One of the things I love about where we live are the many birds. I will often set out seed or suet for them to enjoy.

I do buy suet blocks from the store, but sometimes if I have the ingredients on hand I will make my own. They are easy to make and don’t take much time.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups lard
• 3/4 cups peanut butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup corn meal (I have read that masa could work better since it doesn’t tend to sink while the block is hardening)
• 1.5 cups mix of bird seed, scratch, & black oil sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup grated apple

HOW TO

1. Using a pot on the stove, melt the lard and nut butter.

2. When the lard and nut butter have turned to liquid, add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

3. Pour the mixture into a half gallon carton. Place the carton upright in the fridge to harden.

4. When the liquid mix has turned to a solid, tear off the carton and cut into individual blocks.

5. Extra blocks can be placed between wax paper and put in the freezer until they are ready to be used.

FEEDING OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS

Place blocks in a suet feeder and watch the birds flock to it.

The blocks could also be given to your chickens as a treat.

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This was my 8th year counting birds for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Some years I venture out to find birds at wetlands or local parks. This year, I only counted birds at home. We had a little snow, which I think kept some birds in hiding. Also, I didn’t get out as often as I sometimes do. So, although I spotted a number of birds, they were the typical ones that hang out closer to our house than off in the trees.

Dark-eyed Junco

I may be wrong, but I feel like we used to have far more Junco’s in the winter than we have had the last couple years. I did see a couple, though, during the GBBC.

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Click here to read more about theses sparrows

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

To read more about them, click here

Varied Thrush

We don’t see these feathered friends very often. But I know there are a couple that visit us and I was fortunate to see one during the GBBC.

Ravens & American Crow

I saw both Ravens and Crows flying overhead a couple of the GBBC days.

Steller’s Jay

Gray Jay

To read more about one of my favorite birds, click here

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There are two versions of the Northern Flicker. We have the Red-shafted near our house. In the east the flickers are yellow shafted.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: gray with brown crown, males have red malar
THROAT: gray
BREAST: tan with black spots, black crescent shape at upper breast
BELLY: tan with black spots
WINGS: brown & black barred
TAIL: red underneath, black at tip
BACK: brown & black barred
RUMP: white

FEMALE

MALE
Notice the red malar

TAIL FLARE

BACK

HABITAT

Northern Flickers like an area with trees. I often see them in local parks. We also have a few that call home to the trees near our house.

Birds of many kinds, including the flicker, often visit this tree snag.

Sometimes they venture from the trees onto our house or nearby structures.

FEEDING

Northern Flickers prefer to find their food on the ground. They especially like ants. We will often see them in our front yard searching for grubs and other goodies. These birds will also eat fruits and seeds, particularly in the winter.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: Woodpeckers
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Colaptes auratus

Sometimes I notice a lone flicker. Other times I notice two together.

Especially during late winter and early spring I see the flickers with other birds, such as these Steller’s Jays and American Robin.

PHOTO GALLERY

Notice the red shafts on the wings. Sometimes we find their feathers. We know its a flicker feather because of the red.

HAPPY BIRDING!

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The ever popular Red-tailed Hawk.

They are a year round visitor to our neck of the woods.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: brown
BREAST: light
BELLY: browns, streaked
WINGS: browns. light underneath
TAIL: rusty red/orange, with a skinny black bar near tip
BACK: browns

ADULT

HABITAT

The Red-tailed Hawk is the bird of prey I see most. I notice them along the highway watching the fields for food. I notice them at parks and wetlands. I see them on road trips through other states. We have them near our house. They can be found in most open areas of North America.

FEEDING

I am always a bit leery of this hawk when they are near our house. They have been known to nab a chicken.

I noticed this one in a tree enjoying a rodent for lunch.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: Hawks & Eagles
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Buteo jamaicensis

Most often I notice only one hawk near our house at a time. He/she doesn’t usually have any friends.

PHOTO GALLERY

I always wonder what they’re screaming about, when they go screeching through the sky.

HAPPY BIRDING!

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The Western Bluebird is always a welcome visitor. It means spring has arrived. The males are a beautiful bold blue, adding to the lovely colors of spring.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: male: blue, female: blue-gray
THROAT: male: blue, female: blue-gray
BREAST: rusty red/orange
BELLY: gray
WINGS: male: blue, female: blue-gray
TAIL: short
BILL: dark & small

FEMALE

MALE

Notice the blue head & throat, rusty orange breast, and gray belly:

HABITAT

We are at about 1200′ elevation in the foothills of the coast range. The Western Bluebirds visit us each spring, stick around for a couple months, and are gone by mid summer.

They hang out mostly near the bird houses in our bird village. They also explore the shrubs and a tree snag nearby.

FEEDING

Most often I spot the Western Bluebirds flying around catching insects.

Occasionally, though, I notice them finding goodies near the ground.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: Thrushes
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sialia mexicana

Although they are a social bird, we typically only have one pair around our house.

Occasionally, I see a larger flock, though.

Every year there is a turf war with the violet-green swallows. The bluebirds seem to fight off the swallows, but the swallows always return. I see them in the bird houses. So, I’m not really sure who the real winner is.

NESTING

I can’t see into the bird houses. But, both male and female appear to tend to their brood.

PHOTO GALLERY

Birdie bath time in our pond.

A number of years ago I spotted this male bluebird with bands on his legs. I sent an email to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory describing the band colors. I received a message back telling me where the bird originated.

HAPPY BIRDING!

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The first Saturday in September is International Vulture Awareness Day, so my bird pick for this month is the Turkey Vulture.

They are often mistakenly referred to as the Turkey Buzzard. They are also often frowned upon because of their gross habit of eating roadkill. I, however, appreciate their clean up efforts. Also, they prefer their meal already dead which means my chickens and goats are safe from these large birds.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: bright red. primarily unfeathered
BILL: white
BODY: brown/black
WINGS: brown/black. underside of flight feathers is ivory

Notice the red, nearly bald head & white curved bill.

During a Birds of Flight show at the Oregon Zoo, I was able to get a good look at the light colored flight feathers.

From a distance, Turkey Vultures appear black. However in actuality, they have a lot of brown tones mixed in.

HABITAT

Turkey Vultures can be found in North and South America, typically in open wooded areas, deserts, and countrysides.

This one is circling the hill behind our house.

FEEDING

Turkey Vultures are scavengers, feeding on dead animals. Their incredible sense of smell helps them find their next meal.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: New World Vultures
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cathartes aura

Typically, I notice a small group of two or three Turkey Vultures soaring overhead. Occasionally, there is a larger flock. Even less often, I spot them flying with other large birds.

FLIGHT

Turkey Vultures glide through the sky with their wings slightly raised. Their wingtips have long separated “fingers.”

Right Photo: riding the thermals high in the sky

PHOTO GALLERY

We spotted this Turkey Vulture in the Redwoods.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
For more info about these large, amazing birds check out my posts from International Vulture Awareness Day in 2013 and a trip to the Audubon Society, where I saw Ruby, a Turkey Vulture used as an education bird.

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The white-crowned sparrow is common around our house in the foothills of Oregon’s coast range. We have the Pacific subspecies with a yellow beak.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: black and white striped
THROAT: light gray or white
BREAST: gray
BELLY: gray
WINGS: streaked brown, faint white bars
TAIL: long
BACK: streaked brown and gray
BILL: yellow
EYE: brown

ADULT

IMMATURE

I’m not 100% positive, but I believe this to be an immature sparrow molting. He/she is a bit rough looking.

A young one with and adult.

HABITAT

White-crowned sparrows prefer the edges of shrubby woodlands.

We tend to see the golden-crowned sparrow more during the winter months and the white-crowned sparrow the remainder of the year.

FEEDING

White-crowned sparrows forage on the ground searching for insects. They will also catch them mid air.

The sparrows also like seeds, whether from our feeder or wild grasses. They will also choose berries to eat.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: New World Sparrows
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zonotrichia leucophrys

Flock of white-crowned sparrows bathing in our pond.

White-crowned sparrow with his cousin, the golden-crowned sparrow.

NESTING

Around here, I find their nests a foot or two above ground hiding in a shrub.

Mama sparrow sits on her eggs about 12 days before they hatch. The hatchlings leave the nest at about a week to week and a half old.

We have to watch for the little guys, as they are sometimes on the ground.

PHOTO GALLERY

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Twice, the kids and I, ventured away from Old Town and explored an area in eastern Nuremberg.

Europe has so many wonderful historical buildings, monuments and museums. As much as I love exploring all those places and want my kids to have exposure to it, I also understand my kids are kids. I want them to have just plain fun and not remember our trip as an unending snoozefest of old stuff. So, our itinerary included a couple places of fun where the kids didn’t have to worry about being quiet or knocking something over.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Our hotel was located right next to a tram stop, so we took the tram to Dutzendteich Lake. This was a fun way to see parts of the city we wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

We planned to take the tram to the zoo, too. But there was a problem with the line, so they sent a bus. The bus dropped us off a bit before the zoo entrance, so we walked the rest of the way. That worked out ok. It was a nice day and a good excuse to venture through a German neighborhood.

A home near the zoo that reminded me of a German fairy tale.

NUREMBERG ZOO

One day of fun was spent at the Nuremberg Zoo.

I loved seeing animals we don’t have at the Oregon Zoo.
The Maned Wolf brought up memories from when my kids were younger and watched Go, Diego, Go.
The horns on the Alpine Ibex were stunning!
I am always in awe when I see a gorilla. I could watch them for hours.
This was my first time ever seeing a manatee.

We have had these species at our zoo, but these particular ones were new to me. We have polar bears, but not baby polar bears. So cute! And, I have never seen a tiger swim. He seemed to enjoy it.

One of the highlights of our zoo day was the dolphin and seal show.

Except for the snafu with the tram, the day was great. We even got back to the hotel with enough time to wander over to Old Town for dinner.

DUTZENDTEICH LAKE & NAZI PARTY RALLY GROUNDS

Staying in Nuremberg, it was hard to resist visiting the former Nazi Rally Grounds. The rally area surrounded Dutzendteich Lake. We took a nice walk around the lake. The kids got to play and I read the signage, trying to take in the enormity of the historical things that occurred where we were standing.

CONGRESS HALL
To display their power, the Nazi’s planned many large buildings on these grounds. Congress Hall being one of them and designed to be a focal point. In 1935, work began on the Roman Colosseum inspired building. Due to the start of WWII, the building was never finished.

The building now houses the Documentation Centre, an exhibit of Nuremberg during the Nazi era.

The lake is now used for recreational purposes. Not too many people were out on the lake, but lots of paddle boats were available to rent.

I will admit to being underwhelmed at the landscaping. I guess I was expecting glorious mounds of green fields covered in spring flowers, since we were there in April. I guess I’m also used to living in western Oregon, where it is green. Really green. Surrounding the lake was primarily brownish dirt, leaves and underbrush. The zoo was the same. I did find a few patches of green and wildflowers, though.

I was thrilled to see birds and ducks at the lake.

Left: The kids running, loving the relaxing day.
Right: Congress Hall and the huge ferris wheel we rode later in the day

ZEPPELIN FIELD
This photo is what remains of the grandstands, originally built in 1935.

Zeppelin Field held many National Socialists parades, rallies and festivals, with as many as 200,000 people. The rallies continued until 1938.

Since the war ended, the field has been used for sports, motor events and concerts.

There were very few people around when we visited, though.

NUREMBERG FOLK FESTIVAL

We happened to be in Nuremberg during their Folk Festival, which was right next to Dutzendteich Lake. So, we checked it out.

We had a great time. It was similar to a carnival or fair we have around here, just with German flair, of course.

My eyes tend to spot farm animals. These are the ones I found at the Folk Festival. The pig is darling with a great smile. The rooster is quite handsome. Best of all, they don’t poop.

Of course we tried fair food. I skipped the sardine sandwich. I honestly wasn’t quite sure even how to eat it. But, I did get a schnitzel sandwich. It was delish!

We shared the biggest pretzel I have ever seen. It was priced just a tad more than a regular pretzel and the 4 of us could fit half way around it for a selfie.

It’s funny the things you remember. I’m pretty sure this pretzel is one of the things we will remember most about our trip.

The only ride we did was a humongous ferris wheel. It was simple and fun, with an amazing view of the city.

Safe & Happy Travels to You!

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Cedar waxwings are a beautiful bird and one of my favorites. They almost seem exotic in our woodlands.

They visit us every year around June or July. They don’t stay long, though.

IDENTIFICATION

HEAD: light brown
FACE: light brown with black mask outlined in white
CHIN: brown or black
CHEST: light brown
BELLY: light yellow
WINGS: light brown and gray, sometimes with a red tip
TAIL: gray, with bright yellow tip, underside has white
BILL: short
EYE: black

The feature that stands out the most to me on a cedar waxwing is the crest. Sometimes it lays back and sometimes it sticks up.

HABITAT

Cedar waxwings can be found in many places including woodlands, farms, fields, and suburbs. During the summer months most areas in the northern US and Canada that have fruiting trees and shrubs have the potential of cedar waxwings showing up.

Most often I notice waxwings perched in the trees, but occasionally I see them on the ground searching for food.

FEEDING

Insects and berries are the main food sources of a cedar waxwing.

They tend to eat lots of cedar berries during the winter months, which is how they got their name.

Sometimes they will pick a berry and pass it to their friend.

Farmer John is not impressed with their love of our raspberries.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: Waxwings
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bombycilla cedrorum

Cedar waxwings travel in flocks, sometimes quite large numbers group together. We often see about 10 – 15 at a time.

PHOTO GALLERY

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The hummingbird we see most often around our house is the Rufous Hummingbird.

I can usually hear their wings buzzing by before I actually spot them.

IDENTIFICATION

– MALE –
HEAD: rufous, maybe with green forehead
THROAT: iridescent red gold
CHEST: white
BACK: rufous
TAIL: rufous
BILL: slender and straight
EYE: black

I am amazed by this.
Left photo: The throat appears dark brown or black
Right: Same bird, same time of day. The bird just turned towards me and the sun. The throat now appears a bright fiery orange.

– FEMALE –
HEAD: greenish gold
CHEST: white
THROAT: white, can have flecks of green and a central red spot
BELLY: white
BACK: greenish gold
FLANKS: rufous
TAIL: rufous with black patches and white tips
BILL: slender and straight
EYE: black

HABITAT

The Rufous Hummingbird is often found at the edges or open areas of coniferous forests.

They migrate from Mexico to Alaska. Amazing!

We typically see them from April to August. I actually have no idea if the ones I see around our house are the same ones all season, or if I see multiple as they are passing by.

FEEDING

These feisty hummingbirds feed on nectar and insects.

I often see them visiting the wild honeysuckle and penstemon plants.

FRIENDS & FAMILY

FAMILY: Hummingbirds
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Selasphorus rufus

PHOTO GALLERY

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