nest from my family room window.  The photo isn't as clear because I'm shooting through glass, but it is nice because they can't see me (due to glare) and be bothered in any way.

When it was lunchtime (above), the Mother Robin didn't mind me standing in the yard and photographing them at all.  I used my zoom and stayed still.  I think she is used to me puttering around the patio tending the roses and watering the herbs.  It was just another day with triplets for her.  Notice the winged bug in the tip of her beak going right into Gayle's mouth. A worm is farther up her beak to be fed to Charlotte or Stella. 

If I get any more great shots, I promise to show you.  Happy Spring!

Welcome to the World

A mother robin has made her nest in the crook of the downspout in my backyard. She loves the afternoon sun and has been congratulating herself on picking such a great spot.  I love it too, of course, and am outside a lot.

You can see that I have a long backyard and have a path between the patio and deck.  Well, Mama Robin is in the area between and would panic and fly away whenever I crossed.  I felt terrible about this, and in an effort to apologize, I found myself saying, "I'm so sorry, but I really have to water the plants etc," as I walked across.

You know what?  I worked.  Whenever I talk to her and tell her my plans before I do it (trim the roses, move a chair), she's okay with it and stays put.  I kid you not.  This has been a great relief to me, as I don't want to disturb her, but I do want to get the garden ready for Summer.  (Look how big my roses are getting - and I have buds too!)

 

And yesterday the little guys arrived!  I noticed a lot of flying back and forth, so I looked through the family room window and caught a glimpse of "Junior" having dinner.  I saw a flurry of beaks just before this, so I think there might be 3 baby birds in there.  Happy Mother's Day, indeed!

***An update
"The kids" flew the nest on June 2.  I named them: Reggie, Bryce and Steve, I don't know why.  This was the group shot I got just before the first bird tried flying, see the row of 3 beaks? Adorable.

Below is Reggie on our deck just minutes after we saw him fly from the nest.

 Go Reggie Go!

Goldfinch Feeder

My new bird feeder is worth it's weight in gold, if you'll pardon the pun.  It is specifically for goldfinch and for a mere $5 (complete with nyjer seed!), it is my best purchase in a long time.  I can sit in my office working away on my next book (yea!) and see these super sweet birds enjoying lunch.  
My parents gave me a goldfinch sack feeder a few years ago (which I hung in this same dogwood tree) and that is how I came to realize how much I enjoy birdwatching. The sack, however, was too fragile for the area I hang it.  The squirrels could jump/dangle and tear it open easily.  This plastic tube feeder hasn't been touched by the squirrels at all.  And it is not a "one time use" feeder.  I am happy to report that you can pull the top off and refill as needed.  I'll track down the brand (I bought it at Meijers, our local grocery superstore) and list it here soon.
Have you ever hung a goldfinch feeder?

Hawaii: Birds in Paradise

This little beauty is the Japanese White Eye (http://www.honoluluzoo.org/japanese_white-eye.htm) A yellow songbird that I have seen day after day flitting between the branches of the orchid trees here on Oahu. I love to investigate the flora and fauna of a new place and so far this bright yellow bird is my favorite find.

Puzzle Material

Some might say that this would make a great puzzle!  Personally, I don't think my eyes do it!  I photographed this veritable "Where's Waldo" of ornithology last month when I was in Florida.  Can you see the birds in the waves? 

I didn't see any natural predators, but these birds certainly have the perfect camoflage for feeding along the coast.  Their deep pink legs disappeared into the froth every time a wave came on shore and I kept having to wait for the water to recede to know where to aim my camera. They were that hard to see!I just downloaded a free iPhone app to identify birds (iBird Lite) so I can tell you with confidence that this is a group of White Ibis. 

Bird Watching

Even the wildlife in Florida love the view!  This egret (who we think is a teenager vesion of the Great Egret) decided to visit us 6-floors up!  Most egrets nest in wetland areas (there is a pelican rookery nearby) and stay together in groups, but this guy wanted to see the view from our condo for himself, hence my deduction that he is a rebellious teenager.

He has a long s-shaped neck, but is scrunching it up due to the wind.  He first landed on the balcony, then moved to the chair to get more comfortable.  A bird visiting this high up is very unusual and I'm glad that he was willing to pose for a few pictures.

Did you know that the Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society?  Our new friend, Eddie stayed at least an hour soaking up the view.  I don't blame him a bit - it's gorgeous!