Birds

LBrandt · May 8, 2020

Got a bunch of Martens just setting around this morning. Not many bugs flying around went it 28 outside and the mud for building nests is frozen.

1lessdog · May 8, 2020

That you are seeing are Barn Swallows. Purple Martins are one of the only birds that are dependent on human nesting structures.

zoops · May 8, 2020

Flannel · May 8, 2020

Got a few birds that keep peckin at my windows these past couple days! Time to get the tin foil and fake owl out

LBrandt · May 8, 2020

1lessdog said:
That you are seeing are Barn Swallows. Purple Martins are one of the only birds that are dependent on human nesting structures.

The barn swallows I remember had a brown belly, these have a light gray belly.

MathewsZman · May 8, 2020

Cliff Swallow

9

guywhofishes · May 8, 2020

do you have a bridge/culvert nearby?

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.surfbirds.com/namericanbirds/purple-martin.html

LBrandt · May 8, 2020

Didn't know there was that many color variance's in swallows. These build nest like the "cliff swallows" and look the same. Just not many cliff's where I live. Googled them and found out a lot about them.

guywhofishes · May 8, 2020

almost every country road with a creek or river crossing has a bridge or huge culvert that is "cliff-like" - as in zman's photo

johnr · May 8, 2020

My son was shooting pellet gun out of town at a buddies house, sure as shit the target (Pepsi bottle) he shot at had a pheasant about chest level ducked into the long grass. He hit it as the cock jumped into the air and squabbled off

GSM · May 8, 2020

guywhofishes said:
do you have a bridge/culvert nearby?

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.surfbirds.com/namericanbirds/purple-martin.html

Thanks Guy. Now I know I have tree swallows. I could not find them in my birds of North America book and haven't bothered to look much anywhere else!

LBrandt · May 8, 2020

My closest bridge is 4 miles away. These birds build their nest under the house eve's and the other out buildings and usually have two batches a summer. They don't build inside the pole barns like the old barn swallow's did. Wife hates them when they nest around the house eves but I remind her just how many sketters they eat per day. They are welcome in my world for sure.

Sluggo · May 8, 2020

johnr said:
My son was shooting pellet gun out of town at a buddies house, sure as shit the target (Pepsi bottle) he shot at had a pheasant about chest level ducked into the long grass. He hit it as the cock jumped into the air and squabbled off

Don't shoot swallows with a BB gun or the cows milk will turn to blood....least that's what my grandparents always told me. I never wanted to test it.

fireone · May 8, 2020

Martins usually show up in central ND around the 15th. Orioles and hummers should be here then too. Already stocked up on grape jelly.

Retired-Guy · May 9, 2020

You are probably seeing tree swallows. I have a couple of males that have been hanging around for a couple of weeks waiting for the females to show up. Every summer, they raise there brood in my blue bird houses. Too many trees for blue birds I guess.

LBrandt said:
The barn swallows I remember had a brown belly, these have a light gray belly.

fj40 · May 9, 2020

Martins showed up here 3 days ago.

Davey Crockett · May 9, 2020

Wife told me two days ago that an Oriole had been spotted somewhere in the state , No martins here yet but there were a few Robins out in the snow bank this morning

Allen · May 9, 2020

I miss the finches. I think the West Nile virus has clobbered the local finch population. 5-6 yrs ago I would have quite a few purple and gold finches, now my feeders sit unused.

guywhofishes · May 9, 2020

our finches showed a drop too

two goldfinches died yesterday - hit the living room window balls out - dong dong dead

LBrandt · May 9, 2020

That beak gets shoved right into the brain. Have a sparrow or two do that every year. Don't know who it freakes out more ,the wife or the Lab.

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