This from a fellow bird lover in Ellerbe Road Estates neighborhood in Shreveport. He sent an email out to his neighbors generously alerting us to the migratory birds now passing through.
"I wanted to alert you that the beautiful Rubby-Throated Hummingbirds are now arriving in our neighborhood. I have a pair that started feeding 2 days ago.
I have had many Goldfinchs all year, but they are just now turning that beautiful golden yellow of their summer feathers.
The Housefinchs stay here year around. The males have red on their upper parts.
If you have a hummingbird feeder, it's time to put it out. You only need to put about 1/2 cup of sugar water in it now. Later as more Rubby-Throated arrive you will need more.
In about a month I will have 10-12 feeders out, each containing 2 cups of sugar water that will have to be refilled every day. I usually have about 200 hummers feeding on these feeders. As you walk down the south end of Sawgrass please feel free to stop and watch them feed and fight. The best time for watching is in the mornings and afternoons. They will be swarming like bees.
Other birds I see at my feeders and around the house are:
Mourning Doves
Red-bellied Woodpecker (they come for peanuts)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (in the trees)
Downy Woodpecker (in the trees)
Blue Jay (they come for peanuts)
Chickadee*
Tufted Titmouse*
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue Bird*
Robin** (on the ground)
Mockingbird** (on the roof)
Cedar Waxwing (saw one today with the Mockingbird chasing it)
Red Bird**
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (only saw him twice last year)
Indigo Bunting (only saw him once last year)
Dark-eyed Junco (sometimes called "snowbird")
Red-winged Blackbird (have not seen them for a few weeks)
Purple Martin (they visit my Purple Martin house but never have moved in)
English Sparrow (keeps trying to nest in my Purple Martin house)
Starling (keeps trying to nest in my Purple Martin house)
*=Nest in birdhouses in my back yard.
**=Nest in the trees around my house
He requested anonymity, which I'll respect, but I just want to thank him for taking the time to let us know what to look for. I'm off to find my field guide to North American birds!
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Heather, our ruby-throated hummingbirds have returned to our yard in Baton Rouge. It's always fun to see them again after the cold winter months. We put out feeders, and we have some flowering plants for them, like the salvia. However, for some reason, we don't see more than 2 or 3 birds flying around our yard. I'll have to do some research to find out how to get 200 birds ... that would be awesome!
Sallie, I only have a few myself. I think the trick is to have lots of feeders. I washed mine today to put out. Have you ever gone down to Grand Isle for the "fallout" when the birds reach shore for the first time on the northward migration?
Heather - what is wrong with that blue bird's beak? LOL!
Heather, I haven't made the trip to Grand Isle. Do the birds actually "fall" when they reach shore? Keeping the birdfeeder clear of fermentation and mold (even in the shade) is a big project in south LA -- a lot of sugar and cleaning every other day. Maybe my 16 oz. feeder is too large ... seems a waste when it spoils in just 2-3 days. I'll experiment with smaller feeders but expect that the sugar water will spoil even faster. I'm considering adding more hummingbird plants to the garden instead of putting out the feeder.
Heather - I have several feeders around my yard. I'm not so educated in "BIRD" that I understand what I'm looking at but I do love to watch! In Northern Nevada we have many beautiful birds that frequent my feeders!