sparable

reesetee Oroboros, I missed your comment earlier, but I've heard that a few bird species are attracted to the nuts and seeds of Chinquapin bushes. See what the local experts say. :-) Oct 18, 2007

oroboros Reesetee: yes, berries, but which berries. I'm at 7000 ft. and the only berries around I'm aware of are on Chinquapin bushes which are beastly spiked things. And I've never seen any bluebirds worrying Chinquapin bushes. I guess I need to pay a visit to my friendly local Ranger Station experts. Oct 15, 2007

reesetee It's truly a quandary. :-) Oct 15, 2007

rocksinmypockets Oh, reesetee, I know! I know! If only I had enough time to be truly dedicated to all of my addictions. ;) Oct 15, 2007

reesetee Trivet, I love watching crows! Very smart critters, they are. Oct 15, 2007

reesetee Oroboros, you too? :-D That does it--I'm coming over. Of all the birds you mentioned, I've "listed" only the Flickers, Robins, and Nuthatches. Oh, wait--and Mountain Chickadees. Of course, it's probably because few of the other species are seen in the eastern U.S. :-)

Rocks, I believe you're now in the throes of becoming a double addict. In its own way, birding is as enticing as Wordie, if you ask me. (John, that's a high compliment to Wordie.) Sounds like you have a nice little mini-habitat going there, too.

Oh, and oroboros--the...er, bird droppings...are likely to come from berries. Oct 14, 2007

trivet I wish I had such nice birds to watch - crows and jays, mostly. Though I do enjoy the raucous banter... Oct 14, 2007

oroboros I see the White-headed Woodpecker every now and then, and various sapsuckers but only when I'm out and about. When I'm thrice-blessed I get to see a Green-tailed Towhee (only a handful of times in 20 years!). Flickers however, come to the bath, as do Robins, Steller's Jays, Lesser Goldfinches, Nuthatches (red and white breasted) and some others I can't think of at the moment. The bluebirds are BIG bathers. And always, at this time of the year, they feed on some fruit that causes them to leave big gelatinous poops everywhere and I have to clean the birdbath more frequently. Wish I knew what plant it was that attracts them in the fall. Oct 14, 2007

rocksinmypockets I'm jealous, oroboros. I haven't seen any bluebirds in my yard yet. They are a favorite. I've been having a blast watching woodpeckers, though. So far I've counted four kinds: Red-bellied, Northern Flicker, Downy, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker. Oct 14, 2007

rocksinmypockets I am (forgive the pun) a fledgling bird watcher. We moved into a new neighborhood about a year and a half ago which is near a marsh, a wooded conservation area, and the shoreline of a small lake. Add to that a nice variety of mature trees, both deciduous and evergreen, and you get birds. Lots of them. It's wonderful. I'm slowly turning our front yard into an native open woodland with an emphasis on fruit and nut-bearing trees and shrubs. Oct 14, 2007

oroboros You didn't ask me, but yes, me too! In fact I'm watching a flock of Western Bluebirds alternate with a bunch of Acorn Woodpeckers at the birdbath right outside the window, as I read and add my own comments on Wordie. Goes on all day long that way. Mountain Chickadees are other ubiquitous bathers and drinkers...

Never get tired of watching 'em. Oct 14, 2007

reesetee Oh, you noticed? ;-) Yes, I do birdwatch, whenever I can. And I have an inordinate number of birding books stacked on my bookshelves, pleading to be read. Do you birdwatch also? Oct 14, 2007

rocksinmypockets Ah, thank you, seanahan.

Reesetee, I've noticed you have a thing for bird words. :) Do you bird-watch, too? Oct 14, 2007

seanahan Hey Rocksinmypockets, you can add the part of speech information after adding the word by clicking "add tags/pos". Oct 14, 2007

reesetee Oooh, cool! Thanks, rocks! Oct 14, 2007

rocksinmypockets 1. A small headless nail that is used in the manufacture and mending of soles and heels of shoes and boots.

Etymology: 17c: a reduced form of sparrow-bill, so called because of the resemblance of the nail to the shape of a sparrow's beak. Oct 14, 2007