Tuesday, 14 May 2013

They're Baaaaaack!

It's official, the hummingbirds have returned to Nova Birds Cam!

First Ruby Throated Hummingbird of the season!
Yesterday evening when I returned home from work, this little girl was waiting for me :) It's so nice to see them around again!

I won't be switching the cam over quite yet. I will wait until more of her friends show up, to ensure there is lots of action!

Even once the hummingbird cam starts viewing, I may still show the other bird cam every few days, since there are more and more pairs stopping by the feeder- we don't want to miss out when they start bringing their babies to feed!

It's going to be an exciting summer at Nova Birds Cam! Stay tuned!

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Still no hummers..

Despite a few sightings in NS, there has yet to be a hummingbird visit the NovaBirds feeders. Here's to hoping they arrive soon! I will be putting up some flower baskets over the weekend to better attract them as soon as they arrive.

Speaking of attracting hummingbirds, I thought I'd take this time to share some hummingbird feeding tips:

  • When providing hummingbirds with nectar, do not use products containing red dyes. They can be harmful and are unnecessary.
  • An easy homemade nectar recipe: Boil 1 cup of water. As soon as it boils, turn off the water and add 1cup of sugar. Allow to cool and then fill your feeders! I usually make a large batch and keep the rest in the fridge for 2-3 days.
  • Place more than one feeder on your property. Having only one feeder can cause a lot of bickering, since hummingbirds are very territorial!
  • Surround your home with lots of attractive flowers. My hummingbirds especially like honeysuckle, butterfly bush, and petunias!
  • Create a water feature. Many hummingbirds love fountains and shallow bird baths!

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

The Hummers have landed!

It's official! The hummingbirds have begun to land in Nova Scotia!

As of April 21st, there has been a first sighting of the little buggers: Click Here!

I will be watching excitedly for the first to arrive at our feeders! Won't be long now before we'll have the cam up!
Friday, 12 April 2013

Winter Weather???

Blah! We currently have a "Winter Storm Warning" in effect...but it's Spring!

It should be good for bird watching, but not so much fun for us humans who are well over this winter. It's been one of the coldest and longest in quite a few years.

Keep your eyes peeled. Should be lots of visitors tomorrow!
Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Hummers are almost here!!

The blue star marks where the NovaBirds Cam is..not much longer now!
 Ruby throated hummers are on the move! I just checked an updated map on Journey North and the hummingbirds are now being sighted in Rhode Island! Not much longer now, and they`ll be once again visiting the feeder here at the Nova Birds cam!

This weekend the feeders will go up so we're ready for them!

Once they do return as regular visitors, the seed cam will be switched over to the hummingbird feeder cam!

I should also mention that periodically, the cam may be down. We're in the process of trying to sell out house, so I like to take the cam down when people are there viewing it!


Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Spring!

Spring has started to arrive at the NovaBirds cam! Sure, we're still getting a few flurries here and there, but for the most part, the temperature is rising and the snow is melting.

Along with the climate changing, the birds are gearing up for mating season and are also on their return migration from the south. There have been lots of new visitors. There have been flocks of Common Grackles, Red-winged blackbirds, the first American Robins, and swarms of Common Redpolls. I even spotted a Fox Sparrow making a brief stop by the feeder area as well.

If you  listen carefully on the cam, you can hear lots of birdsong in the background, as eager birds are trying to find mates. You might also notice much more bickering going on amongst the birds, as they are getting much more territorial this time of year!

A Sharp Shinned Hawk looks for unsuspecting songbirds.
There has also been a few visits from a little Sharp Shinned Hawk. He's been chasing the little songbirds around, and I suspect (from feathers on the ground) that he may have caught one or two!


By the end of this month, I will be switching over to the Hummingbird cam...soon our buzzy little friends will be returning! I cannot wait to see them once again!

Stay tuned :)

Oh! And don't forget to check out the Gallery for all the latest photos!
Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Storm Warning!

There's a storm a-brewin'!

Despite the fact that tomorrow is the first day of Spring, we're in for a nasty snow storm. While I personally could do without it, it will most certainly bring lots of birds to the feeder.

Be sure to check in tomorrow!