I've never seen kingbirds in my yard, been here 4 years, until this year. They hang out across the road which is dry & wet streambed overgrown with multiflora rose, honeysuckle and what appears to be some sort of willow (pussywillow??), tansy, grasses, pines...
Last evening they were pulling on an old piece of string I had tied around a small (dead) tree for morning glories to climb up (last year). So I went and got some jute twine cut a bunch of pieces and seperated the strands.(If you put out string or yarn cut it to about 6 inches or less) Then I stuck them in the branches and old vines. Kingbird came back, determined to get the string which was tied, grabbed a piece of twine and Y a N k E d real hard. Well he almost fell off the tree 'cause the twine wasn't tied. And then flew off with a beakfull of twine, proud of the conquest.

I've had a couple people tell me they have more birds this year than before. We're attributing it to a mild winter therefore less freeze stress, more bug availability. Anyone else have more or different birds than in previous years?

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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us?
summer camp thread 1, 2, 3,4

I haven't had any hummers yet but have had 5 nests in my yard. All the babies have fledged by now and come to my feeders with their parents for suet, seed, and water. I-ve plannted all RED flowers.

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A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.

My hummers were slow to arrive, but they're back now. They love my salvia - both annual and perennials, but what I have planted are blue ones and white ones. I love to worked out in that garden - ducking occasionally when one comes roaring in for food!

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Sandy R.

Since this is the first year here, I do not know what is normal for bird activity. But when I see a new one, I am excited. Just last week I put up a sock feeder for the goldfinch and now we have them out there daily in groups of 3's and 4's oftentimes. I am planning on more finch type feeders along the back of the house since they are already half-way done with the one hanging there. The kids just love to watch those ones.

We also have hummer but not a ton and mostly I see males at my feeder, one maybe two at a time.

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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.

Yep, thats been my experience as well. Only the Ruby throated hummers around here (when they are here.. ) I did read that if we leave our hummer feeders outside a bit longer into the fall, that those traveling Rufous Hummers may stop by for a feed on their way south. I plan on doing that this fall to hopefully see one.

Wow, Thornius, that is good to know. Do you have any problems with the sugar water freezing up in your feeders? Or do you just let them thaw out and then change the solution? I apologize for asking a bunch of questions, but I would like to know.