The Uncaged Bird -My first Hummingbird has arrived 4/26/2024

we also have rosellas nearby, I forgot to mention! We used to have a lovely pair of visiting pale-headed rosellas, all soft blues, snowy heads, with pale lemon bits then black dots or stripes... They haven't come here for a bit.

In the trees nearby, there are eastern superb rosellas, stunning birds. Bright flashy red like a fire engine or tomato sauce and the richest emerald green - they look like they fell into a vat of ketchup.

joanne said:

cockatoo (no S, for the true plural) are not allowed on MOL since Calli was harassed by a neighbour who owned one.

We don't have the Moluccans as far as I know. I am surrounded by white cockatoo and grey-winged, pink-sleeved galahs: they're both noisier than the smaller parrots that chatter almost incessantly, and the white cockies especially are known to strip bare many tops of trees as they munch on leaves and make daytime roosts on the bare branches.

This thread has a special dispensation since @dave posted a beauty up thread! Check him out he is too cute. He was photographed in Hong Kong.

I have worked with a couple of rescue birds. One nibbled the entire top of a Victorian rattan chair in a few minutes. And yes they are loud! I don't encourage anyone to get them as pets. They are usually left in cages and then given away when they start feather picking.There is the added problem that they can live 70 years!

I was considering fostering for a rescue. As the thread title suggests I'm not for caged birds. My rescue fosters had their own room and I understand that most people can not provide that so I'm for either rescue seniors or feather pickers and leave the rest to fly free. They are given up frequently and I know of a local vet who has a feather picker for adoption. Its a tough habit to break.

@mumstheword I saw this webinair in 5 parts on birds at the shore. Thought you might be interested or anyone else who is a resident or visitor.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/courses/shorebird-id/

Just when I thought it was over, I saw another hummingbird Sunday 10/3. I've read not to take the feeder down till 2 weeks after the last siting so, sugar it is. The small yellow flowers in my hanging baskets that look like mini - Petunias are called Calibrochoa and are still blooming are a favorite. Someone gave them a 10 star rating for attracting hummingbirds. They have had less interest in the red petunias. I have seen a few stop by the red salvia on the ground. Very surprised that they are still flying through but I'm only seeing them every 4 days or so. I guess that these are migrating from the north. A pal of mine, recently saw a quick flash of one in her garden in Maplewood.

Morganna said:

@mumstheword I saw this webinair in 5 parts on birds at the shore. Thought you might be interested or anyone else who is a resident or visitor.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/courses/shorebird-id/

Thanks!

No hummers in more than a week...but I'll leave the one feeder up just in case....

I thought 2 weeks ago that the hummers were hovering to say goodbye. I had the feeders filled and did not see one since. Then yesterday morning a female hovered in front of my face when I took the dog out Made some more food for her and her lady friends if they are still around I'm in NW Morris County so we're a little cooler than Map/SO.

blackcat said:

I thought 2 weeks ago that the hummers were hovering to say goodbye. I had the feeders filled and did not see one since. Then yesterday morning a female hovered in front of my face when I took the dog out Made some more food for her and her lady friends if they are still around I'm in NW Morris County so we're a little cooler than Map/SO.

Can't wait to see which one of us sites the last bird!

I'm sorry I didn't have my phone with me, for the camera - was sitting at lunch today on the deck outside Runaway Bay shopping mall, alongside a stretch of river/canal (it might be a branch of the Coomera river, I'm not sure, or a canal reclaimed from mangroves alongside the Broadwater a few decades ago).

We had a stale donut with us, so threw the crumbs to the pier beneath, where the gulls quickly clustered. Fairly cute in a standard way, and of course our US visitor was doing his Aussie imitation from Finding Nemo ('Mine!! Mine!!). Gorgeous day, perfect for sitting there...

An hour later, three perfectly curved backs sliced in and out of the waves - mother and two baby dolphins, playing in the rising tide as they searched for fish for their lunch. Breathtaking!!!

And an hour later, an old sailor brought his dinghy so smoothly to the pier, moored and walked up to the shops, leaving his old dachshund behind in the dinghy.... Well, after 5mins she'd had enough of that, thank you very much!! Got herself expertly out of said dinghy, waddled up the pier, through the closed gate up the path ... We got her some water then didn't know what to do (we were leaving). Luckily her owner came back: she's 14, deaf and half-blind, stubborn as an old ox. He's pretty old too! At least he had the new stores for the week, and they get back to their boat - she didn't half tell him off for leaving her, even though she thought shemademedothis a nice enough chap.

Quite an eventful day!

https://www.runawaybaycentre.com.au/centre-info/getting-here/

blackcat said:

I thought 2 weeks ago that the hummers were hovering to say goodbye. I had the feeders filled and did not see one since. Then yesterday morning a female hovered in front of my face when I took the dog out Made some more food for her and her lady friends if they are still around I'm in NW Morris County so we're a little cooler than Map/SO.

I've got skittish hummers compared to you guys! I'm on the other side of a closed window and can't snap a photo of them at the feeder without them darting away. Still no hummers -- not even the wasps -- at the feeder any more.

joanne said:

I'm sorry I didn't have my phone with me, for the camera - was sitting at lunch today on the deck outside Runaway Bay shopping mall, alongside a stretch of river/canal (it might be a branch of the Coomera river, I'm not sure, or a canal reclaimed from mangroves alongside the Broadwater a few decades ago).

We had a stale donut with us, so threw the crumbs to the pier beneath, where the gulls quickly clustered. Fairly cute in a standard way, and of course our US visitor was doing his Aussie imitation from Finding Nemo ('Mine!! Mine!!). Gorgeous day, perfect for sitting there...

An hour later, three perfectly curved backs sliced in and out of the waves - mother and two baby dolphins, playing in the rising tide as they searched for fish for their lunch. Breathtaking!!!

And an hour later, an old sailor brought his dinghy so smoothly to the pier, moored and walked up to the shops, leaving his old dachshund behind in the dinghy.... Well, after 5mins she'd had enough of that, thank you very much!! Got herself expertly out of said dinghy, waddled up the pier, through the closed gate up the path ... We got her some water then didn't know what to do (we were leaving). Luckily her owner came back: she's 14, deaf and half-blind, stubborn as an old ox. He's pretty old too! At least he had the new stores for the week, and they get back to their boat - she didn't half tell him off for leaving her, even though she thought shemademedothis a nice enough chap.

Quite an eventful day!

https://www.runawaybaycentre.com.au/centre-info/getting-here/

Wow, what a day!

mumstheword said:

blackcat said:

I thought 2 weeks ago that the hummers were hovering to say goodbye. I had the feeders filled and did not see one since. Then yesterday morning a female hovered in front of my face when I took the dog out Made some more food for her and her lady friends if they are still around I'm in NW Morris County so we're a little cooler than Map/SO.

I've got skittish hummers compared to you guys! I'm on the other side of a closed window and can't snap a photo of them at the feeder without them darting away. Still no hummers -- not even the wasps -- at the feeder any more.

Its quiet at the feeder for the past couple of days. Lots of other birds flying around. I can't tell if the female starling is nesting but I think she is. I put some of the leftover nesting material from the wrens nest in a suet cage to see if she or her mate would want a few extra pieces. I'm determined to buy myself a small bird cam but I'm not sure if I want to put it in a nest or just locate it by the feeders. Lots of them to chose from and you need some electrical outlet to set up the base for wireless service. Of course speaking of electricity, I wonder if I'm going to be without power when the storm swings by. I ordered a generator in August but PSE& G has me waiting for almost 8 weeks for the approval. I was out for 16 days after Sandy and 14 days after the storm before.

Well I hope none of the hummers are in the path of the storm.

we've just had nasty storms across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales (the Hunter and Rivererina districts mainly) and ACT that knocked out solar panels and wind towers. If you're relying on them, do make sure you have alternative arrangements!!

We're also seeing bird and fish migrations in odd places. Two weeks ago I reported a stunning pair of birds in my bottlebrush tree that normally live around rainforested regions up north in the Darwin (Northern Territory) zone and that band. They occasionally can be viewed wild in coastal areas on the east coast where most of our cities are, but way north. Seeing them here was both breathtaking and alarming. (So much natural habitat has been destroyed) these birds are mainly white with a little grey about wings and tail, and startling iridescent cobalt blues and purples, turquoise around their heads like fancy carnival masks. Calling them 'blue headed' or 'purple crested' whatevers is so lame!! (Bird society never replied so I can't confirm anything)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-05/rare-white-willie-wagtail-graces-mount-lawley-backyards/7906830

This is soooo rare. We have black-and-white wagtails visiting us, gorgeous song.

yay! Finally managed to sneak two pix of very skittish adolescent rainbow lorikeets on the bottlebrush seedblock, this morning. This was taken as close as I could get, outside, and as large as the iPhone would let me. You can see their camouflage is pretty good!!

Even though the pix look identical, there were a few mins between them. I was at the corner of the house, my back to the sun. That's east, so the birds were directly west from me. You can just see the blue head of the top one; much clearer on the original! Green tail has blended into the leaves.

joanne said:

yay! Finally managed to sneak two pix of very skittish adolescent rainbow lorikeets on the bottlebrush seedblock, this morning. This was taken as close as I could get, outside, and as large as the iPhone would let me. You can see their camouflage is pretty good!!

Even though the pix look identical, there were a few mins between them. I was at the corner of the house, my back to the sun. That's east, so the birds were directly west from me. You can just see the blue head of the top one; much clearer on the original! Green tail has blended into the leaves.

WOW!

A rainbow lorikeet would be a life bird for me. Thanks for sharing the pics!

here's a better view from just around the other corner of the house, outside the back door. (I'm facing south-east) taken just before lunchtime.

Have you seen 'uncaged' pineapples? Below is one we're growing on our patio. Pic taken a month ago. It's grown a little since then, and now seems to have little blue flowers coming from its sides.

I was thinking about all of the migrating birds, hummers among them who are flying down the coast. Hummers got to Florida, Louisiana and Texas, but some actually cross the Gulf of Mexico down to Mexico. I found this link this morning. I'm also looking for another that specifically discusses hummers.

http://bit.ly/2dVH7en

OK this is just a cute moment.....

OK, don't try this at home..... It gives an idea of how they fly through the wind.

Flying to Peru tomorrow for a two-plus week mostly birding vacation. I'll try to remember to post some pix if/when I get WiFi there.

sac said:

Flying to Peru tomorrow for a two-plus week mostly birding vacation. I'll try to remember to post some pix if/when I get WiFi there.

I loved Peru! Hope you get some great shots!

September 18th I posted that I saw a couple if starlings looking into the used nesting box. Then I later posted that they were cleaning it out and now I see the female either laying the eggs or hatching them. She should lay one a day for about 4 days and then sit on the nest for about 2 weeks to hatch them. I'm making sure she has both seed and suet cake and of course fresh water. Her mate will help through the process. I just saw her looking out her window and then she and her mate flew to my feeding station.

this Wednesday Channel 13 8pm is a Nature episode entitled "Super Hummingbirds"!

So we have a 'resident' currawong with a sweet tooth. It likes to pretend it's the size of a smallish lorrikeet, and can eat as many sultanas (dried sultana grapes -more popular here than cranberries or raisins) as it wants.

A currawong with a sweet tooth is significant. Their beaks are long and pointed, they're hunters and meat-eaters. They can't be seen to like sweet things! But every morning he swoops by, then patiently works his way along the fence and down the tree, until it's his turn at the seed tray. Then he delicately spears sultanas, throws them in the air and and gobbles them, one by one. Goes through maybe a dozen, then flies off with one or two on his beak.

He's at least half the length of my arm, and glossy black. Carolled the most glorious song along the fence this morning.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/pied-currawong

Thanks! I would have missed seeing this episode of Nature if not for your post.

I love this thread!

mumstheword said:

this Wednesday Channel 13 8pm is a Nature episode entitled "Super Hummingbirds"!

joanne said:

So we have a 'resident' currawong with a sweet tooth. It likes to pretend it's the size of a smallish lorrikeet, and can eat as many sultanas (dried sultana grapes -more popular here than cranberries or raisins) as it wants.

A currawong with a sweet tooth is significant. Their beaks are long and pointed, they're hunters and meat-eaters. They can't be seen to like sweet things! But every morning he swoops by, then patiently works his way along the fence and down the tree, until it's his turn at the seed tray. Then he delicately spears sultanas, throws them in the air and and gobbles them, one by one. Goes through maybe a dozen, then flies off with one or two on his beak.

He's at least half the length of my arm, and glossy black. Carolled the most glorious song along the fence this morning.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/pied-currawong

Wow, thanks for the link. A new bird for me!

As a hunting bird, there's no way I can get a pic of him from my yard with my resources. He's much too alert. But he's a glorious bird! Keeps the mozzies, grasshoppers and cockroaches down in the yard and no doubt works on larger feral prey in the neighbourhood (mice, cane toads etc).

I'll see if I can a sound file of his song.

Try this. In real life, it's a little richer, and there's more tonal difference in the pitch. http://www.anbg.gov.au/sounds/currawong.au

Turn your sound up, and imagine this coming from above your roof... (I have 3 circling above the area now, it must be nesting season)