The Observation Deck

guys who have a hard time finding food.

Fill your feeders.

I wish I could figure out a way to rig a feeder from my apartment window. So many birds fly by my building!

Thanks for the reminder. Absolutely beautiful picture. For us birding novices, what kind of bird is it?

Lynn Farris wrote:what kind of bird is it?

Female Cardinal.

David, I seem to recall smallish feeders with suction cups that you can put on windows. Maybe check one of those out?

Joe,
Nice shot!
Rhonda

Joe Ott wrote: David, I seem to recall smallish feeders with suction cups that you can put on windows. Maybe check one of those out?

I never thought of that - thanks for the tip!

David, I've always wanted to have bird feeders too, but a lot of apartment leases forbid them. Hopefully your landlord is cool.

Some more hungry ones stopped by this afternoon.


Junco

Nuthatch

Gold Finch

Chickadee

Junco

Bluejay

Male Cardinal

Male Cardinal

Sparrow

House Finch

House Finch

Peek-a-boo (female Cardinal)


I think all those names are correct.

Joe,

Beautiful photos!

Thank you for helping to make this cold day so warm!

Gary

OMG were these really in your yard?? so pretty!!!! I do always remember to give walnuts to the squirrels in the winter, sometimes practically from my hand but need a bird feeder. Thank you so much for the reminder!!

Justine Cooper wrote:OMG were these really in your yard??

Yes. The variety of birds we have around here year round is pretty amazing. Last fall, early in the morning, I saw a Bald Eagle flying around over Detroit Road near Bunts. There are Bald Eagles East and West of us and I understand a pair nesting in Brecksville but I had never seen one in Lakewood.

If anybody knows where eagles, hawks, falcons, or owls might be nesting/living locally, please let me know.

These pictures were shot through a window so they aren't as sharp as they should be...

My parents live right behind Sandy Ridge Reservation in North Ridgeville, part of the Lorain County Metroparks. They have a pair of nesting Bald Eagles. I've never seen them, but my dad has several times. It's a beautiful little wetlands park.

Joe, I noticed you had some sliced oranges in your suet holder, what else do you put in there?

I just hung my feeder a few weeks ago, so those pictures will help me identify the birds, thanks.

John LePlae wrote:Joe, I noticed you had some sliced oranges in your suet holder, what else do you put in there?

Chopped up noisy neighborhood kids, dogs, cats, that sorta thing. Frozen of course. Otherwise it starts to stink. Just kidding.

We tried the orange slices because it's supposed to attract a variety of song birds, but so far it doesn't seem super successful - maybe in the spring it'll do better in that regard. Normally we just put the cheapo suet blocks from discount stores in the suet feeders though.

If you have children (something we saw at the Botanical Gardens a couple weeks ago) is to take empty cardboard paper towel (or TP) rolls, roll them in Crisco, then roll that (mess) in birdseed. Tie a string to it and hang from a tree or something. David, maybe that would work for you(?).

Brad, thanks for the tip.
Sandy Ridge Reservation looks like a little jewel.

Sandy Ridge really is nice. The coolest thing about it is that after decades of lying as fields in the middle of the woods, they were finally returned to their natural wetland state. Suddenly, all manner of wetland plants and animals sprang to life, without the park being stocked with anything.