Yet another update on cherries for my bird visitors: I saw a bright orange bird eating one of

[CTyankee]

my cherries! I was so excited (but hubby is not interested at all in birds) so I have DU to go to for my birdwatching!

The bird was almost completely orange, no black wings, just a little black on the lower wing). I've never seen an orange bird, but perhaps he got the "news" about the cherries from another bird visitor (I like to think that).

Small comfort I know to all of us despairing everything. Hubby doesn't do birds and he is just devastated about the sports situation. The loss of the Ivy League games at our Yale Bowl here in New Haven has him down: it was a great social get together each fall, eagerly anticipated. Now gone. I am trying to keep him up but not succeeding and today's heat will keep us cooped up yet another day!

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. look up pics of Baltimore oriole

only one I could think of....

[CTyankee]

2. Oh, I wish I had a camera. Bright orange. The cherry was too big for it and he pecked out chunks.

I was so proud I had fed him/her!

[Nictuku]

3. Watching Birds is my favorite passtime lately

... especially now that I'm working at home. I have a feeders right outside my window, so I can see it all going on from my desk where I work.

I get Scrub Jays, Stellar Jays (I put out peanuts for the Jays and Squirrels)

Then I put out a mixture (Greatest Variety) with additional Black Oil sunflower seeds.

I get to see Acorn Woodpeckers, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-headed Grosbeak, Golden-Crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Oak Titmouse,

These don't come to the feeder, but I see them in my area a lot: Pileated Woodpecker, Western Bluebird, Northern Flicker, Calilfornia Quail, Wild Turkeys.

Rufous, Allen's and Anna's Hummingbirds (I put out sugar water for the hummers)

Who needs TV when you have birds to watch?

I have a nifty app I have on my phone called iBird Pro that helps me to identify the birds.

I googled 'Orange bird with black on wings' in Google Images and there were quite a lot:

https://www.google.com/search?q=orange+bird+with+black+on+wings&newwindow=1&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi2qsyykvDqAhVTnp4KHZaDBPAQ_AUoAXoECA4QAw&biw=1260&bih=561&dpr=1.5

[MuseRider]

4. IBird Pro is the BEST!

I have used it for years. I love it, it tells you almost everything you need to know.

[CTyankee]

5. this one was nearly all orange. very little black. I never saw one like that.

I'm going to get some bird feed and put it on a paper plate as I have nothing but the ground to put it on in that area.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

6. An Oriole perhaps?

See: https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide?search_api_views_fulltext=Oriole&external_page=1

Screenshot:



I was blessed with a female/male pair of goldfinches yesterday on one feeder at the same time. I can't seem to attract them very often but probably need to rig a special feeder with small seed just for them.

Enjoy!


KY.....

[CTyankee]

7. no, because it had a perfectly orange head and body and minimal black.

I've never seen a bird like it.

[Nictuku]

8. Nyjer seed for Goldfinch

I don't get American Goldfinches, but I have a TON of Lesser Goldfinches that are attracted to the Nyjer Seed I put in a sock feeder.

The one issue with all this bird feed is that it does make quite a mess, and it attracts other critters (skunks at night!, I can't let the dog out to do his business at night, I take him out the front and keep a close eye on him as we also have some predator critters around here too). I'm sure it attracts rodents too, and then you get snakes. I've never seen a rattler around the house, but I know they are out there. If I had kids I probably wouldn't do it because of the rattlers.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. Thanks for that reminder. I've put thistle out before but.....

had trouble keeping it fresh because when wet, it rots really fast. I actually put a sponge disk in the bottom of one feeder under the seed and that worked well but I still filled it only half-full and it didn't rot that way.

I keep four Squirrelbuster feeders out of various sizes mostly with black oilers and one with mixed seed. Those goldfinches were on a small feeder with black oilers.

I was raised in rattler country in TN and understand your concern. There was an old tale I recall that snakes won't cross a rope laying on the ground, so a circle of old ragged manila rope might keep them away but I don't know if that tale is true.

I live in town now and just get the occasional raccoon and possum under my feeders at night.

KY

[Nictuku]

10. Did the squirrel buster feeder actually keep the squirrels out?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

11. Absolutely.

They are the only feeders of many tried through the years that squirrels can't destroy and it's now the only brand I'll buy.

There's nothing they can access that they can chew 'cause most everything is metal. The outer sleeve is spring loaded and pulls down with the weight of a squirrel, blocking the seed ports so they get pissed and jump off. It is important to have them on properly shaped hooks because when a critter jumps off one, it sends it for quite a spin. I have had some knocked off their hooks.

It appears that once each squirrel learns he can't get anything from one of these, they give up trying and just stay on the ground.

I have some now that are almost 10 years old and still in great condition. They do have a lifetime guarantee but I've never returned one. The perch ring guide post threads on my large model (the "Plus" model with a ~8" perch ring at the bottom) have gotten loose after 6 to 8 years and I may someday send it back for a refurbish 'cause that model is around 100 bucks now. However, I did a simple modification that works and the posts now stay in place.

If I had a single choice I would recommend their "Classic" 4-port model. Also, the smaller ones (Classic, etc.) are great for hanging underneath the eves of a house near a window.

KY

[sarge43]

12. Could you see its beak? What was its shape? n/t

[CTyankee]

13. I think it was tiny and black but I could be off...I'm sorry, I really should invest in a good cell

phone. I have had 3 disasters with cell phones. For some reason, I can't use them properly. I dunno what's the matter with me. My kids think I'm "funny" like that...

[sarge43]

14. I was thinking it might have been someone's escaped parrot

But they all have hooked beaks.

Know how you feel. I blew up three desk tops before I found my computer comfort zone.

[onethatcares]

15. why not get a decent digital camera

a nikon coolpix or something similar? That way if you're on a phone call you can continue and take the picture. It might even be cheaper than another phone without a plan.

[CTyankee]

16. Where can I get a Nikon coolpix?

[onethatcares]

17. like everything else

Amazon.

[CTyankee]

18. Oh, of course!

Is it complicated to use? I'm hopeless when it comes to electronic stuff. Remember: I failed cell phone 101 three times...

[onethatcares]

19. no, it's a point and shoot

after you put the card and batteries in it. It has decent resolution, I don't know the numbers, and the capacity for pics depends on the size of the sim card you buy.

I failed teknoligy too, I am one of the few flip phone owners at this time.

I have the coolpix A10. Don't remember what I paid for it but it had to be minimal. I'm a cheap date.

[CTyankee]

20. Then I'd have to find out how to post it on DU...

[Donkees]

21. Orange Variant Tanager (?)

https://www.ctaudubon.org/2020/06/daily-bird-scarlet-tanager/

A competitor of Baltimore Orioles for the title of most noticeable songbird in Connecticut, Scarlet Tanagers are a fairly common forest nesting bird in Connecticut. Most of the larger and many of the smaller forested areas of the state will have nesting pairs. They are mainly associated with oak forests but also look for them found in other deciduous as well as mixed conifer forests.
About the size of a catbird or cardinal, the male Scarlet Tanagers are a brilliant, almost neon red color with black wings. On occasion some males are orange instead of red; they are referred to as the Orange Variant Scarlet Tanager (one has nested in the past at the Bafflin preserve in Pomfret).

If you know of a mulberry tree, sit by it and watch all the activity as birds feed on the berries; Scarlet Tanagers are frequent visitors to those trees.

The Connecticut Audubon Society’s Chaney preserve in Montville, and Croft preserve in Goshen, have many nesting pairs. The Chaney preserve has a large trail system for easy access to the interior forest (Croft does not).

In fall, tanagers join mixed flocks and can be found in shrubland habitat feeding in various berry bushes.

[CTyankee]

22. That's it! The first and second pic looks just like it.

Thank you.

I just sighted him a few moments before I saw your post...

[CTyankee]

23. I got red grapes for my birds this morning and I put them out.

My tanagers (which I think is what they are) returned this a.m. looking for food. I felt bad so I more treats for them.

Can they eat bits of peaches on its skin that you would normally toss away?