Calling All Bird Lovers!

[nybirder]

Bette has asked me to start a new thread for those of us who love birds and the beauty that they bring to our lives. For now, I’m thinking of a thread that is posted once a week devoted to wherever we want to go with it.

Now, we have to have a name for this little group. So . . . any suggestions folks?

And . . . are you a beginner, somewhat experienced, or a serious bird brain like me?

A little about myself . . . my handle is NYBirder but you can call me Birdy. I have to confess that I’m not a very good gardener at all, probably because I spend far too much time driving back roads with my camera.  But I do appreciate the habitat that gardens provide for the wildlife that I love. I have been a birder all my life (let’s just say that I’m no spring chicken) thanks to a mother who noticed everything and made sure I saw it, too.

When I retired, I was able to follow my bliss by playing outdoors with my camera as much as possible. My particular love is birds but I am a nature photographer in general—you name it, I will photograph it. That includes insects, butterflies, wild flowers, etc. I share my photography through PowerPoint presentations around central NY, showing people the beauty of their everyday surroundings. All my work is done within 100 miles of my home in the fields, woods, roadsides, vacant lots, gardens, and other accessible spots around me. I like to point out that all the pictures I have taken are from spots easily accessible to anyone, including the handicapped. That always amazes people. It’s all about opening your eyes and being aware.

I have belonged to the Kirkland Bird Club for 25 years and have served as an officer in the past. I also volunteer for the Great Swamp Conservancy, which is a privately funded, not-for-profit wildlife sanctuary in Canastota, NY, about 30 miles from my home. Just this spring, I had the privilege of leading our first group of British birders through the Conservancy on a field trip—they were on a guided birding tour of the state. High on one woman's wish list was to see a bluebird. They were on the tail end of the tour and hadn't seen any yet. It was my great pleasure to walk her right up to a nesting pair--she was so thrilled. One thing about bird lovers—our accents may be different but we all speak the same language! It was the first of what we hope will be many international birding tour groups stopping in this region through a state tourism initiative. The area is rich in bird life and on a major flyway for migration.

Well, I’ve run on long enough. Time to hear from the rest of you!

Birdy

[Ladybird]

Hello Birdy and I love my birds. Had to give up alot of things I enjoyed when my dh died in 07 and lost his income. I was not working then. I did not give up buying boss for my birds. Just did cutting back on other things. LOL. Life has gotten better over the years. Got a job at a car insurance company in March of 08 and gave notice 6 months later. Got a job at a kfc/taco bell in Nov of 08 Retired last Sept when I turned 60 and able to collect widows ss. I am going to enjoy this board and I think your subject heading is perfect for a new board

[mnwildflowers]

I think a weekly bird forum would appeal to lots of folks. When I first joined birds and blooms many years ago it was on their birding forum. In fact my name at that time was Raising_4_Birders, since my kids were all little and I enjoyed teaching them things about birds, bird feeding/watching from home. I would say I'm a bit of a casual birder now. I enjoy my hummers in the summer and feeding birds in the winter. We especially enjoy watching the birds in the winter that come to feed on the deer carcasses we hang after hunting season. The ravens, pileated, hairy, and downy woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees just go crazy over the meat and fat they can pick off them. I've tried for years to get bluebirds to nest along my field but have had no luck. We are in a very wooded area and the trees offer plenty of natural nesting areas. My bird houses have gone mostly unused (unless you count the squirrels who think they are great).

As for a name it could be a simple as Bird Tales (or Tails if you like the play on words), and then the week of ....

[plantdoctor]

I know very little about birds except I enjoy watching them and taking their pictures.  I will post when I can, but will probably spend more time reading the thread and looking at the pictures and trying to learn more.  So nice of you to do this, Birdy!  Charlene

[carross]

Good Morning, I also enjoy watching the birds, we feed them year around. No real favorite just love them all. Can's seem to get any real good pictures, and I don't know why. Right now the hummers are in full swing, eating lots and getting ready to leave about Sept.20. The orioles are already gone, and I haven't seen the RBGB, so I'm guessing gone also. Such a shy bird. I have had sand hill cranes in the yard, lots of noise.

Looking forward to this site. Thank you

[valerian]

I'm a casual birder that lives a very short distance from the Cheyenne Bottoms. A tremendous number of birds stop there to rest and feed during their migration, so we get to see all kinds of birds. I feed all year round, and try to plant plenty of coneflowers, sunflowers, currant bushes and other bird friendly plants. We had a Bald Eagle nesting at the farm this spring. I love just love watching birds! I hope you post some of your pictures.

[Angela]

Looking forward to the weekly bird thread. My birding is limited to my yard but I do love my birds!  

[iliz9]

This is a great idea...as a lover of God's creation...for sure I'll enjoy a "The Bird Nest" thread...I'm not very knowledgeable but ready to absorb any new information that will make me be able to get to know birds more... I do also love photography

[bloominguy]

I enjoy my birds but getting pictures of them is a problem or should I say a disappointment to me.  The only ones I get are out a window and just are not very good.  I do enjoy pictures from those who can do it.

[wilderness]

Birdy, thank you so much.  Looks like you have their interest peeked.  I am going to put a post over on Cook's Crock in case anyone there is interested and don't stop here on a regular basis.

[Stella]

:) What a great idea.  I am mad about birds.  One just has to look in my backyard and
see all those feeders to understand that mine is not just a passion for birds...it's
madness....lol.  I don't mind.  The visitors to all the feeders are welcome.

Having a pond helps birds stopping over for a shower.  One can observe this 
especially in the spring when migrating birds are looking to 'freshen up' before
flying further north.

Last year I visited many park to take pictures of birds.  I posted many of them.
This year I took more in my backyard of birds that I have never seen stop at my
pond.  If I can get back on track, I'll continue photographing more birds, and share
them on this thread.  

Thanks for thinking about our feathered friends.

[Stella]

A Merlin Falcon that stopped to attack my Goldfinches.  First time one landed
on my apple tree.

[grandmazn8]

This would be great, although I may not be able to do more than stop by for a quick look right now.

Like you, my mother was the one that got me into birds many years ago and was the one who, for years, gave me a subscription to Birds and Blooms for my birthday, which eventually led me to the site where I met so many wonderful people, as a result of a photo of a flower (and hummer) on the front cover. After she passed away in 2008 I continued to renew it most of the time.

Like Melissa, though, I was more into it when my children were young and I was a stay at home mom. Eventually I had to spend more time working and raising kids, and then gkids. I still remember, however, that my now 30 yr old son's favorite bird when he was a toddler was a chickadee, and my 12 year old grandson's favorite for a while was a red-winged blackbird. But then he saw a painted bunting! He still likes to be the first to spot a goldfinch when they have their bright summer coats.

Stella, that is an awesome photo. I wish I had an expensive camera and some much needed lessons on how to use it.

[starshell]

I enjoy watching and feeding the birds and think a weekly thread is a great idea. One of the highlights for me this summer is a couple of pair of orioles that have been coming regular for their jelly. I have tried for several years to entice them and finally got not one but 2 pair. And both pair brought their babies to feed.  That was very exciting for me.  Looking forward to the new thread. 

[luvmyb_b]

I cannot begin to say how elated I am to hear that we will have something specifically devoted to birding here.  I was hoping for a board dedicated to birds, but I can really get behind a weekly thread also.  THANK YOU so much, Birdy, for doing this!  Now my forum wishes are complete.

I don't know how knowledgeable I am about birds, but I'm certainly passionate about them! I feed black-oil sunflower seed because I hear that is what a majority of backyard birds like the best.  I also have a suet feeder that I try to keep full.  This year, that seemed to pay off with a pair of catbirds nesting in the privet bushes in our alley, but visiting regularly to eat the suet.  I also have a peanut feeder that the woodpeckers enjoy.  I have in the past had as many as 4 hummingbird feeders going at a time, but I'm down to two now (both visible from either the kitchen, family room, or office windows) As much as I enjoy seeing birds at my feeders (and I really, really do!), I am most thrilled when I have planted something in my yard that is favored by the birds.  It brings me great joy to have the gold finches picking at the seeds in my coneflowers that I have grown from seed, or pulling seeds and petals out of the dwarf zinnias in my kitchen window box!  I am always trying to plant for the hummingbirds also.  A couple of days ago, I was looking out the window and saw two gold finches and a hummer in a particular corner of the garden.  About has fast as I could be excited about that, a butterfly came floating in.  The hummingbird was having none of that, and proceeded to chase the butterfly away.  The territorial little stinker!   :))          

I don't get out too often to do my bird watching, but occasionally I will head to a shelter at our local Metropark and spend some quiet time there observing whatever might happen by. 

I don't care a bit what you call the group.  I'm just glad there is one!  Both Robin's suggestion of "Calling All Bird Lovers" and Melissa's thought of "Bird Tales/Tails" are excellent.  Whatever name you go with, as long as I can find you when you get started, I'm all in!