New Page for Winter

View the new page that I put up on this blog for birding in the winter and fall.. with winter just around the corner, its time to start thinking of food for the birds.. (this is an old photo from last year) Enjoy! ~Whitney

Rockin Robin!

Each year we see flocks of American Robins in our yard, trees & sky... they never really stop here but to grab a bite to eat at the Cedar tree.. This morning there was a flock of American Robins at the water bowl that we keep out for the birds & squirrels year round... I never seen that many robins at the water bowl before... Even the European Starlings were at the bowl joining in.. This is just one of many good shots that I have gotten of the Robins... check out the photo page for more photos! and remember, to keep plenty of fresh, unfrozen, water in a bowl for your feathered friends! you never know what might stop in for a drink... ~Whitney

Fall Is Here!

Well, Fall is FINALLY here! after a hot summer! it is getting cooler here in NC, this is a picture I took today of a white breasted nuthatch on the suet feeder I recently put out.. As winter arrives I'll be putting some winter pictures on.. enjoy!

-whitney

Red Shouldered Hawk

This beauty is a Red Shouldered Hawk, I spotted while me and my family were driving down the road. This is at the same lake I saw the Red Tailed Hawk a while back. This is a very beautiful hawk, and I am very blessed in order to have seen this beauty.... ~Whitney

Hand Fed?

I have been trying to get brown headed nuthatches to feed out of my hand for awhile now, I finally got them to be brave enough to get a sunflower seed out of a cup that I hold in my hand. Its pretty cool to be that close to these sweet little birds! So friendly. I love them. ~Whitney

Bluebird Family

For the past few weeks, we have noticed that some one has been building in our bluebird house. We were hoping that it was the bluebirds, so sure enough we saw the bluebirds at the house. They are building, they have no babies yet. I was lucky enough to have gotten this shot of the male eastern bluebird at the bluebird house. The female was in the tree. He didn't have anything in his beak, he just peeked in. I guess to see if the all the furniture was in the right place!!! :D No, birds don't use furniture. When I looked in the house about a week ago, they had the floor of the nest done. I haven't looked in it since. We always get a Eastern Bluebird and a Brown headed Nuthatch family every year. I wish we would get a chickadee family or something, anything besides HOUSE SPARROWS! I will keep everyone updated on the Bluebird Family. ~Whitney

Hot Weather!

Now that it is getting hotter, make sure that have fresh, clean for the birds and squirrels in your area. You need to at least clean the bowls or bird bath once or twice a week, and put clean water in it every day. Birds love to take bathes in shallow water bowls. You can use a pot tray like this one on the left, birds like it to take a bath in. You can use anything, make sure it is not metal, as this can make the little birds feet hot. You even might crows to come! ~Whitney

First Year of Hummingbird Feeding

This is the first year that I am feeding the hummingbirds, they are here in NC. I saw two last week, I got me these little hummingbird feeders at the dollar store for starters. And I got a flower and found a pot and planted it in there and sat it on the porch, so that I could watch it. We'll see if I get any hummers within a week, I hope I do. The type of flower I planted is a snap dragon, hummingbirds like them. If you want to do this or even just plant flowers that the hummingbirds like, they will find it. I will be updating about the hummingbirds. Hope they come :) ~Whitney

Osprey

Yesterday while sitting outside, I noticed a big hawk like bird flying over head. He was real low, and I knew that I could get a good shot. So, I raised my camera and took one picture. Today I finally loaded it on the computer and cropped it, when I did, I noticed that it looked alot like an Osprey. An Osprey? couldn't be, they live around water. There is no water where I live besides a little creek in the woods. And that's about it. So, I got some advice from some other birders. And so far, it is an Osprey. I think this is the mystery bird that I have been seeing flying around now and then. Ospreys are not in the hawk family, they are more like eagles. They eat fish. So, there is another bird on my list of birds. I'll have to keep my eye open for him. ~Whitney

My First Owl

Remember when I saw the owl and the turkey? Well, ever since I saw the owl I have been bringing my camera with me to church. And it finally payed off when I got this nice picture of him sitting in a tree. I was really excited about getting this good of a picture. I got another picture of him before he flew to this branch. It is not as good. Patience really does work when you really want a picture of something such as an owl. Hope I can get more pictures of him soon, and I will still bring my camera along with me when we do go to church. ~Whitney

Owl and Turkey

Yesterday, going to church at night, we came to a spot where there is woods on both sides and a creek under a bridge. Before the creek, right at the curve there stood a wild turkey! nice big one. then up the road a little was after we crossed the bridge, I was looking along side the road at the wood edge, and there sat an owl right on a branch perched by the water! the very first owl I have ever seen. We sat there and watched it for a couple of minutes and then it flew back into the woods. After church was done, we came home and I went straight for the bird book. I looked up the owl, and it turned out to be a Barred Owl. Thats what I thought it was when I saw it. It was very exciting to see an owl for the first time, wish I had a camera with me. ~Whitney

Hawk vs. Cardinal

You just never know what things can happen in just one morning. This is a Sharp Shinned Hawk eating a Northern Cardinal, my dad spotted this bird in the ground this morning. I grabbed my camera and took a few shots. Thankfully he flew away with it before he started eating it, he was plucking the feathers off of it while he was on the ground. This is a picture of him protecting his prize from other hawks. Hawks put their wings down and over their prey so that no one will get it from him. I will put the other pictures in the photo section of this blog later on. ~Whitney

Purple Finch

This is a male purple finch, they visit our feeders during the winter months. I thought they were gone, because I didn't see any for a long time. Until yesterday, and today. I was blessed enough to see the male and the female yesterday. I tried and tried all day to get a picture of the male purple finch, then I got one! it sure does take some patience to get pictures of birds that are shy. ~Whitney

Eastern Towhee

The Eastern Towhees are back in town! even though they are here in North Carolina year round. I was excited about seeing him today high up in the tree. I grabbed my camera, and went outside and took some pictures. Not the best picture I have taken. I hope to get a better picture of him one day, they are sure hard to get a picture of because they like to hide in brushy areas.~Whitney

"Bark" Butter

This is Blackie, every since I made the bark butter he has been trying to get to it. When it was on the tree, he would put his front paws up on the tree and try to get to it. Then I moved the bark butter on to a wood wedge, and he tried it, and got to it. I think he enjoyed it, after taken some pictures of him eating the bark butter, I told him to get down. He was still licking his lips from the bark butter when he was done. So cute! ~Whitney

Quick Chickadees

Most birders have trouble getting good pictures of Chickadees, why? because they are so quick. I am going to be giving you some tips on how to get a good picture of a chickadee. So, have a pen and paper on hand to write down these tips.

1. You are more likely to get a chickadee picture when you go out side to bird watch.

2. Supply Sunflower seeds for the chickadee to crack open, he will fly to a tree branch to open it. Which leades to a great chance in getting a picture of him.

3. If you do bird watching from indoors, set up a tripod and a bowl of sunflower seed on a porch or deck. Get ready to take a picture as soon as he lands to get a seed. Don't wait.

4. Have your camera focused and ready at anytime.

5. Study Chickadees, their behaviour. This can help.

And last but not least: 6. Have patience, this is important of all the tips given.

Have fun while taking pictures of Chickadees, they are quick, little birdies that are a joy to watch. I hope these tips will help you to get a good shot of a chickadee one day. Don't give up, it might take awhile to get one. Just enjoy. ~Whitney

Tailless Cardinal

This is the first time I have seen a tailless cardinal, looks just like any other cardinal but with out a tail. My mom first spotted him yesterday when he landed on the porch to eat from the food dish. And today I finally got a picture of him! I'll post another one in the photo section of this blog. ~Whitney

Tip for Bark Butter

If you don't have any trees in your yard or if the bark butter is hard to spread on the tree, try taking a wedge of wood or a wooden board to spread the bark butter on. And the birds will still find it. ~Whitney

A Special Guest

Has we were walking out the door to go for a walk this afternoon, a red tailed hawk flew over head. It landed in a near by pine tree (never in my life of have I seen a red tailed hawk land in a tree in our yard) this had to be the most beautiful hawk I have ever seen! even the one I took by the pond that one day on our way home from the nature hike. I think this is even better. Anyways, when it landing in the tree I ran inside (see, I left home without my camera, shame on me) the house to get my camera. I took several photos of this beauty! I'll post some more in the photo section of this blog. This had to be about the best of them. You never know what you will see when you go for a walk. ~Whitney

Downy Woodpecker

The Downy woodpecker found the bark butter, this is the second time I saw her eating it. I never did get a picture the first time, but now I got a few pictures. I will be posting more pictures on the photo section of this blog later, I did put some on there from yesterday. So go check them out. By the way, if you made the bark butter from the recipe from a few days ago, if you put bird nut mix in it you might want to chop the nuts up. It will make the bark butter easier to spread on the tree. ~Whitney

Bark Butter Update

Well, well, who's this? a Crow eating the bark butter? Yep, that's what it is. He was trying to sit on the side of the tree, but couldn't. I snapped a few pictures (the rest will go on the picture page of this blog) of him trying to get to it. Although, one time he did manage to sit on the side of the tree only for a second. He sure was after that bark butter. So far, I have a pine warbler, eastern bluebirds, and American crows after my bark butter. Whats next? a Hawk? :) ~Whitney

Pine Warbler

Another bird found the bark butter! this time it was the pine warbler. Hopefully the nuthatches will find it, or maybe the chickadees.

Bark Butter Recipe

For all that want to know how to make Bark Butter, here is a recipe. The person who gave it to me said go ahead and give it to others. So here it is, you can split it in half. This makes about 8 cups with out splitting it. Note: you can add bird seed, bird nut mix, raisins, or anything else thats is good for birds. I added some things to mine. Be sure to have paper and a pen on hand to write down this recipe, and here it is: In a big bowl, put in 2 cups of lard, add in with that 2 cups of peanut butter (this can be crunchy, smooth, or creamy) stir that together. Then add (it may help to add ingredients separately, stiring in between so its not so hard to stir at once) 4 cups cornmeal, 2 cups rolled oats, 2 cups unsalted sunflower seeds (In place of this, I used bird seed.) 1 tsp. of honey. Stir thoroughly. Let it set in room temperature, and spread on tree bark. Put in container and store in room temperature. And that's the recipe. I want to thank MJ for giving this to me. I hope you will enjoy this (well, maybe the birds will enjoy it.) at least you will enjoy watching the birds eat it. NOTE: DO PUT THE BARK BUTTER UP HIGH ENOUGH SO THAT DOGS CAN'T GET TO IT. AND THEY WILL TRY TO GET TO IT. ~Whitney

Bark Butter

Yesterday I decided to make some bard butter from a recipe that some one gave me. I put it on the tree yesterday, and today an Eastern Bluebird was eating it. I hope to see more birds eating it soon.

Photography Blog

This blog will become a photography blog, with the pictures I take. It will still have a side bars, of the list of birds I see and the list of bird I have identified. It will have a photo page, along with an "other photos page". The "other photo page" will hold pictures of animals other then birds. Such as squirrels, etc. It will still hold the name Whitneys Bird Blog. But it will be a photography blog. Enjoy. ~Whitney

Nature Hike & A Red Tailed Hawk

Isn't he just a handsome fella? well, to some he might be. Me and my family went on a nature hike at a park. Although this hawk wasn't taken there. We'll get to that part of it. I took lots of pictures of birds today, I'll post them in the photo section of this blog. I even identified some new birds. Anyways, we were coming home, there is this pond that we pass by on the way. We call it the Beaver Pond because there used to be beavers that lived there. There's this dead pine tree, most of the time you can see vultures sitting on the branches at the top of the tree. When we went by I looked in the dead tree, and there on one of the lower branches there sat this beauty! I told my dad, (he was driving) that there was a hawk in the tree just sitting there. So, he turned the car around and pulled off to the side of the road. I rolled down my window and snapped some pictures. I will put some other ones of him on the photo section of this blog. This is my first Red Tailed Hawk picture I got. I hope I can see him again one day. Good thing I had my camera with!