The feature image is a flock of American Goldfinches at one of Frank’s new feeders that he built.
This post is in response to TERRI WEBSTER SCHRANDT Sunday Stills challenge. The theme this week is Feed the Birds. My favorite subject! If you are new to my blog, please check out my Bird Weekly Photo Challenge. Thank you Terri for giving more reasons to write about birds!
During the winter, we go through a lot of bird feed. We purchase our seed at our favorite Bird Store, Wild Birds Unlimited at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. We are annual members. The annual membership is $25 and we receive:
- 15% off regular prices of all bird food.
- 5% off bird food sales
- $10 in Bird Bucks for every $200 purchased throughout the store. We get this once or twice a year.
- Exclusive members-only promotions.
- Free gift at signup and renewal. Usually worth $15-20.
If there is a Wild Birds Unlimited near you, I would encourage you to shop there. The link will take you to the main website and you can click on the tab “Store Locator” to find out if there is a store in your area. They are mostly local franchise owners. You will be supporting a local business.
Rare Birds
Male Purple Finch 
Female Purple Finch
To cap off the worst year in World History, 2020, something good came out of all the bad milestones we lived or watched happen over 9 months. In our little world in Jacksonville, Florida, we have had more birds in our yard than any other years. Not just the number of birds, but the different species. We hosted an Eastern Phoebe (still here), counted at least 8 Eastern Bluebirds in our yard at one time and had a small flock of Purple Finches stay about 2 months visiting our feeders. At least 3 females and 2 males were spotted at one time. I sent my photos to the Duval Audubon ladies and they confirmed. I was pretty sure, but before I posted to Ebird.org, I wanted to be 100% sure.
Warblers
In the past couple of months, we have had two new warblers in our yard and at the feeder. These two have never come to our feeders until this year. On the left is a Pine Warbler and on the right is a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Both are common to Florida, but a real treat for us to have them visit our yard and stay for a while. The Yellow-rumped Warbler (aka rumps) was a real bully. He bounced from feeder to feeder chasing all the other birds off. His mistake happened when he would chase off an American Goldfinch. The Goldfinch would come back with 15 friends shortly after. The rump couldn’t chase them all away.
New Feeders
Frank is building new bird feeders. A lot of experimenting with what the birds like. Serious research and development. Eventually, he will be selling these unique bird feeders. For now, we are gathering data. The American Goldfinches seem to love this feeder made out of cedar and driftwood. Unfortunately, they have migrated north. We haven’t seen them in a few days.
Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse is no stranger to our yard. They nest in our backyard where there is plenty of cover, and they have easy access to a deluge of food in our feeders in the front yard. Our backyard is not great for human hangouts, but wonderful for the birds. The sacrifices we make to have the perfect home for our feathered friends, whether they are residents or just passing through for a day, a week or a month is off the charts.
Carolina Chickadees
Another common visitor in the winter and spring to our yard is the Carolina Chickadee. Because of our wooded backyard, the Carolina Chickadee, the Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal and Carolina Wren will build their nests, raise their young (hopefully) and fledge in our yard. We give them plenty of food and have a fountain for them to have easy access to water. Frank built the fountain in the photo below. I would recommend getting a fountain because the birds love the running water much better than the still water in a bird bath. Plus the moving water has less chance of attracting breeding mosquitoes. The birds will drink from it and if it has a bowl, they will bath in it as well.
Carolina Wrens
At the beginning of the pandemic, we had a pair of Carolina Wrens build a nest in one of our potted plants under our covered walkway that attaches the back of the house to the detached garage. This was a highlight to my days after losing my job to covid. We spent 30-45 minutes outside every evening watching the pair take mealworms out of the driftwood sculpture that Frank put up, eating some and flying towards us where the nest sat with three chicks. Back and forth, both parents taking turns to carry an endless supply of food to their babies. The mealworms were purchased at Wild Birds Unlimited.
All three chicks fledged and the parents taught them how to feed themselves and gather their courage to start flying until they were strong enough to move on. We have at least four Carolina Wrens already looking for nesting spots. Without banding, I have no idea if these are the same birds.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
This Red-bellied Woodpecker thought he was being sneaky. He would take a peanut, fly to our palm tree and stash his nuts in the palm fronds. This went on and on, back and forth for a while. I decided to be sneaky myself. I walked outside from the backdoor, stealthily crept along the side of the house. Ducked behind some bushes and made my way to directly in the front yard. The woodpecker was not deterred, so I exposed myself (not like that) and sat on a rock in our front yard beside the feeders. My presence did not affect this woodpecker. He was on a mission. For over 20 minutes…to the feeders, grab a nut, look around, swoop to the palm tree. Just recently, a squirrel found the stash. All that work and….POOF! GONE!
Feeders are empty in Summer
We don’t feed the birds in the summertime. First, there is plenty of food around and the Swallow-tailed Kites and Mississippi Kites migrate here. We don’t want to offer up our birds on a silver platter…or in this case and wooden feeder. The Kites can find their own food and there is plenty of it with all the small birds nesting and breeding. While paired up, many of the birds in this post procreate several broods during the summer.
Last Summer, this Swallow-tailed Kite was just above me flying over my front yard where the feeders stand. The perfect example of why we don’t feed our small song birds in the summer. These expert flyers can turn on a dime and snatch a bird right off a feeders.
Our Eyes Open 
Comments
41 responses to “Sunday Stills – Feeding Birds – 02.21.21”
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Lisa, you have a real bird sanctuary in your yard. We have a lot of the same birds in the winter. We’ve never had a problem with predators so I feed the birds all year round. I Also shop at Wild birds Unlimited. I get the Deluxe blend because the buntings love it.
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Yes, we really do have a bird sanctuary. The finches have left and there hasn’t been much activity the last couple of days. I’m guessing tomorrow will be active because a front is coming in. So glad to hear you shop at WBU. We get the Choice and millet. I think there is one other that Frank gets on occasion. We have already seen a female bunting but only one this year on the feeders. 🙂
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Wonderful images of all your birds feeding, Lisa! Your feeders look great and I’m glad you don’t offer the little guys on a silver feeder to the kites. Love that swallow tailed kite. It is a wonderment why more birds descended due to the pandemic. Definitely a good thing for us birdwatchers!
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Oh it absolutely is amazing that the birds have become our sanctuary. 🙂 I haven’t seen many birds in the last couple of days. Weird! A front is coming in on Tuesday morning so we should have more birds tomorrow.
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Lots of lovely birds in your garden and I love the feeders 💚
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Thanks so much Cathy. Frank is busy getting them made so we can sell them. I’m excited that he is excited making them. Not sure I can get him to part with them. LOL! 🙂
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that would be quite the video of a kite swooping down on a smaller bird..
and that’s quite the feeder Frank built…
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Yeah, I’m never out there ready for video, but can snap a still pretty well. They have gotten so close to the ground flying over, I have felt the wind and heard the wings. I’m close to the ground. LOL! Frank has built several feeders and hopefully will put them up for sale soon. 🙂
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That must be quite a sight to see and hear them up close. And what a great idea for Frank to sell his bird feeders. Will it be done through your web site?
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It is awesome to watch them from the dining room window. If the weather is nice and we open the window, the sound is incredible. He is preparing to start his own shop, but I told him this week that I wanted a couple to test on my shop. I’ve had some interest. I’ll keep you posted. 🙂
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it must be nice hearing all those birds singing and chattering away. Yes, keep me posted about the bird feeders!
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It is awesome, Jim! I’ll let you know. I have my work cut out for me to help him build his shop. I hope to go live next Saturday, March 13th. It is a big ask so we will see if I hit the deadline. 🙂
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good luck; he’s lucky that you’ve had experience with this…
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Yes, it is not his forte! I don’t build things out of wood so it works out well. 🙂
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It must be a good year for the Purple Finch. I’ve got three or four of them at my feeders too. First time we’ve had them. We only got the House Finches a few years ago, but now we have a dozen at least. Once they find a comfortable home, they hang around.
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My finches are gone. Haven’t seen them in 3 days. All of them! So glad to hear you have Purple Finches. I hope they come back next year. 🙂
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I wish I more room for feeders, but maybe I’m okay the way I am. I don’t have enough money for more feed.
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You attract an array of birds so I would think you are pretty set! 🙂
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We had a wildbirds unlimited in my old town, but I just get my birdseed from the garden center and tractor supply now.
I love Frank’s bird feeders with the branches. I’ll be looking for those in the future in your store! 😀
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As long as you are getting feed they like, they it’s all good. I just love WBU because of the personal service we get. Yeah, keep an eye out because I’m pushing for the next couple of months. He is building as he is figuring it out. He just got the Christmas lights down today. I helped him on Saturday with about 6 bushes. One of them is large & has about 600 lights on it. Yes, it’s March as of tomorrow! LOL! 🙂
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😀 I always like them down by New Year and our HOA has that rule so it works for us.
I like that you were able to help him hopefully, sans pain or issues with your foot!
I’ll keep an eye out! 💕
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🙂 I’ll keep you posted.
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Thanks!😀
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A good variety of birds at the feeders Lisa 🙂 🙂
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Thanks Brian! It has been a great few weeks! 🙂
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I love the variety that presents at your feeders, Lisa. Most of your eastern species we see only rarely to never in our neck of the woods.
Happy bird feeding,
Tanja
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Thanks Tanja. It is the same way for the birds on the west coast. Once in a blue moon, a bird will wonder too far east and south. The Cinnamon Teal has come to Florida and is hanging out at Merritt Island for a couple of months now. You never know. 🙂
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I just looked at the distribution map for Cinnamon Teals. How exciting that you have one spending some time near you. Enjoy!
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I know it is awesome. I featured it in bird weekly a few weeks ago for our “C” birds. I saw a Canvasback that same week and that was a lifer. They both got featured. LOL! 🙂
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What an interesting post, Lisa. I love Frank’s feeders. Vince’s brother used to build birdhouses. We had one but left it in CA on our property where it was well used. 🙂
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Thanks! It was all Terri’s idea. I just happened to have a lot of info and photos on the subject as whe well knows. Frank said something about adding birdhouses but he is still working on the feeders right now. It’s awesome to see what new and unique feeder he has created. 🙂
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Very creative. You are both so artistic. 🙂
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Thanks! I so look forward to meeting you and Terri in person some day. 🙂
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Sounds like a plan. I can’t wait. 🙂
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Me too. I am emailing you now. It’s been a crazy couple of days. 🙂
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Me too. I got my second COVID vaccination yesterday, and today has been a bed rest day.
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Hope you are feeling better today! 🙂
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I’m great today.
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