Quick – what are the most common birds visiting your Southeastern backyard feeders this month? For me, it’s Mourning Doves and Northern Cardinals. According to eNature.com, I’m not alone – these birds number among the ten most common birds visiting Southeastern backyards in October. Others include the American Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, House Finch, Blue Jay, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Dark Eyed Junco, and Tufted Titmouse. Are you spotting these at your feeders?
If not, drop by eNature’s website for monthly birding tips by region. In addition to the birds you’re most likely to see each month of the year, you can learn the feeder types and foods they prefer and whether they’ll visit bird baths (all of those listed above will, expect the woodpecker and junco). You’ll also learn about bird behavior – for instance, I now know that the reason the Northern Mockingbirds have been so noisy lately is that they’re staking out winter feeding grounds (my holly bush is apparently very popular). Each month the information is updated and specific by region, so it’s an ongoing useful resource.
eNature has lots of good regional birding tips… and I’m guessing you do too. Drop by the comments section below and tell us the most common bird in your Southeastern backyard right now, and give us your tips for backyard birding in October!
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Here in Middle Tennessee (Sparta area) Mourning Doves and Northern Cardinals are a year round staple. Northern Flickers returned to the area a couple weeks ago. I saw my first Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee this past week. Ruby Throated Hummers are gone I think as the last female was at the feeder about 1 week ago. And just yesterday I spotted a Downey Woodpecker at the suet!
It was 3 winters ago that we saw for the first time a female Baltimore Oriole at our suet nuggets tray feeder. She stopped by many times during the days, but I never saw her at any other feeder. She has been here every winter, always eating at the one feeder. Last year she apparently brought her male friend who eats hulled sunflower seeds while she’s at the suet nuggets. I was thrilled and am looking forward to seeing them again this year. As for the most common, it is not unusual to see half a dozen male Cardinals on our hulled sunflower seeds at any time of the day. I have observed that Cardinals are the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave in the evening.
Finally my winter birds are coming.I had about 6 weeks of no migrating birds [except ruby throuted humming birds] I am a avid bird watcher and keep mt water clean and fresh,also the same with my feeders full all the time.For me this year began with the most beauitful hummer party right off my back porch.I put out on -9/1/11] 8 feeders and within days I had my hummer party of 35 to 40 hummers everyday,could not [but did] keep my feeders full,the basic hummer food 1 part water 4 parts sugar.Right now I’m seeing blackcapped chickadees,cardials,doves,mockingbirds [of which I put unsalted roasted peanuts] bule jays love them too.Also am seeing purple finches and different kind of wrens [of whicw I can’t figure out just what kind they are.I am giving peanut butter and mixed berry suet,plus pennington wild bird seed,black seed for big and small birds.I even mix peanutbutter and seed and put it in a dead log that I piloted out holes init.