Post your yard and pond visitors

[RobAmy]

you always have great photos and composition. Can I ask what outfit you used to capture the above?

Thank you. I used theCanon 1dx Mark II and the Canon 400mm f2.8 plus the 2x extender which turns the lens into 800mm f5.6. This high end gear but you really do not need this type of gear in will still get very nice results.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I'm sad and angry. The Tree Swallows are gone. House Sparrows took over the nest and threw the eggs out. So frustrating. I'll be sure to throw out the sparrow eggs when the time comes. I may actually just close up the house for the year before that happens.

 

[RobAmy]

I'm sad and angry. The Tree Swallows are gone. House Sparrows took over the nest and threw the eggs out. So frustrating. I'll be sure to throw out the sparrow eggs when the time comes. I may actually just close up the house for the year before that happens.

View attachment 121398

Sorry JB, it does happen. I fight the house sparrows every year. What worked here is put up a few boxes even if they are close. The tree swallows will still nest and so will the house sparrow but you can take the eggs and they will leave the tree swallows alone for the most part. They fight with the bluebirds here something awful. This year I do not even have bluebirds. It is so bad the House sparrows ever got introduced, you have to love what man always does.

 

[KDubU]

That does suck JB. Last year we lost a family of bluebirds to them, only the mother survived. Found the male in the next birdhouse over from the one with the nest with a hole pecked in his head. This year I opted for drilling a 2” hole in the top of the bird houses and covering with plexiglass. I read this can deter House sparrows I guess because they think that is the entrance .
Regardless, checked all 6 and no blue birds nesting there this year! Have had them every year for the past 5 and now they have chosen to nest somewhere else. We have them around as I feed them but I keep seeing them head to a group of trees. What also worries me is this cold and damp Spring as that kills the babies.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

What worked here is put up a few boxes even if they are close.

I wish that worked here. I've got five houses up for Tree Swallows for that reason. Two houses are empty, but I guess they'd rather steal the active house than use the other two. Never had bluebirds nest here, but I'm 70% sure I saw one checking a house out the other day. No sign of it since then.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

A visitor out in the native garden today.

 

[RobAmy]

Mallard in the garden by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[BarbO]

Surprisingly we always have a few Bluebirds who make nests and raise babies in newspaper boxes, right under the mailbox. They make the nest in the back of the box and newspapers being put in and out each day don't seem to bother them. I see it yearly. I don't let them nest in our box, too worrisome for me.
Barb

 

[addy1]

Our most current visitor.................hanging out behind our outside chest freezer (please ignore the mess behind it)
The chest freezer is around 4 feet long the snake is twice the length of the freezer. So guessing around 7-8 feet long.
We have had this visitor before. Very welcome, helps control the moles and mice around.

 

[KDubU]

@addy1, very cool! I like snakes, is he a rat snake?

 

[BKHpondcritters]

He's beautiful!!!

 

[Lisak1]

How did you even know he was there @addy1 ?

 

[j.w]

He's a beauty!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Bad photo, but I'm thrilled that an Indigo Bunting was just at the feeders. I don't see them very often.

 

[addy1]

@addy1, very cool! I like snakes, is he a rat snake?

Yes a rat snake, I see them now and then around the yard. For how huge it is they hide well. Everyone I have seen has been very big. I know there must be babies but never see them. When I mow the back field I always mow at 4 inches so critters can be below the blades, so far nothing has been hurt by me. Really watch for turtles.

How did you even know he was there @addy1 ?

Hubby was taking the pup out to pee and he saw something black and white move and move fast. Just a flash. So I got the flashlight and looked, saw the tail moving then found it between the cabinet and the freezer. It did not like me being that close so it went behind the chest freezer. Stayed there. We had to leave so it wandered out at some time.

We have in the past had bird nests between the garage and house, I don't think there are any there now. The house wren likes it there.
They eat rodents, frogs, birds anything they can snatch.

Part of nature and population control.