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Post by kastern on Sept 27, 2007 10:18:42 GMT -8
I thought I would start a new thread so I can share with you the challange of attracting birds to a new yard. As some of you know, we have lived here at the edge of the Chehalis Wetlands for the past nine years. We have a 'Nature Scaped' backyard that backs onto the riparian habitat along the edge of the wetlands and I feed the birds year round so my yard is always absolutely alive with birds. For various personal reasons we made the decision this summer to sell our house and to purchase a Park Model Trailer (like a small mobile home)....in the same complex....so in reality we are only a couple of streets over in the RV Park. The unit we chose has a number of mature trees (2 cedars and a Broad Leaf Maple) on the property and backs onto an area of 'common property' that is lawn but with more mature trees and some bushes etc. growing in it. There is also a strip of lawn down the east side of our lot and there is a fairly mature cedar hedge down one side. We haven't actually made the move yet. Our house remains unsold  and we are gradually getting the Park Model set up (at the moment waiting for the new floor to be installed next week), but I have already been attempting to attract birds to the area. No one else up in that corner of the complex has fed the birds for some time and I have discovered that this is going to be challange. I started by putting out a hanging tray feeder with some Black Oil Sunflower seeds and some peanuts....and with in moments I had Steller's Jay there....but so far those are the only birds I've been able to attract. I tried hanging a tube feeder with Black Oil Sunflower seeds from one of the Cedars....but it remained untouched, so I put out a peanut feeder instead...that is also untouched. I put a shallow saucer of mixed seed on the ground in the bushes at the back, hoping to attract a Song Sparrow or Towhee....but that too, remains untouched. Today I put in a metal holder and hung the Tube feeder up again so I have a 'feeding station' with the open tray, the peanut feeder and the Tube feeder. I plan to add some suet soon. I can see that this isn't going to be easy and my Project Feeder Watch reports are going to be pretty pitiful compared to what they have been for the last 9 years. I am, however, taking this as a challange and I will attract birds some how. Like I say, I'll keep you posted as to my 'success'. Kathy |
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Post by Wetlander on Sept 28, 2007 8:13:37 GMT -8
Please do keep us posted!
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Post by kastern on Oct 5, 2007 12:26:18 GMT -8
A quick update on the new yard.....I'm holding out more hope now....I've had to take down the peanut feeder....two days in a row it has been on the ground - empty....I think raccoons so will wait until I am there and can put it out in the morning and bring it in in the evening. I have had the tube feeder out with sunflower seeds in it and have been putting a mixture of sunflower seeds, mixed seed and peanuts in the hanging open tray feeder. The Jays are still coming and the other day I was walking over to the lot and saw a Northern Flicker fly in and a small flock of junco left the yard as I approached. Then this morning there was a Song Sparrow under the tube feeder so I quickly put a tray of ground feeder mix down. At least I know they are around and they are finding it....so there is hope that once I am settled in the new place (hopefully at the end of this month) and am filling the feeders on a daily basis...I will get some activity. I know it won't be like this yard. On the plus side, by bird seed bill should drop substantially!
Kathy
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mac
Member
Posts: 72
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Post by mac on Oct 5, 2007 19:14:47 GMT -8
Hi Folks
Like Kathy, I have had a change of scene. We have moved to Enderby from Hope and have had about 12 days in the new house. It sits about 550 m up above the town on the western slopes opposite the Enderby Cliffs.
Haven't had much time to do any birding but put up the seed feeders right away and have lots of RB Nuthatches and BC Chikadees visiting. Both Pileated and Downy Woodpeckers make daily appearances and we had a veritable flock of Mourning Doves today - all 7 of them. ;D
I don't know if I'm now disqualified from the group as I am no longer a Fraser Valley resident? Perhaps Gord will let me know.
Mac
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Post by Gord on Oct 6, 2007 20:38:28 GMT -8
Good to hear steady progress, Kathy. Wont be long before they find it and things get back to normal.
Mac, great to hear from you and that you're getting settled in. Nice to also hear you're getting birds already as well. I was thinking about sending a little hello your way!
Im also glad you asked about posting to this site. While the name of the forum is Fraser Valley Birding, that's as far is it goes in regards to the 'who' and 'where' that can be involved.
For example, sharing bird feeding is certainly general bird feeding. You dont need to live in the Fraser Valley to post here. Actually, aside from the Local Birding section (of course you can post here if you were down here birding, which I hope you do, and comments and replies to posts in this section are encouraged), the rest of the site is wide open regardless of where you live or go birding. Im just as keen to hear about out of town birding excursions as I am of local ones. And of course, yours and anyone else's thoughts, opinions and comments are just as valid and very welcome regardless of where one lives.
Im glad you asked. I hope that if others have wondered about it they now know. I should update the site's welcoming message to make sure it's more accurate and matches the site's intent.
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mac
Member
Posts: 72
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Post by mac on Oct 7, 2007 10:16:19 GMT -8
Thanks Gord...that's great. I wouldn't have liked to have to give up my membership of the group.
The migrants are still pushing through up here with a late Dusky Flycather spotted yesterday in Kelowna. If we ever get through unpacking boxes we might get out to do some birding! ;D
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Post by butterfly on Oct 20, 2007 8:49:53 GMT -8
How are the new yard birds doing?
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Post by kastern on Oct 22, 2007 12:47:54 GMT -8
Not much of anything happening....I think until we actually move in (hopefully this coming weekend) and I get a steady supply of food happening....we won't get much action. I have heard chickadees in the trees.....so I think it will be OK once they can rely on my food supply. The old yard is still alive with Towhees, Song Sparrows, Junco and Steller's Jay with a few House finch. Haven't seen much else - well unless you count the heron at the fish pond and the bear at the crab apple tree.......
Kathy
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Post by butterfly on Oct 25, 2007 7:44:15 GMT -8
Oh, unless we count the heron at the fish pond and the bear at the crab apple! Ha ha ha! That's a lot of nice birds at the old yard, I'm sure that you will have the new yard hopping in no time. Not envying you moving, we had to do that last year from something similar to your old place to a postage stamp yard. Everything is fine, although the move was stressful, so we can at least sympathize with what you are going through.
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Post by kastern on Oct 29, 2007 17:27:49 GMT -8
OK.....so today was the first 'official day' of my New Yard. We moved in Friday night and this morning I started the routine of filling the bird feeders first thing. My official count was: 3 Steller's Jay, 7 Dark Eyed Junco, and 1 Song Sparrow. At least there was something and hopefully we can build from this. I need a few more brackets before I can put out things like Suet but have Black Oil Sunflower seeds, mixed seed and a Peanut feeder out. So far, nobody has gone near the Peanut feeder....hopefully a Chick a dee will find it soon.
Kathy
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Post by kastern on Oct 30, 2007 13:54:09 GMT -8
today the Jays increased to 7 and we added a species....Black Cap Chickadees found the Sunflower seed....still nobody looking at the peanut feeder.
Kathy
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Post by teekaygee on Oct 31, 2007 14:20:50 GMT -8
Nice that you are starting to see more action around your feeders. Hopefully they'll get a hankering for those peanuts soon, too.
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mac
Member
Posts: 72
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Post by mac on Nov 1, 2007 12:11:05 GMT -8
Hi All
We had our first Hairy Woodpecker at the suet feeder just 5 minutes ago. The seed feeder was doing great business at the same time with Black-capped Chickadees and Mountain Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches in constant motion -- and it's a beautiful sunny day here in Enderby! ;D
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Post by kastern on Nov 1, 2007 13:36:11 GMT -8
Well day four and another species.....A Spotted Towhee....so we are up to 5 species now. There are Red Wing Black Birds sitting in the trees not far way, but none have come to the feeders yet. Oh, and about 5 min. after I posted the message about the peanut feeder's lack of visitors....a BlackCap Chickadee found it.....
Kathy
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Post by Dave on Nov 1, 2007 21:38:01 GMT -8
Well Kathy, after your very impressive list in your last yard, it is going to be interesting to see what will come to your new one. Having a yard list of '5' makes for great potential this winter. You are probably the only one who will double your yard list by the end of the year. Let me know as soon as Northern Pygmy Owl shows up this winter to check things out.
Dave
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