Most of the time when I’m filling the feeders at Mr. Neil’s, the birds zip around my head and many land directly on the feeder as I’m hanging it on the pole. I’ve read how to get birds to feed from your hand but have never really put it into practice before, but think I might this winter. I did some preliminary experiments this morning and considering that most books say to do it when it’s cold and all the feeders are empty…I got off to a pretty good start. It was sixty degrees today and all the feeders were full and yet, I got some brave birds landing on the feeder while my hand was on it. I figured they were used to flying in and so would be used to my hand. That tufted titmouse in the above photo, however is suspicious.
I did get a black-capped chickadee to take one nut from my hand. I got the photos by setting up the WingScapes motion sensitive cam in front of the feeder so that way I wouldn’t be freaking the birds out while holding a point and shoot. I’m encouraged to see what will happen.
And, I’d like to thank my husband Non Birding Bill for filling in for me for a few days. I’m lucky to be married to such a talented writer who sees when I get stressed over the blog and offers to step in. I love doing the blog, but the way I blog has changed and who knows how it will continue to change with the trends on the Internet.
Everybody needs a vacation from what they do and I’m so grateful to have a husband who can step (or the many readers who have guest blogged during our contests when I have been out of the country).
Early on, there were few bird related sites and blogs. Blogs were a means for birders to share bird news stories, talk about research, share personal birding stories, encourage others to share. Now, there are a TON of great birding blogs out there to choose from. There’s no need to feel the pressure of sharing a bird related news story because one–several other bloggers are already on it and two–more blog readers are internet savvy and can set their news readers to find the bird stories for themselves.
And then there is the challenge of fresh material. I’m fortunate in that I get to travel and can share new birds, but when I’m not traveling and I’m reveling in watching basic bird feeding…how many times can I show a photo of a chickadee and have it be interesting? What else can I say about the 180th dark-eyed junco that we’ve banded (unless it has an interesting injury).
Now, there is Facebook and Twitter to contend with as well. I wasn’t sure how I would use Twitter, but I find I use it as often as I blog. I started by using Twitter as a preview area for photos that I might post later in the blog, but I also use it for real time bird banding photos and to answer birding questions, or even share links that I formerly would just post in the blog.
I’m not sure where this blog is going…I don’t think any of us do, that’s a challenge the media is facing with the internet: how do we make it all work and still earn a living too. As long as I find blogging interesting, I’ll keep doing it. And thank you to everyone who stops by (whether you leave a comment or not).
If there’s something you’d like to see blogged about–please let me know. I try to take requests when I can.
I’ve been bird blogging now for about a year as a way to share something I am excited about. Its nice to be able to put it out there for people who have similar interests, because most of my friends and family aren’t as enthusiastic about birds as I am. I have been surprised at how much time it takes. Blogging about birds has become a secondary addiction to watching and identifying birds. I tried the Facebook thing for awhile, but all my non-birding “friends” didn’t enjoy all my postings about birds. The birding blog is just there… and people can come and go to it as the please without beeing forced to read tweets about tweeters.
I have links on my blog to other birding blogs that I enjoy and check daily. Yours is truly one of the most interesting and fun to follow. I hope you will keep it up!
I’ve only been blogging for a few months but I already foresee a couple problems. I’ve gone and done myself in with a “picture of the day” everyday. I have a feeling that I’ve dug myself a hole with that one. Of course I run the thing and can say screw the pictures any time I want.
I’m glad I have this blog to visit, I’ve only started following blogs recently and this is actually the only bird blog I read at the moment. You’re doing great work and as long as this blogs here I’ll be visiting it.
Good luck on the hand feeding, I had success with chickadees over a decade ago but haven’t pursued it much since.
I’m actually just hanging out waiting for more bee talk.
That said, the birding topic I’d like to see covered: cats. I have a pair of cats and one of them is an absolute wizard at sneaking outside despite my best efforts to keep her in. Sadly, she’s also a tremendous hunter and brings back the occasional bird (not to mention mice and bunnies). So, as a bird-loving lay person, what can I do to give birds a fighting chance against my Houdini of a cat?
Your blog is on my list of daily reads. I do not watch birds as there aren’t too many in my urban San Francisco home and the ones I do see are the usual suspects.
I don’t read any twitter or facebook. Just don’t have time. I can see sparrows, or chicadees in your blog over and over again. You are a very good photographer.
Also, I think I am in love with NBB.
You wear a lot of hats on your blog, but the reason I read it every day is not JUST because of the gorgeous photos, or the information about MN birding, or the bee stuff, or the great travel stories: it’s because of your writing, your voice, and the cast of characters, human and other, that you give us in the world you create in your blog. Having NBB and your guest-bloggers chime in is an added bonus. I see new things in the world around me because your pictures and stories, so thanks again for that!
For Peter, I recently saw this advertised and well, it would work I think and just like any collar, a cat would get used to it.
http://www.catgoods.com/index.html
What kind of seed/feed do you have in this particular feeder? Look slike a little bit of everything. Do you typically make up your own feed or buy it by the bag?
I read your birding blog, because it is generally interesting and you do interesting things that few of the rest of us do. The bee and other nature stuff is cool, too.
I also follow you on Twitter and enjoy getting those sneak-peaks at bird banding, for example, and then enjoy being able to read more about that activity on your blog later. So there is a synergy which is pretty cool.
I’m not sure why I first started reading your blog. But I stayed because it was fun to read about what you were up to on your birding adventures be they traditional birding, banding, traveling or otherwise and also for the links to other crazy bird media. And the occasional bee and bunny stuff just adds to the sense of what you’re about.
I really hope that you’re blogging because you WANT to and not because you HAVE to because of sponsorship deals or something. I’ve been kind of sensing your frustration with blogging just because the tone seems a little less fun recently. But maybe that’s just because you’re doing other fun stuff that isn’t blogable.
I’d love to see a Minnesota birding report just about what species you can find in a casual day birding. But I’d really like to see a post whereby you state that you recently went birding for FUN, without purpose and without feeling like you had to blog about it or profit from it. Because that’s what it’s all about as far as I’m concerned.
I hope all your current internet communication frustrations resolve themselves out into something you enjoy doing, Sharon.
I have been enjoying reading your blog although I’m not a birder by any stretch of the imagination. NBB’s posts were entertaining and educational. Thanks to both of you for putting some quality into the vast wasteland of the web!
My husband and I got started paying attention to birds through our daughter who got very interested in birds in college. We don’t get tired of seeing the Gambel’s quail walk thru our yard almost daily and in the same vein I don’t get tired of reading posts about common birds or what you’ve been doing (I agree with Joanna above). Your photos help me identify birds – right now we’re trying to decide if it’s Harris hawks or sharp-shinned hawks or what we’ve seen on light poles in our community. Please continue!
i have been birding for many years, and i read many many birding blogs. just so you know, i always read yours first, then if anyone else mentions the same stuff, i skip over it in those, you are first on my list! it’s your take on the birding stuff, and your wonderful attitude about birds and birding, not the bird information that makes your blog worth reading. if i just wanted the facts, mam, i’d read some boring birding news feed. hang in there, we need birders and birding blogs like yours. and NBB, and the bees are great too!
Hey, I came for the bunnies, but stayed for the birds!
Birding, like any aspect of nature, is cyclical; anybody who writes about it will wind up blogging about the same things from time to time.
Your relationship with your blog sounds about like most people’s marriages: You’ve gotten past “infatuation” “courtship” “matrimony” and “honeymoon” and have now arrived at “we-love-each-other-but-no-longer-need-to-spend-every-single-moment-together”.
Or so says the guy who has been with the same woman for thirteen years
Holy Cow–you guys are fantastic. Thank you for all the words of encouragement, that wasn’t my intent when I wrote that post, just thinking out loud.
And, just when I told NBB I was ready to go back on the blogging horse with renewed enthusiasm…our beloved Saturn Mini Wagon has been diagnosed as unsafe for winter travel by our mechanics and we must go searching for a new car. I’ve had to spend the week researching and test driving and learning to accept life with a car payment. Ow. You’ll note we’re selling Disapproving Rabbit t-shirts again. Let’s hope that OpenSky store picks up, although I’m hoping that does more for ABA kid bird programs than it does for me.
I’m so happy everyone still enjoys the blog even with the way it has changed and to find out what people want to hear about.
I’ve kind of stayed away from the cat issue…even though I have some whopper stories I could share…maybe I’ll finally share some of the emails I get regarding the cat issue. I have mixed feelings about the cats–I enjoy them, I think they should be indoors, but I’m not going to alienate good friends who let their cats roam outdoors and turn a blind eye to killing birds.