Birds in New Jersey 2014
November 2014 - a great birdwatching and squirrelwatching month, continued
22 November: A plate of treats for the squirrels. It's not very economical putting out expensive birdfeed and having eight
or nine squirrels gobble it up. Since we can't keep them out of the yard, can they be
trained to eat 50¢ a pound dog kibble?
First, get their attention with two yummy additions, sunflower seeds and peanut butter.
The first day, only one squirrel showed any interest. Over the next few days, two, then three squirrels were seen trying it.
When the first squirrel fought off other squirrels, it just made them more curious.
23 November. Day Two. Think raisin oatmeal cookies, minus the raisins and the oatmeal. And, imagine you are a squirrel.
The plan: to gradually remove, day-by-day, the seeds and the peanut butter, leaving just dog kibble.
A new regular visitor these days: a red-bellied woodpecker. It grabs a seed, then flies up onto a nearby tree, then returns.
It was small, charcoal-grey, with black areas on the wings and tail. A new species?
Nope, just a small female brown-headed cowbird.
| Birds seen in our backyard | ||||||
1 |
2014-04-28 | Mourning Dove | _ | _ | _ | _ |
2 |
2014-04-28 | House Sparrow | _ | _ | _ | _ |
3 |
2014-04-28 | Goldfinch | _ | _ | _ | _ |
4 |
2014-05-02 | Northern Cardinal | _ | _ | _ | _ |
5 |
2014-05-02 | House Finch | _ | _ | _ | _ |
6 |
2014-05-03 | Common Grackle | _ | _ | _ | _ |
7 |
2014-05-09 | Brown-Headed Cowbird | _ | _ | _ | _ |
8 |
2014-05-09 | Downy Woodpecker | _ | _ | _ | _ |
9 |
2014-05-09 | Black-Capped Chickadee | _ | _ | _ | _ |
10 |
2014-05-09 | Red-Winged Blackbird | _ | _ | _ | _ |
11 |
2014-06-13 | Blue Jay | _ | _ | _ | _ |
12 |
2014-06-20 | Rock Dove (Pigeon) | _ | _ | _ | _ |
13 |
2014-07-19 | Starling | _ | _ | _ | _ |
14 |
2014-08-09 | Tufted Titmouse | _ | _ | _ | _ |
15 |
2014-08-19 | Northern Flicker | _ | _ | _ | _ |
16 |
2014-08-19 | Ruby-Throated Hummingbird | _ | _ | _ | _ |
17 |
2014-08-28 | Catbird | _ | _ | _ | _ |
18 |
2014-09-05 | Carolina Wren | _ | _ | _ | _ |
19 |
2014-09-15 | White-Breasted Nuthatch | _ | _ | _ | _ |
20 |
2014-10-12 | Purple Finch | _ | _ | _ | _ |
21 |
2014-10-12 | Dark-Eyed Junco | _ | _ | _ | _ |
22 |
2014-10-17 | Northern Mockingbird | _ | _ | _ | _ |
23 |
2014-10-24 | White-Throated Sparrow | _ | _ | _ | _ |
24 |
2014-10-25 | Robin | _ | _ | _ | _ |
25 |
2014-10-31 | Eastern Towhee | _ | _ | _ | _ |
26 |
2014-10-31 | Pine Siskin | _ | _ | _ | _ |
27 |
2014-11-16 | Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | _ | _ | _ |
28 |
2014-11-22 | Red-Tailed Hawk | _ | _ | _ | _ |
29 |
2014-11-22 | Red-Bellied Woodpecker | _ | _ | _ | _ |