# Backyard Wildlife



## TigsMom (May 5, 2014)

This is probably the most active Spring in regards to wildlife in my yard. Momma


Dove is hatching her 2nd batch of eggs. 2 Desert Iguanas were "playing" in the yard next door. Say's Phoebe has two growing babies in her usual nest on a pillar of our front porch. Momma and Baby Cottontails are bounding through the back yard. Lizards and Geckos are out and about. Quail are nesting somewhere in the backyard. Hummingbird feeders need filling every other day. Orioles and Sparrows are drinking from the feeders, we've just had a few 102 and 103 deg days. Tastes of summer temps mixed with Spring are really getting the wildlife out and about. Really enjoying watching them and taking oodles of pics.


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## wellington (May 5, 2014)

Wow, nice pics. I would love to,have lizards wild in my yard. The one in the pic is really cute. Can't believe the Sove just sits there while you pet it. Nice, really nice.


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## TigsMom (May 5, 2014)

I've taken so many pics of Momma Dove on her nest over the past few weeks, she's gotten used to me. This time I was an inch away with my iphone camera and decided she was calm enough I could try to pet her. LOL I couldn't believe she stayed a bit for a pet. Guessing she was protecting her eggs which were about to hatch, because the next day... Today, I got a great pic of her very new hatchling. I've named the baby Dove "Phyllis", the other will be "Dillar". LOL sort of the same hair style don't ya' think?


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## happyjoyjoy (May 5, 2014)

I have 5 hummingbird nests in my backyard they are the cutest things ever  it's a lot of fun to watch the mommas go back n forth.


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## bouaboua (May 5, 2014)

I had a couple dove come to my porch to nest and lay eggs. we watching the young's to learn fly and finally flyaway. It is very interesting, grateful anf thankful to watch the life continue.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

The hummingbirds are my favorite! I have 4 feeders and get about 20 Hummingbirds during migration season. Typically, have around 8 that stay here year round. I buy sugar by the 25 pound bag and it lasts about 3 months, that's a whole lot of sugar water for the hummingbirds. I really am tickled to watch all the wildlife and so many pictures (almost as many as my Grand kids, LOL).


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2014)

I have a pair of phoebes right above my back door. I just love watching those little guys. Last year they built their nest in that spot, and now this year the nest looks like two nests joined together. Because its up so high I never get to see the eggs or babies. But I love having them there.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

This nest is on top of a pillar, I have a chair just below that I climb up to get the pics. The Iphone makes it easy to reach up and snap some decent pics.

The Say's Phoebe or the original's babies, come back and nest year after year (over the past 16 years) at my front door. It's good and protected, but you'd think they'd find another spot that has less human traffic, not be mention a crazed women with a camera! LOL So many pictures, I even have a few of them saying "CHEESE".


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## Jacqui (May 6, 2014)

happyjoyjoy said:


> I have 5 hummingbird nests in my backyard they are the cutest things ever  it's a lot of fun to watch the mommas go back n forth.



Dang talk about making me green with envy! Our hummingbirds and orioles have not yet shown up even.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

Yvonne, One year, I tried to discourage nest building and put a pot with an artificial plant in it on top of that pillar. The Phoebe took the silk plant out and built her nest in the pot! I give, go ahead and build your darn nest, but don't mess up a good pot! LOL


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## happyjoyjoy (May 6, 2014)

im sure they will soon


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

Jaqui; The hummingbirds and orioles (not as many babies as last year, but there are still a bunch) should be heading North in just a couple more weeks when our temps get to 110 Degs wildlife starts heading to slightly cooler temps. Our temps have been between 80 and 103 Degs for the last several weeks.


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2014)

TigsMom said:


> Yvonne, One year, I tried to discourage nest building and put a pot with an artificial plant in it on top of that pillar. The Phoebe took the silk plant out and built her nest in the pot! I give, go ahead and build your darn nest, but don't mess up a good pot! LOL



That's pretty funny! I think mine are Western Phoebes. They built a nest with mud, adding bits of hair and other stuff to it. There are a couple of really long horse tail hairs hanging down from the nest. Every time I open the back door they fly out and land on the electric wire in the back yard, and sit their and cheep at me. It's not a scolding type of chirping, but rather sort of like begging. But I don't know what to offer them.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)




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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2014)

Wow...you must have a pretty nice camera. I have a few hummers around, but have never seen a nest.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

Hmmm, I'll have to look up a Western Phoebe. I know Say's Phoebe eat's bugs, mostly crickets and grass hoppers. Before you ask, lol, yes, I have set out a couple of crickets for her and yes, she did swoop them up. But my crickets are for my Boxies, so she'll just have to hunt.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

OH Hang on, you want Hummingbird nest? I have my favorite here somewhere, her name is "Ma Bell, and her babies are Ding and Dong" she built her nest in a Wind chime full of Bells. I had a blast taking pics!


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2014)

That's just crazy!


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## mikeh (May 6, 2014)

Amazing. Hope you take and share photos of baby hummingbirds once they hatch


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

Only crazy animals come to my house! LOL Ma Bell was definitely my FAVORITE!


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

Oh, Ma Bell was a few years ago and yes, I have 100's of pictures somewhere of the babies. No real way of knowing, but in my mind they have returned year after year, but no nests in the windchimes since  I do look for the dot on neck and I swear she did return a couple of years, but it could be my extreme wishing it was her too.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

Ding & Dong Days 2, 4 and 12.


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## TigsMom (May 6, 2014)

OBTW, Ma Bell and Ding & Dong were here in April and May of 2010.


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## Jacqui (May 7, 2014)

I never expected to see that nest location. Looks so exposed.


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## Yvonne G (May 8, 2014)

Oh, man! Bummer!!! I just now went out the back door to give Misty some outside time and there were two little fuzzy naked and dead baby Phoebes on the cement under the nest. They couldn't have been more than a day or two old. So I got the ladder and a mirror and took a look in the nest. Empty. The nest isn't visible from the air, as its directly under the eaves of the house with only about 4" between the top of the nest and the eaves. I wonder what could have kicked the babies out of the nest. Cats on the roof couldn't access it. I feel so bad for poor mama and papa bird. All that work.


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## Jacqui (May 8, 2014)

Poor babies


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## TigsMom (May 10, 2014)

I'm so sorry to read this Yvonne! We had a horrible scare today, both the babies had already flown from the nest to a nearby palm during the day for a couple of days, Momma was still feeding them, and they were mastering their flying skills, but hadn't hunted bugs yet. A huge Crow/Raven swooped down, two other birds were on the attack of the crow (more than likely bothered their babies too). One of the baby phoebe hit out security door with a thud, the other must have flown off. It was awful for about an hour or two. Momma screaming for them, and they were no where in sight. After a few more hours I went out to see if I could spot them. Momma had gone, then suddenly reappeared with a grasshopper in her mouth. I watched and finally spotted both babies high in big tree in our yard. My sad heart was happy again, I was just glad to see them safe and Mom feeding them again. It won't be long before they are off on their own in the world, but I wasn't ready yet. 

All that said, I'm sorry to say that a predator bird of some sort probably got to those babies of yours. I have no idea how to prevent it in the future, sometimes the circle of life is just unfair.

Huge Hugs to you!


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## Yvonne G (May 11, 2014)

What a lovely picture!


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 11, 2014)

Recently we had a coyote come through our place mid morning. I tracked down the trail and found where it had come onto the property between some old boards of a corner post bracing. While up there, figuring out that I could tack some no climb fence across the gap, a wren flew past my face, chirping/squeaking loudly, landing in a tree above me. So I start looking and sure enough, in a rotted out knot hole in an upright railroad tie corner post was a tiny little nest made up of mainly horsehair. 
So plans have changed to doing the repair work on the fence later in the year. This afternoon, I'll head up there and take a picture.


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## TigsMom (May 11, 2014)

Wow, Ken! Can't wait to see the pictures you get of that nest.


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## TigsMom (May 11, 2014)

I really need to get over the worry of these darn Phoebe's. Mother's Day or not, these are wildlife, and not my pets. OK that sounds good and all but it's not working. I really, really have a bond with these darn animals. Got such a giggle to see both babies cuddled into the nest on the pillar tonight. Seriously bad winds, yes they were all over the neighbors yards, hopefully learning to hunt food on their own. Years of having these nest and I must say this year has been the most heart wrenching and interesting to watch. It's just crazy, and fits to my family. Who know's when they'll really leave, but this has been just another wild ride.


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## bigred (May 11, 2014)

Very neat stuff


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