Today in the shop (winter roosting box)

[algale]

Thanks for posting, Ed. There's always something I learn from your tutorials.

[Bruce]

The bags I buy are 20 pounds and about all I can store at any one time. This last bag was $6.99 which translates to a pretty good savings over the normal $13 they charge later in the season.

With the new feeder that is squirrel proof I get almost a month on the 20 pounds which is pretty good. Back when we had several feeders and were giving away the food to the squirrels 20 pounds was a weekly thing. About the same amount of other bird food too. Can't afford that anymore so just the one feeder and just black oils.

Ed

That is less than half what I pay. Oh well. I use a 30 Gal galvanized garbage can on the back deck and it holds 50# about 4" from the top. No squirrels here but I remember them them from North Carolina. Racoons were really bad here for a few years ago but are not a problem now.

Lead poisoning?

[reible]

The birds not only found the box but are exploring it over and over. Wasted a bit of time just watching their antics this morning. Set up an IP camera after I spotted one coming out of the box. Saw as many as 5 of them sitting on the outside. No way to know if any were inside too. So here are a few pictures because if there are no pictures then it didn't happen.

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These are IP camera captures so the quality is not all that great but you get the idea anyway.

Ed

[Bruce]

Good pics. Must have a pretty quick shutter speed to catch the birds wings in such focus.

[reible]

Such a treat, we just had two fly overs of sandhill crane's. I heard them on the camera which I had running but not visible on the computer display. I got the display up and moved the camera to the sky. I watched and listen to them and was so excited I forgot to try and take any pictures until the last second. I captured the last one just before they were all out of sight...... duh!

Anyway here is the fleeting glimpse as seen just moments ago.

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Ed

[rjent]

Such a treat, we just had two fly overs of sandhill crane's. I heard them on the camera which I had running but not visible on the computer display. I got the display up and moved the camera to the sky. I watched and listen to them and was so excited I forgot to try and take any pictures until the last second. I captured the last one just before they were all out of sight...... duh!

Anyway here is the fleeting glimpse as seen just moments ago.

20151124121529c.jpg

Ed

Ed, we live just 30 or 40 min. from the Bosque Del Apache refuge http://www.fws.gov/refuge/bosque_del_apache/ here on the Rio Grande. Literally thousands upon thousands of birds migrate here, either on their way to points further south, or to winter. I have seen sandhill cranes so thick they block the sun. Truly an amazing experience if you are even a casual bird watcher.

What kind of camera is that?

[reible]

The camera is a Foscam F19821W V2.1. Not sure if this is current model or not.

When we are lucky we see both the north and south flights to I believe to/from WI but I have not checked the flyway maps so I'm not sure where they go from here. It wasn't many years ago we started seeing them, I guess the recovery program has been working.

Ed

Such a treat, we just had two fly overs of sandhill crane's. I heard them on the camera which I had running but not visible on the computer display. I got the display up and moved the camera to the sky. I watched and listen to them and was so excited I forgot to try and take any pictures until the last second. I captured the last one just before they were all out of sight...... duh!

Anyway here is the fleeting glimpse as seen just moments ago.

20151124121529c.jpg

Ed

Ed, we live just 30 or 40 min. from the Bosque Del Apache refuge http://www.fws.gov/refuge/bosque_del_apache/ here on the Rio Grande. Literally thousands upon thousands of birds migrate here, either on their way to points further south, or to winter. I have seen sandhill cranes so thick they block the sun. Truly an amazing experience if you are even a casual bird watcher.

What kind of camera is that?

[reible]

More crane migration today. Got some video from the camera and posted it here:

https://youtu.be/GwI_Vb4TpNQ

You just got to love the sound! I read that they can be heard a mile away, don't know it that is true or not but I do believe it is possible.

Ed

[Ed in Tampa]

More crane migration today. Got some video from the camera and posted it here:

https://youtu.be/GwI_Vb4TpNQ

You just got to love the sound! I read that they can be heard a mile away, don't know it that is true or not but I do believe it is possible.

Ed

Yes LOVE the sound! How about 5:30 in morning with the sliding glass door wide open and your sound asleep. Sounds like a pterodactyl flying into room to feast on the sleeping prey.
Interesting way to wake up! Oh did I mention they love to fly about 25 feet high over my house.

[reible]

I guess the birds didn't know this was a winter roosting box. Now I see nest building going on. I guess I should have put a sign up "Winter Residents Only" well to late for that.

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Ed