A few garden birds.....and a magpie problem!

Well after advice from a few on here (mitch and pttenn), I got me some sticks to act as perch`s in the garden for the birds, set them up friday night and then photographed saturday.

1/

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

1/

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Nice shots Mark. Looks like the sticks worked, although some birds just don't normally use them.

As to the magpie problem. My fraternal instanct would say if they are a big problem, shoot them with a BB gun if it's legal to do so. But now that I'm getting older and really into photography, I would document them doing the killing as it would make an outstanding series. I would do some research on what they eat and their behaviours in general. Maybe they are trying a diet of meat cause they aren't getting enough of the food they really crave.

On the other hand, maybe the attack you saw was a revenge hit. I think Starlings will break eggs of other birds and certainly steal and eat the babies if they can.

But overall, I feel that planting the plants they like to eat or hide in and setting up feeders and keeping them clean and full every day is as far as I should go. I know almost every one of my birds by their first names and I love them all. But if a Kestrel should some day make a swoop and catch one, my first instinct would be to push the tit and get it on digital.

Cheers Mitch, yeah the sticks worked good at one point there were three starlings on one of the branches, I really thought it was going to go over, but thankfully it didn`t. So far of all the birds that frequent the garden, all but the heaviest has had a go on them.

Hmmm thats a good idea if a little gruesom , but hey it`s natures way. I once saw a portfolio someone had done on magpies, and they are really colourful whan the light shines on them, kind of like starlings in that way, with blues, greens and........some other colours that I can`t think of. They were really good shots, I guess in that sense magpies are kind of like starlings, few people realise how colourful they are.

On the other hand, maybe the attack you saw was a revenge hit. I think Starlings will break eggs of other birds and certainly steal and eat the babies if they can.

I had thought about that, and it would explain why the majority of times they go after the starlings.

But overall, I feel that planting the plants they like to eat or hide in and setting up feeders and keeping them clean and full every day is as far as I should go. I know almost every one of my birds by their first names and I love them all. But if a Kestrel should some day make a swoop and catch one, my first instinct would be to push the tit and get it on digital.

LOL I guess that would be right, it isn`t everyday you see that sort of think from your back garden! I do try and keep the feeders as full as possible, what do you put in your feeders? At the moment there are two with general birdseed one with fat balls in and one with nuts which is squirel proof...............an​d as I am finding out bird proof!!!!! Bit embarasing when after 2 weeks of it being up not one bird has been able to get nuts out of it .

Mark

I have one little feeder that looks like a barn with troughs on both sides. It holds a lot of seed and I generally put half in of the generic mix and half black oil sunflower seeds. Then I have a hanging feeder with the same mix, and a tube feeder for the finches with Niger Seed in it. I also have various cut firplace log things laid out that I sprinkle mixed seeds on and around and I always put some on the ground cause a lot of birds like to scratch in the grass. Right outside my window I have placed a 4x4 about 4 feet tall with a T brace at the top and a sawed slice of a tree trunk on top, like a big plate. I put seeds on that too. That one gets a lot of business and I can shoot birds in Macro from the window.

Peanuts I only put out once a day. I didn't have a squirrel problem til about 2 weeks ago but now I have one that will take the peanuts before the birds can get them. I quit putting them out for a few days and haven't seen the tree rat since. I do have a bunny living under the shed that comes out at all times of day or night and scarfs up on the seeds on the ground. He's almost tame, been here 4 years.

I do have a bunny living under the shed that comes out at all times of day or night and scarfs up on the seeds on the ground. He's almost tame, been here 4 years.

Very cute, I guess he must be quiet cooperative with the picture taking. A wild bunny......you live in the country side?

Mark

La Crosse is about 50K people and I live about a mile outside of the town. It's northern woods for the most part, the Mississippi River is about 3 miles away and I live in one of the valleys leading up to the bluffs. So it's hilly and forested to the extreme, right here, except where there are roads, farms or buildings.

This is the central flyway for all migratory birds for half the North American continent, and it swarms with all kinds of birds and waterfowl twice a year. Great for everything from Bald Eagles to hummingbirds.

That is a beautiful job on the Starling, colors, composition and focus are perfect.

La Crosse is about 50K people and I live about a mile outside of the town. It's northern woods for the most part, the Mississippi River is about 3 miles away and I live in one of the valleys leading up to the bluffs. So it's hilly and forested to the extreme, right here, except where there are roads, farms or buildings.

This is the central flyway for all migratory birds for half the North American continent, and it swarms with all kinds of birds and waterfowl twice a year. Great for everything from Bald Eagles to hummingbirds.

LOL.....well i`m glad the birds are all somewhere where they can be photographed, though I wish some of them would visit me aswell!

Mark

Thanx a lot, it means a lot to hear that (and thankyou mitch). To be honest though I thought the shot was a little dark....but maybe it`s my monitor. I don`t know what your avatar is but it`s a beautiful picture.

Mark

The first shot of the Starling is the only one dark for me, and this would have been a perfect use for the beamer, used as fill flash, to light the shaded side of the bird.

The first shot of the Starling is the only one dark for me, and this would have been a perfect use for the beamer, used as fill flash, to light the shaded side of the bird.

hmmmm you have a point, perhapse one of these beamers would be a good purchase, i`ll have to see if they are available in the UK, thanx again .

Mark

MarkEvan wrote in post #3242005
hmmmm you have a point, perhapse one of these beamers would be a good purchase, i`ll have to see if they are available in the UK, thanx again .

Mark

B&H has them. I ordered mine today. $45.00 U.S. included postage to Oklahoma. I dont know what it would be to the UK.

Hey Mark--good job and some wonderful pictures!
Karen

Cheers rocklyons, I noticed that Warehouse Express have them over in the UK, though for the extortionate price of £35 which I think equates to around $60 (not sure what the exchange rate is). But then it seems everything is overpriced in the UK.

I`ll put an order in though, just have to wait till i`m paid .

Mark