Any birders here?

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I don't really consider myself a birder because I don't belong to a birder club, I don't take trips to look for birds I haven't seen yet, I don't make extensive lists, and I have never been on even a local birder tour (there are many here). It's not that that doesn't interest me, it does, it's just that I won't make the time for it.

Anyhow I've been feeding the birds (and other critters) for the last 25 years that we've lived here.

Here is my backyard list (the only list I keep):

Black-headed Grosbeak (Spring - Apr)
Black Phoebe (Winter) ????
Blue Grosbeak (Summer)
Bronzed Cowbird (Spring - Apr)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Summer)
Cactus Wren
Canyon Towhee
Cooper's Hawk
Curve-billed Thrasher
Desert Cardinal (Pyrrhuloxia)
Desert (Black-throated) Sparrow
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Gambel's Quail
Gila Woodpecker
Greater Roadrunner
Great Horned Owl
Great-tailed Grackle (Summer)
Harris's Hawk
Hooded Oriole
House Finch
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Lesser Goldfinch
Lesser Nighthawk (Summer)
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Phainopepla
Raven
Red-winged Blackbird (Summer)
Rock Dove (Common Pigeon)
Starling
Turkey Vulture
Verdin
Western Screech-Owl (heard just after dark)
White-throated Sparrow (Winter)
White-winged Dove (Spring - Apr)

Hummingbirds:

Costa's
Anna's
Rufous (one time during spring or fall migration)



That's quite the list! Do you ever photography them?

I'm not a birder persay but I use to put out birdseed in the winter and had all sorts of neat looking birds visit the back yard, then I'd shoot them! with my camera! I've been thinking about photograph lately and I should do that again this winter. As it is, I only have a few good photos. Just last week there was a red tailed hawk laying in the garden...I thought it was sick but it apparently was just taking a dust bath because as soon as it spotted me it took off.



That's quite the list! Do you ever photography them?

I'm not a birder persay but I use to put out birdseed in the winter and had all sorts of neat looking birds visit the back yard, then I'd shoot them! with my camera! I've been thinking about photograph lately and I should do that again this winter. As it is, I only have a few good photos. Just last week there was a red tailed hawk laying in the garden...I thought it was sick but it apparently was just taking a dust bath because as soon as it spotted me it took off.
Post your pics here if you want.

Nah. I've never been into photography. I have a few pics of birds that I've seen here -- not many.

I also fed the bees for about three months one year, mixing up 1:1 sugar:water syrup for them. It wasn't long before I had thousands showing up -- no exaggeration, really. I even bought pollen by the pound to put out for them. I used to go out and show my wife how docile they were by inserting my hand in amongst them and they didn't sting me once. Then one day they were having none of that and several of them stung me.



Post your pics here if you want.

Nah. I've never been into photography. I have a few pics of birds that I've seen here -- not many.

I also fed the bees for about three months one year, mixing up 1:1 sugar:water syrup for them. It wasn't long before I had thousands showing up -- no exaggeration, really. I even bought pollen by the pound to put out for them. I used to go out and show my wife how docile they were by inserting my hand in amongst them and they didn't sting me once. Then one day they were having none of that and several of them stung me.
These days even mobile phones take amazing photos. I'll see what photos I have and maybe you can ID the birds. Very cool feeding bees, honey bees I assume? Sounds like you live in the southwest, is there Africanized honey bees in your area?



These days even mobile phones take amazing photos. I'll see what photos I have and maybe you can ID the birds. Very cool feeding bees, honey bees I assume? Sounds like you live in the southwest, is there Africanized honey bees in your area?
Yes, almost all hives here are Africanized, but bees will only attack en masse when you disturb their hive. All honey bees will sting you for other reasons, just not en masse.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
I'm not really into birds. But I own one. His name is @Swan and he is pretty huge for a bird. Hardly fits my cage.
__________________
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.



I'm not really into birds. But I own one. His name is @Swan and he is pretty huge for a bird. Hardly fits my cage.
That's a big ugly bird. Must cost a bunch to feed . . .



Yes, almost all hives here are Africanized, but bees will only attack en masse when you disturb their hive. All honey bees will sting you for other reasons, just not en masse.
Oh wow I didn't know that. Here in the Pacific Northwest we don't have many honey bees but we have lots of different kinds of Bumble bees.



Oh wow I didn't know that. Here in the Pacific Northwest we don't have many honey bees but we have lots of different kinds of Bumble bees.
Almost all beekeepers here wear beekeeper suits, unlike in years past where they could get away with only a few stings without the suits.

Interesting facts about Africanized bees:

- since they are slightly smaller than European honey bees their stings are slightly less toxic.

- when their hives are molested they are more easily riled and will send out thousands of bees on the attack and chase you for 1/4 mile sometimes -- as opposed to European honey bees which will only send a few hundred and won't chase you very far.

There is anecdotal evidence of Africanized bees on the attack flying about swimming pools and other bodies of water, waiting for people hiding there to pop their heads out of the water. Not sure I believe those accounts . . .



We sold our house last October and feeding the birds is probably what we miss most. Went through about 40lbs of seed per week and we had something like 6 or 7 birdbaths that I would fill multiple times per day.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
That's a big ugly bird. Must cost a bunch to feed . . .
I feed him bs stories about being his friend. In reality, I'm his best friend. But, hush, this is a secret. Don't tell him.



We sold our house last October and feeding the birds is probably what we miss most. Went through about 40lbs of seed per week and we had something like 6 or 7 birdbaths that I would fill multiple times per day.
I have one LARGE regular seed bird feeder which uses 40 lbs of seed in 8-13 days, depending on the season, one thistle/nyjer seed feeder for the Goldfinches, one suet pan, and (now) one hummingbird feeder. I used to hang several hummingbird feeders.

What's nice is all of these feeders can be seen right outside by study/man cave window.

I have what we call "the pond", which is a small, shallow, concrete watering pan/bath that has running water, albeit a trickle, 24/7. This is a godsend for wildlife here in the Sonoran Desert.



I also fed the bees for about three months one year, mixing up 1:1 sugar:water syrup for them. It wasn't long before I had thousands showing up -- no exaggeration, really. I even bought pollen by the pound to put out for them. I used to go out and show my wife how docile they were by inserting my hand in amongst them and they didn't sting me once. Then one day they were having none of that and several of them stung me.
Anyone interested in seeing a very good movie and learning a bit about the life of a professional Florida beekeeper, check out the 1997 film Ulee's Gold, with Peter Fonda and a new actress (at that time) named Jessica Biel. It's my favorite Peter Fonda movie. The Florida Beekeeper's Association gave Peter Fonda their highest recognition - he was named Beekeeper of the Year.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120402/



You ready? You look ready.
I also don’t partake in any clubs, I can’t identify birds by their songs, and I only know a handful by their feathering but I definitely consider myself a birder. We have tons of species around here so I just sit out back and listen.



I also don’t partake in any clubs, I can’t identify birds by their songs, and I only know a handful by their feathering but I definitely consider myself a birder. We have tons of species around here so I just sit out back and listen.
John, the internet makes it easier to identify birds by sight or by sound (call or song). But it can still be difficult.

http://www.whatbird.com/

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/



We sold our house last October and feeding the birds is probably what we miss most. Went through about 40lbs of seed per week and we had something like 6 or 7 birdbaths that I would fill multiple times per day.
I have one LARGE regular seed bird feeder which uses 40 lbs of seed in 8-13 days, depending on the season...
That's a lot of bird seed! I once bought a 40 pound bag of black sunflowers and it lasted all winter, but that's because I would put a handful of seed out just whenever I thought about it.

This thread has got me wanting to by a little bag of seed and see if I can't get a few nice pictures through the window glass.



That's a lot of bird seed! I once bought a 40 pound bag of black sunflowers and it lasted all winter, but that's because I would put a handful of seed out just whenever I thought about it.

This thread has got me wanting to by a little bag of seed and see if I can't get a few nice pictures through the window glass.
Yes, I spend a LOT of money feeding the wild birds, and indirectly feeding a few mammals (rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, etc.) which are also fun to watch. I've been doing it for 25 years at this house -- I just economize in other facets of my life.



That's a lot of bird seed! I once bought a 40 pound bag of black sunflowers and it lasted all winter, but that's because I would put a handful of seed out just whenever I thought about it.

This thread has got me wanting to by a little bag of seed and see if I can't get a few nice pictures through the window glass.
We used to dump a bunch on the ground besides filling the feeders. A 20lb bag at Walmart was less than $7



The cheapest wild bird seed at Walmart nowadays is a 20-lb bag for about $10.

It's the thistle/nyjer seed that's expensive. $35 for 20-lb bag.

And the suet cakes are about $1.25 each and last one day -- sometimes less.
How much do you totally spend per month feeding the birds?