It's that time of year.

[KegRiver]

Time to fill up the feeders.

With this cold and snow I expect the birds will need a little extra to carry them through to the next nice spell.

I filled the big feeders a few days ago but not the bottle feeders or suet feeders. I won't until the Red Polls and Pine Grosbeak show up.

Bird feed is a bit more expensive this year but I did find some on sale. And I picked up a couple of pails of spilled peas in case the grouse return this winter.
But so far all I'm getting is Blue Jays and Chickadees.

Anyone else seeing lots of winter birds.

Just for fun here's some of the birds I've seen in years past.

[Bushmaster]

Nice pics!! So far all I have is about a dozen chickadees and a woodpecker. And maybe 8 or 10 rabbits.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Love those pics, Keg.

Last year I had more sparrows than anything else, but this year I have a better variety. Juncos, Redpolls, Chickadees, Nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers have been stopping by.

I would love to get some grouse to come visit, I love watching them. But my neighbourhood is too urban, unfortunately...

[Twisted Canuck]

We had a couple of bluejays drop by a couple days ago, we don't see them often. My favorites over the years are the northern flickers, and the Bohemian waxwings that come to feed on the mountain ash and ornamental cherry.

[fordtruckin]

A neighbor 3 doors down had a bird feeder hung on a line between his house and a tree about 10’ from the house. Feeder was probably 10-12’ in the air. He was at home watching tv and felt his house shake. Went to look and a griz was standing on his back legs grabbing the feeder. (Bear ended up getting hit by a Camry in October and was DRT. 24 year old 406#) I don’t out feeders out because of my bear situation but glad I’m areas where bears aren’t as much of a concern people do. You got some good photos there!

[Mavrick]

Blue Jays and Woodpeckers( all three kinds) by the to many at times , what they throw on the ground the deer are coming to clean up already.

Chickadees and Nuthatches lots.

Grouse at the feeders, and my rule is I can’t shoot them there, not very sporting.

And just today the first Pine Grosbeak. And when they start coming my feeders are thick with them.

No Redpolls yet, but same when they come, tons. I don’t usually see them till Christmas most years.

[Albertadiver]

Great pics!

Mostly we have flickers (hate em because they're messing up my house) and magpies, which will find a home in TreeGuy's garage soon.

I did see a bluejay yesterday which is a rare treat.

[Howard Hutchinson]

Nice pics Keg, thank you. We have quite a few Bluejays, Sapsuckers, Woodpeckers (Pileated too) Nuthatches and N Flickers.

[58thecat]

A few days and they know the feed is out!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[58thecat]

They sure like the bird seed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

We had a couple of bluejays drop by a couple days ago, we don't see them often. My favorites over the years are the northern flickers, and the Bohemian waxwings that come to feed on the mountain ash and ornamental cherry.

I get too many Blue Jays and no Waxwings ever.

But I do see Bohemian waxwings in town every winter. There's a crabapple tree beside the forestry building that produces tons of tiny apples.
The Bohemians love them but nothing else touches them.

I do see Ceder Waxwing in late summer, where ever there are chokecherries.

I have a pair of flickers that have a nest within sight of my kitchen window but they never go close to my feeders.

[Rvsask]

Great pics, thanks for sharing.
I grow hundreds of sunflowers and love the birds and animals that utilize them in my yard.
Blue Jays are problematic for me too.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

A neighbor 3 doors down had a bird feeder hung on a line between his house and a tree about 10’ from the house. Feeder was probably 10-12’ in the air. He was at home watching tv and felt his house shake. Went to look and a griz was standing on his back legs grabbing the feeder. (Bear ended up getting hit by a Camry in October and was DRT. 24 year old 406#) I don’t out feeders out because of my bear situation but glad I’m areas where bears aren’t as much of a concern people do. You got some good photos there!

Yikes!

I made my feeder setup with bears in mind. I see a Black bear or two every year on the property but the feeders are in a fenced in area and so far only one bear has found a way over the fence.
I sent it packing with a word from Winchester.

It was kinda funny. I was in my basement workshop when a nose appeared in one window. I thought to myself, Oh the dog is outside.
Then a back muzzle appeared. Our dog is white.
So I picked up the 30-30 and went and had a talk with that bear.

He took the message and in his haste to leave ran right into the fence full throttle. The fence is page wire, well sir that fence caught him like it was a catchers mitt and it tossed him back onto the lawn.

The bear was stunned, it lay there a minute before getting up and heading for where it had pulled the wire down. And away it went.

This is my feeder setup;




Pardon my French.

Holly crap, the house just shook. I mean shook. Like for half a minute!

[barbless]

Must be nice to get to see some different boyd's. All we get for the most part are sparrows and the odd chickadee. Magpies and those damn squirrels (these ones don't fly unless). They mostly pick up the ground pickn's though.

[Stinky Buffalo]

We used to see more flickers around here, but I can't recall the last time I saw one.

We have Blue Jays and Grey Jays (and enough Magpies too).

[javlin101]

About the same in Didsbury, add in the Magpies & Doves.

Try to keep 2 squirrel buster feeders full all year round. The black sunflower seeds seem to keep everyone happy.

[jstubbs]

Gorgeous pics guys, thanks. I need to get a squirrel proof feeder, currently there’s a very industrious squirrel here that loves to eat the bird seed in our feeder.

Anyone ever run a heated bird bath? I’ve been kind of wanting to try one out this winter and see who likes to visit.

[Fish along]

Nice pictures,i see you have a pileated wood pecker,never see them around here,just the smaller ones. I always put out sunflower seeds and i just recently put out a bunch of deer fat,the chickadees and the woodpeckers love it.

[Mavrick]

Originally Posted by jstubbs

Gorgeous pics guys, thanks. I need to get a squirrel proof feeder, currently there’s a very industrious squirrel here that loves to eat the bird seed in our feeder.

Anyone ever run a heated bird bath? I’ve been kind of wanting to try one out this winter and see who likes to visit.

My suggestion for a squirrel proof feeder would be any of major gun manufacturer. They all make fairly good 22's. Can also be used for magpie proofing, so added value.

[KegRiver]

Yeah the deer like to clean up what the birds drop. But if they can reach it they help themselves.







I get a lot more then the one's I listed so far, most are just occasional visitors like the next two.

Gray Crowned Rosey Finch



Lazuli Bunting.



Some come for a few weeks and then aren't seen for months.

Pine Siskin


Others are only seen during the spring migration.

White Crowned Sparrow


Harris's Sparrow


Clay colored Sparrow


And of course there are Junco's, Tree Sparrows, White Throated Sparrows, and others.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Fish along

Nice pictures,i see you have a pileated wood pecker,never see them around here,just the smaller ones. I always put out sunflower seeds and i just recently put out a bunch of deer fat,the chickadees and the woodpeckers love it.

I had one Pileated Woodpecker in the yard. Once. But my sister north of Peace River has had a few in her yard. I've photographed them there.
But I've never seen them visit a feeder.

If you can get Canola, the Pine Grosbeak and Red Polls love it and the Jays and Sparrows don't.

Half an Orange, or a couple of spoon full of grape jelly will attract Baltimore Oriole if there are any around. But only from late April to June.

Real suet is the best for birds. It is the hard fat around the organs.
But any fat will appeal to Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, and Chickadees.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by jstubbs

Gorgeous pics guys, thanks. I need to get a squirrel proof feeder, currently there’s a very industrious squirrel here that loves to eat the bird seed in our feeder.

Anyone ever run a heated bird bath? I’ve been kind of wanting to try one out this winter and see who likes to visit.

I have been thinking the same thing.

I was thinking more along the lines of a headed dog dish, like this.



But I am concerned that our colder weather might make this a bad idea.

I wonder what would happen if the bird got it's feet wet and then landed on a branch at 30 below zero. Might it freeze to the branch?

I have another reason to try the heated dish idea.

I think I might be able to attract different birds if I could figure out a way to feed live Meal Worms.
I have raised Meal Worms and fed them to the birds in summer but never in winter.
I have also had issues with feeding them to birds. Namely, every time it rained the worms drowned and the birds wouldn't touch the dead worms.

So I'd have to figure a way to keep snow out of the bowl or it would melt and drown the worms.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Keg only blue jays, chickadees, and wood peckers so far. I use a similar solution to your bear proof system for squirrels called 22. PS I am sure your black bear will never be back after that metal fish net experience.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Keg only blue jays, chickadees, and wood peckers so far. I use a similar solution to your bear proof system for squirrels called 22. PS I am sure your black bear will never be back after that metal fish net experience.

Metal fish net! I love it!

Yeah that happened last year. I didn't see even one close to the yard this year, but my neighber 600 meters down the road sure did.

[Mavrick]

I was told by a wise old bird lady at a bird sanctuary not to put bath's up in winter? She said they will use the snow and it is sufficient to groom their feathers.

I suppose it's because what you said Keg, might be a bit hard on them at -30?

[Fish along]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I had one Pileated Woodpecker in the yard. Once. But my sister north of Peace River has had a few in her yard. I've photographed them there.
But I've never seen them visit a feeder.

If you can get Canola, the Pine Grosbeak and Red Polls love it and the Jays and Sparrows don't.

Half an Orange, or a couple of spoon full of grape jelly will attract Baltimore Oriole if there are any around. But only from late April to June.

Real suet is the best for birds. It is the hard fat around the organs.
But any fat will appeal to Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, and Chickadees.

What is the setup with the 2 liter bottle feeders,i cant makeout what you have at tha bottoms.thanks

[Bushmaster]

Here's one of my most frequent visitors.....

[Big Grey Wolf]

Went to Peavy Mart to pick up stuff for my friends like oats for horses, dog food, cat litter and sunflower seeds. The smallest guys Cickadee lunch cost the most $$.

[Sleddawg]

Ok I know this is a touch of a derailment but I found this pretty cool. The latest update on my iPhone has now successfully identified all the birds in your photos and a few I’ve taken. Wild. Maybe it’s not new. My wife took a screen grab off our blink home cameras of a bird and I hit the ‘i” button on the bottom and it nailed it. I know you named them here but i double checked after screen shots and nailed them as well. I just know sometimes people ask on here about bird species.

Anyways, happy feeding!!

[Mavrick]

Anyone in Spruce Grove area Pevey Mart has suet on for a dollar each. Wife just picked some up.