Author Topic: General discussion (Read 1871 times)

songbird · « **on:** March 03, 2013, 09:22:28 PM »

I, songbird, have a woodpecker that made a good size hole in my Queen Palm tree here in AZ. What do I do? I thought, well, let the nest come and eggs hatch, then fill the hole. I don't want to lose my Palm after 20 years of growth. She is pretty! I thought maybe to ask a nursery what to do. I would love to get a picture of this woodpecker. They used to be harmless, pecking on our air conditioners. Ha!

jen51 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2013, 09:32:24 PM »

One hole shouldn't do anything to your tree. But watch out! Many species of woodpeckers are notorious for drilling out hole after hole in the same tree. It would then turn into a problem!

They're so fun to watch, aren't they? I love woodpeckers. Random fact: did you know that an average sized woodpecker tongue is about 6 inches long? Crazy.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2013, 09:44:36 PM »

Who the heck knew woodpeckers peck palm trees?

For some reason I thought woodpeckers were good for trees. We have an adorable juvenile Red-Headed Woodpecker on our oak, and a gigantic Golden Hawk coming around. We wonder if the hawk is responsible for decimating the Mourning Dove babies in our bush. We LOVE birds.

jen51 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2013, 09:54:00 PM »

Red-headed woodpeckers are so pretty and flashy. With their black back and white stomach it makes them look like they're wearing a tuxedo.

I remember one summer I was particuraly interested in woodpeckers and i'd hike deep into the woods in search of them. I was content observing them for hours. The height of my woodpecker search was reached when I saw 5 different types of woodpeckers on the SAME tree! The downy, hairy, redbellied, redheaded, and the pileated. I wish you could have seen them! I don't know if they were all fighting over the same tree or what, but I've never seen anything like it.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2013, 11:04:51 PM »

Five in one tree! Was it noisy, or did they take turns? I would have loved it.

jen51 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2013, 08:19:13 AM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

Five in one tree! Was it noisy, or did they take turns? I would have loved it.

Very noisy. Not only were they squawking at each other with their raspy tones, but they were drilling like crazy. It was on a tree that looked as though it had died a year ago or so, so the wood was probably ideal for them.

I have plans to turn my backyard into a wildlife haven of sorts. Native grasses and flowers, bird feeders, bird boxes, bat boxes, etc. I have a room on the back of my house that overlooks the back yard nicely. I can just sit at the window and watch. Can't wait to get it going!

songbird · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2013, 05:19:45 PM »

My husband tried that one time and he stopped doing it for the mess the birds were making. One of his favorite birds was a one eyed bird, and he dubbed him one eye.

I met a lady, walking passed her home, I noticed that she was feeding a live bird sitting on her shoulder. She fed him some mushy wet bread from a straw. So, I stopped to get nosey. I asked her about the bird. She named him, "Big mouth". As a baby, he fell from a nest and she cared for him and he flew away one day. A year later he returned! Flew on her shoulder and he chirped hard at her, so she fed him. He returned for the 2nd time when I saw this event. And that was the last time she saw him. Wow! I like watching humming birds. Here in AZ we get our snowbirds, and the humming bird is violet with black and white, very pretty! Then the Phoenix zoo stated that in the winter, snowbirds roost at their zoo and they have not choice but to feed them which means pounds of seed. Birds are amazing. If anyone says to you, "Bird Brain!" take it as a compliment!

Iuvenalis · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2013, 10:05:15 PM »

I love threads like this :)

BTW, "bat boxes"? How do you build a box a bat'll use and not get coopted by a bird?! I'd love to have some bats!

jen51 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2013, 10:16:07 PM »

This link will give you excellent bat box building suggestions.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Plants_Wildlife/bats/batboxes.asp

Elizabeth · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:02:45 AM »

Quote from: songbird

Birds are amazing. If anyone says to you, "Bird Brain!" take it as a compliment!

You're doggone right I will! Today I saw tons of tiny blue and off-white finchy-looking birds; they looked like a fairy tale convent of little nuns. Too cute and happy! I need to remember to look them up in the bird books tomorrow.

John Grace · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2013, 08:41:14 AM »

Very interesting thread.

1st Mansion Tenant · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:52:01 AM »

Quote from: Iuvenalis

I love threads like this :)

BTW, "bat boxes"? How do you build a box a bat'll use and not get coopted by a bird?! I'd love to have some bats!

Here is a link with bathouse plans. I have always wanted one too! I have some old printed plans around somewhere, I'll see if I can find them. :cheers:

http://www.eparks.org/wildlife_protection/wildlife_facts/bats/bat_house.asp

Elizabeth · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:20:14 PM »

I THINK my little birds were Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers. I'm no expert birder. They are supposed to be the most reliable harbingers of Spring, more so than Robins.

1st Mansion Tenant · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:45:32 PM »

Who will be the first to build their own bathouse and post pics here? :rahrah:

would also love to see some of your backyard bird pics.

jen51 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2013, 06:35:18 PM »

I'd probably post a pic of my bat box, but first I've got to finagle someone into building me one!

For those other "bird brains" on this thread, do you have field guides to help you identify the birds you see? I have several, but this one has been by far the most handy. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/on.com/gp//ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=on.com/gp/&linkCode=as2&tag=httpwwwchanco-20

My favorite bird is the loon. They are beautiful, and their call is haunting. Unfortunately they are not native where I live. Another favorite of mine is the cedar waxwing- such an elegant looking bird.