Author Topic: Backyard critters (Read 106808 times)

GburgNatsFan · « **Reply #1500:** March 28, 2018, 08:31:18 AM »

This post might say more about you than it does about most birders.

Quote from: tomterp on March 28, 2018, 08:27:01 AM

I wonder if the Audubon guide has ass-pucker pictures to help identify species.

tomterp · « **Reply #1501:** March 28, 2018, 08:44:58 AM »

Quote from: GburgNatsFan on March 28, 2018, 08:31:18 AM

This post might say more about you than it does about most birders.

APP drawings, that's what we need.

wj73 · « **Reply #1502:** March 28, 2018, 10:50:15 AM »

Quote from: skippy1999 on March 27, 2018, 11:02:15 PM

. . . I wondered, can this possibly be the same bird?? It goes away for months at a time, does it really find my house again after all that time? I mean I know birds migrate for the seasons but do they keep coming back to the same spot? . . .

Absolutely birds will remember exact locations from year to year. At our old house, we had a hummingbird feeder we’d hang outside of the living room window during the summer. Hummers migrate from Mexico to here every spring, usually arriving in April. We usually tried to have the feeder up by April 1, but one year we forgot. I was in the living room when I heard a racket outside. I looked out and there was a male hummer, circling furiously outside the window and cussing me out in that chirpy hummer way. He remembered that there should be a feeder there and was furious that it wasn’t, and was letting me know of his unhappiness in no uncertain terms. You haven’t lived till you’ve been cussed out by a hummingbird!

Needless to say I got the feeder out there in a hurry.

skippy1999 · « **Reply #1503:** March 28, 2018, 11:17:37 AM »

Quote from: GburgNatsFan on March 28, 2018, 08:04:45 AM

You took a picture of it's ass. How can we tell what it is?

What was I going to do, say hey Mr. Bird turn around I want a selfie with ya! haha I'm dying to catch him flying in and settling in for the night but so far he's doing it on the sly.

Quote from: wj73 on March 28, 2018, 10:50:15 AM

Absolutely birds will remember exact locations from year to year. At our old house, we had a hummingbird feeder we’d hang outside of the living room window during the summer. Hummers migrate from Mexico to here every spring, usually arriving in April. We usually tried to have the feeder up by April 1, but one year we forgot. I was in the living room when I heard a racket outside. I looked out and there was a male hummer, circling furiously outside the window and cussing me out in that chirpy hummer way. He remembered that there should be a feeder there and was furious that it wasn’t, and was letting me know of his unhappiness in no uncertain terms. You haven’t lived till you’ve been cussed out by a hummingbird!

Needless to say I got the feeder out there in a hurry.

lol that is awesome! and fascinating to think they remember year after year, I mean it's not like they travel road and can say ok at the corner of Spring and Main there's a lovely feeder and then if you take a Main to Spruce there's a nice covered porch, birds are really amazing. So cool to think it's been the same little bird the last few years!

1995hoo · « **Reply #1504:** April 07, 2018, 09:27:57 PM »

Interesting scene north of the Harbor Tunnel!

tomterp · « **Reply #1505:** April 08, 2018, 11:45:49 AM »

That eagle's probably injured.

Wife got a fancy Audubon bluebird house for Christmas. We have them around the house so why not try?

I put it up 2 weekends ago on a pipe at the edge of our yard. One perched on it within 10 minutes of completing the installation.

Today we noticed a pair had moved in. He was looking great perched atop providing security, while she was moving nesting materials in. It's rare in my experience when a plan comes together like that.

1995hoo · « **Reply #1506:** April 08, 2018, 12:04:50 PM »

Apparently the eagle was able to fly away on its own. The police had stopped because they assumed it was injured.

wj73 · « **Reply #1507:** April 08, 2018, 01:30:42 PM »

Quote from: tomterp on April 08, 2018, 11:45:49 AM

That eagle's probably injured.

Wife got a fancy Audubon bluebird house for Christmas. We have them around the house so why not try?

I put it up 2 weekends ago on a pipe at the edge of our yard. One perched on it within 10 minutes of completing the installation.

Today we noticed a pair had moved in. He was looking great perched atop providing security, while she was moving nesting materials in. It's rare in my experience when a plan comes together like that.

Lucky you!! I’ve had bluebird houses up for 3 years with nothing. Mine are just the plain wooden ones - sounds like yours are fancier?

wj73 · « **Reply #1508:** April 08, 2018, 01:31:12 PM »

Quote from: 1995hoo on April 08, 2018, 12:04:50 PM

Apparently the eagle was able to fly away on its own. The police had stopped because they assumed it was injured.

Whew. Great pic.

UMDNats · « **Reply #1509:** April 08, 2018, 01:31:41 PM »

I'm dealing with a mouse in my house/crawlspace. smh.

tomterp · « **Reply #1510:** April 08, 2018, 01:36:12 PM »

Quote from: UMDNats on April 08, 2018, 01:31:41 PM

I'm dealing with a mouse in my house/crawlspace. smh.

Perhaps you should consider using a mouse trap.

Mathguy · « **Reply #1511:** April 08, 2018, 10:39:53 PM »

If it's only one, get some mouse killing poison and let the mouse kill itself

Quote from: UMDNats on April 08, 2018, 01:31:41 PM

I'm dealing with a mouse in my house/crawlspace. smh.

skippy1999 · « **Reply #1512:** April 08, 2018, 11:36:07 PM »

Quote from: UMDNats on April 08, 2018, 01:31:41 PM

I'm dealing with a mouse in my house/crawlspace. smh.

Our first house had mice, my husband used peanut butter in the traps and those suckers were gone in no time!

tomterp · « **Reply #1513:** April 09, 2018, 08:45:52 AM »

Quote from: skippy1999 on April 08, 2018, 11:36:07 PM

Our first house had mice, my husband used peanut butter in the traps and those suckers were gone in no time!

Exactly. You can probably get 3 traps for $2. Make a family affair of it - each person baits a trap, places it, and give prizes for first, most, and biggest mouse(s). If you don't catch a mouse for 2 consecutive days the contest is over.

I do however advise care in the baiting of the traps, it is considered bad form to put the knife back in the peanut butter jar after having slathered a used trap.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #1514:** April 09, 2018, 08:55:11 AM »

Quote from: UMDNats on April 08, 2018, 01:31:41 PM

I'm dealing with a mouse in my house/crawlspace. smh.

Just get a cat. My brother has a wonderful indoor cat that loves to show how much it appreciates the family by hunting down intruding rodents. Leaves'em right by my brother's desk so he sees them at 4:30 in the AM.

GburgNatsFan · « **Reply #1515:** April 09, 2018, 12:21:47 PM »

Our cats eat them. Head to tail.

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on April 09, 2018, 08:55:11 AM

Just get a cat. My brother has a wonderful indoor cat that loves to show how much it appreciates the family by hunting down intruding rodents. Leaves'em right by my brother's desk so he sees them at 4:30 in the AM.

mitlen · « **Reply #1516:** April 09, 2018, 12:34:33 PM »

Quote from: tomterp on April 09, 2018, 08:45:52 AM

Exactly. You can probably get 3 traps for $2. Make a family affair of it - each person baits a trap, places it, and give prizes for first, most, and biggest mouse(s). If you don't catch a mouse for 2 consecutive days the contest is over.

Drove 'cross country in '88. Stopped in a bar/restaurant near Devil's Tower (camped out nearby). It was late. I was the only one at the bar with the bartender/owner. I heard a "whack". Bartender/owner sez, "Got another one." He steps to the end of the bar and picks up a trap with a mouse in it. He said he has a tradition that who ever is at the bar when he catches a mouse, gets a free shot. I drank well into the early morning.

UMDNats · « **Reply #1517:** April 09, 2018, 12:37:14 PM »

Outdoor cats in my neighborhood are definitely helpful. I worked with an exterminator to coat my entire property in pest control (I had some issues with mosquitos and fleas in the backyard, too) and some commercial catch-and-release traps (they said if I catch anything to just call them and they'll come pick it up on my porch). It's been a week and the traps haven't caught crap and I've seen small signs every now and then of the mouse. Nothing consistent. I needed crawl space/foundation vent work done anyways (knew it when I bought it) so I just took care of that to get the vents all replaced so nothing is coming in. I've only seen signs of it under my kitchen sink and in my pantry (obviously), but it really isn't consistent. freaking annoying.

Need to kill this mouse, though.

My mom had a mouse issue last year and ended up killing like an entire family of them. Like 6 total

wj73 · « **Reply #1518:** April 09, 2018, 12:49:01 PM »

My problem is that I’m a bleeding heart humaniac and can’t bear to kill them. We don’t have a cat anymore and the dog couldn’t care less so there’s nothing to deter them. We’ve spent a small fortune on every kind of humane trap there is. Unfortunately they tend to not be terribly effective, but I feel better.

I live in a little patio home duplex, so I think my neighbor’s cat does some of the dirty work for me.

Amazingly enough in 11 years we have never had a mouse at our cabin. I should thank our builder.