Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Backyard Birding => Topic started by: Ally on April 19, 2020, 11:45:38 PM

Title: That time of the year
Post by: Ally on April 19, 2020, 11:45:38 PM
First time I saw that, I really thought they were kissing, after I knew what was really going on, still sweet. Not too sweet for that other fellow though... I wonder the cause, competition or lucky escape
Title: Re: That time of the year
Post by: Ally on April 19, 2020, 11:50:48 PM
Don't want to start a new topic. The girls can be fierce looking too. The bird bath used to be a waterlily bowl, too slippery for her. But I noticed among all the birds, Cowbirds drink most often.
Title: Re: That time of the year
Post by: Dinusaur on April 21, 2020, 04:32:00 PM
Very sweet photo of the male Cardinal feeding the female. Unfortunately this is what may happen a few months from now. He isn't that smart, is he?

[attachment=0:1mohpmjw]DSC_2358_01.JPG[/attachment:1mohpmjw]
Title: Re: That time of the year
Post by: Ally on April 21, 2020, 04:39:11 PM
Quote from: "Dinusaur"
Very sweet photo of the male Cardinal feeding the female. Unfortunately this is what may happen a few months from now. He isn't that smart, is he?

[attachment=0:7xkq5919]DSC_2358_01.JPG[/attachment:7xkq5919]

Very true. It angered me seeing a tiny foster parent like a chip or a song sparrow feeding them.
Title: Re: That time of the year
Post by: Howieh on April 21, 2020, 05:32:36 PM
Cowbirds aren't picky - if the egg fits, lay it! A few years ago I saw a yellow warbler feeding a nearly fully grown cowbird at Colonel Sam; talk about a size difference! It's snowing lightly now and the male cardinal has been feeding the female all day - by the time she gives in he'll be much too tired. :) It's still very quiet but I'm getting excited about the arrival of my hummingbirds, still haven't put the feeder out, probably will next week (after the juncos leave!).
Title: Re: That time of the year
Post by: Axeman on April 23, 2020, 09:53:19 AM
lol I love watching that -- the cuckholding -- I used to have a little blue spruce topiary that a pair of chipping sparrows would nest in every year...and every year a cowbird would drop an egg in it...the topiary stood 2.5 feet so it was really easy to watch.

ON another note, I have a bird bath by my feeders and I don't see birds using it -- in fact the only use it really gets is in the winter I use it as a platform feeder for deer, squirrels and the bigger birds.