Droll Yankee Flipper Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder

 

We go to great lengths to keep squirrels away from the bird food. While there are bird feeders with cages that keep squirrels away, they interfere with bird watching and bird photography. We try other things, such as feeders on long wires or buy squirrel proof bird feeders.

The Droll Yankee Flipper squirrel-proof bird feeder has a motor that spins the bar when a squirrel gets on it. We have found it to be very effective and occasionally entertaining. The squirrels are dazed but not harmed by the spin. This squirrel set a record by hanging on for about 30 seconds before getting tossed.

More Winter Birds: Junco, Goldfinch & Cardinal

Female Northern Cardinal

American Goldfinch

Dark-eyed Junco

The dark-eyed junco is a common winter visitor. This black and white bird mostly feeds on the ground. The cardinals stay year round but they come to our feeders much more often in the winter when food is scarce elsewhere. The American Goldfinch, the state bird of New Jersey, also stays year round, but its yellow color is more vivid in the summer.

Winter Birds at the Bird Bath

White-breasted Nuthatch

Northern Mockingbird

Here's are photos of some winter birds having a drink at our new heated bird bath.

Tufted Titmouse with a peanut

 

 

We put out some peanuts for the squirrels. A Tufted Titmouse flew away with one, which is only fair since the squirrels steal the bird food we leave out.

Cooper's Hawk from Robert in Mercer County

 

 

I live in Hamilton Square in Mercer County, New Jersey. My back yard is small in a 1950's housing development. My wife and I were astounded to see what I believe to be an adult Cooper's Hawk in a tree in our back yard on the morning of 12/29/08. The hawk was actually inside a squirrel's nest and within a few minutes moved out.

Leftovers from Florida

Here are a few of the photos from Florida in mid December that we didn't get around to posting yet.

Little Blue Heron

Common Moorhen

Common Moorhen

Loggerhead Shrike

Loggerhead Shrike

 

Killdeer

Unidentified Bird: Probably a Warbler.

Ring-necked ducks on Lake Nelson

 

While watching the ruddy duck, we saw a group of three male ring-necked ducks land on Lake Nelson. They stayed for about 30 minutes and flew off again. We thought they were lesser scaups yesterday, but the ring around the bill is present only in the ring-necked ducks. If it were up to us, they'd be called ring-billed ducks.

Female Black Ducks on Lake Nelson

Female Ruddy Duck looking for some friends

We haven't been posting much recently. We were busy with our older daughter visiting us from California. The lake was frozen which cut down on the number of waterfowl we see. It's been gray and cloudy. Chris' heart grew two sizes and she put up two Christmas trees.

Anyway, Chris spotted a small duck two days back. At first, we thought it was a grebe, but when we got the binoculars, we saw it was a lone female ruddy duck. She was trying to hang out with other ducks but the mallards, ring-necked ducks, and Canade Geese snubbed her. At least our daughter got to see some of the fancy ducks, even if some were not on their best behavior.