Such a beautiful bird...it's a lot of fun to watch him swoop in, hang upside down, and then "drop" and fly to the big Ash tree to eat or stash his food.
I've hung it from a rod off the deck, so the ball is about 10 feet from the living room window...perfect viewing. This is the only feeder that has ever lured the Red-bellied so close to the house (on a regular basis).
When I saw this in the store, I assumed the people who made hamster exercise balls were venturing out into bird feeders. It was so cute, I had to give it a try! Thanks, Mary for carrying such a cool feeder at your store!
I always love seeing that blush of red on his belly. From a distance, you can barely see it, up close it's like someone ran a paintbrush loaded with Merlot over those feathers!
If you're in Cincinnati, and you're looking for the "Hamster" feeder, head over to the Wild Bird Center of Mason in the Deerfield Towne Center. Mary will fix you up!
(The Wrath of the Swine comes and goes. I did a lot of sleeping today again. Thank goodness for Tylenol and Advil...)
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40 comments:
Ooh ooh, first comment! Love this little "hamster ball" feeder. But I think I have a new nickname for you: Minnie Pearl. (You left the price tag on there!) Hee hee! As if the birds can read. Hopefully the naughty birds will stay out of this one.
What beautiful pictures of that Woodpecker Kelly!! I like that ball feeder. Maybe I will look for one to hang off my window this winter. I really enjoyed hanging the seed bells last winter. Got some close ups of the birds but then the squirrels started knocking it down to get the seeds.
Beautiful bird. I have never seen one, but the pictures of them are fantastic. Thanks.
Well, if you have to be sick, what better way to spend it than watching beautiful birds out your window!
Interesting. We have lots of Red-bellies here. I was thrilled with that five years ago when they first seemed to show up here. Unfortunately it's turned into an invasion, and they've driven out the Hairy Woodpeckers totally, and the Flicker population is steadily declining - the Red-bellies are essentially driving out the larger Woodpeckers by sheer force of numbers, taking over caches and nests. The Downies are holding their own only because their holes are too small for the Red-bellies to bother with - they can't fit in them to take them over. They're a gorgeous bird, but they're not nice.
Lovely shots! I will have to look for one of those feeders. I've gotta keep my chickadees happy.
What a pretty bird! Such candid shots -always a treat visiting your blog! Hope the Swine departs soon!
Brilliant idea. You will have started a whole new sales pitch ;)
Gorgeous photos of a gorgeous bird. I must look out for something like that over here.
Fabulous images Kelly.
That is a rather handsome visitor! I was thinking of getting a window feeder for my flat - but I think the window's too high from the ground, and too much in the city for any of the little birds to find.
I'm sorry to hear you have swine flu! I really hope it clears up soon.
I have two of those feeders. Love them , but you have to keep them very clean! Little birds hang out inside (especially in the rain or snow)and do their business.
I saw these in the Duncraft catalog and wondered if they would be liked very much! WOW! Wonderful views of the Red-bellied. Glad you are feeling some better Kelly. Hang in there, and get lots of rest my friend.
Oh what a GREAT feeder! What will they think of next? Fabulous pics too. Hope each day has you feeling better and better!
I'm always up for trying out a new feeder, and this looks like it will be a good one-THanks Kelly!
Glad you're on the road to recovery!
Very cool. I can't feed peanuts because the startlings always find them and wipe me out. I am going to check into this feeder... I'm excited!
Gorgeous photos Kelly! If I knew one of those feeders would bring Woddpeckers and Nuthatches into my garden I would buy one immediately! I think I may have seen something very similar here so I may have to give it a go.
I do hope you start to feel much better soon. I suspect it will take a while, don't go overdoing it and make sure you get plenty of rest.
I love this little feeder. SO cute.
I hope you feel better and are out and about really soon!! Take care, Suz
Wow, that's a great feeder. And your photos are just wonderful. I might have to try one of those feeders!
Never seen a feeder like that before, but if it brings in such beautiful looking birds, I want one. lol
Hope you get well soon Kelly.
well that red bellied pecker should get you on the road to recovery Kelly! What a lovely delacate shade of red.
PS nothing defeats Starlings - you watch!
What a beautiful clean looking bird that Red belly is!!! Lovely shots Kelly. I'm intrigued to know what you put in the feeder, I can't quite make it all out? Hope you're on the mend by now!
Hi Kelly.
Great photo's. we have feeders the same as that here which we fill with peanuts for the Tits, but thats the first time I have seen a member of the Woodpecker family clinging on to one.
PS. I am sorry to hear that you have been ill Kelly. Take care
FAB pics Kelly. I'm sure you are going to have lots of fun watching the antics on this new feeder.
Heather...haha....I know. When I looked at the photos I thought, "why didn't I take that price tag off before I hung it," but I didn't notice it when I hung it up! I'll keep track to see if the Starlings stay out!
Ginny...so far, the squirrels can't get out on the rod to reach the ball. I'm waiting for them to figure it out.
Bill...thank you!
Garbielle...thank goodness I can see the birds out the window.
Roy...Oh no! Around here, they are not that numerous. We only have one that shows up regularly, but we have three downies. We are too suburban to have Hairy woodpeckers here. I see them on the trail every now and then, though. I'll have to watch to see if there are any trends showing otherwise. Thanks.
Elaine...the chickadees love it. They were the first to use it. The Titmice love it too...
Caroline...thank you. Actually....I'm not as far along as I hoped. I slept until noon...was up for an hour and then slept until now...
John....thanks...yes, it is the first feeder that seems to cater to the little birds (and woodpeckers).
Thanks, Roy!
Kitty....you should try! House Sparrows will probably show up, and they are very cute to watch on a cold winter's morn.
Susan...oh.....I'll have to watch for that! The little finches would fit, wouldn't they. I could see while it's raining it would be a dry place to eat!
Jayne...thank you. Resting is about all I do. I've never rested so much in my life. :-)
Thank you, Kerri! Me too. At least the fever is gone...just the cough, swollen membranes and fatigue remains.
Thanks, Sue!
Chad...so far it is working. I put a mixture of sunflower seeds and nuts. The chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and woodpeckers love it. Even the House Sparrows are leaving it alone. Finches like it too.
Jan...thank you. I hope you stay clear of it and get the vaccine before it gets you. Today is the fifth day and sleeping and resting is about all I can do.
Susan! Thank you.....me too.....it's gorgeous today...in the 70s. Wish I had the energy to walk outside, but soon....
Mona....I was surprised how well it worked.
Thanks, Keith....
Warren.....I hope you're not right, but I bet you are! We haven't had a flock descend yet. I've seen them nest in tiny cavities in trees. I bet they could scramble into those holes too. We'll just have to wait and see!
Jenny...it's a mix of black-oil sunflower seeds and nuts (peanuts, walnuts, all sorts of nuts with raisons and hulled sunflower seeds also). I just add it into the seed. Thank you!
Ken....I could see that it would work very well as a peanut feeder. I have peanuts in the mix. thanks...
Frank....you just slipped in......antics is the correct word. It is fun watching the birds trying to get seeds and peanuts. Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
Wow gorgeous to be able to attract this kind of bird with your feeders... But then to take pictures with such a a quality is even better! He is a cute guys and you got fantastic shots of it!! Well done!
As they say, whatever works.
Hey, they really do have red bellies!
Hi Kelly,
Love the shots of the red bellied..we don't get them here, or only as a rarity...but lots of hairys, downys, pileated, northern flickers and yellow bellied sapsuckers...ah well! Definitely wish you a speedy recovery! It's made its way up here to Ontario as well.
does that mean less road trip/visit to the park? hope not.
I remember being home recently and staring at the feeders! Keep watching and you'll get a new yard bird.
I will have to look for one of those feeders up here somewhere...
Feel better, Peanut!
WOW WOW WOW!!!
I love visiting you--the Red Bellied is a rare but favorite visitor of ours. I had never seen this feeder! Thanks for sharing it (and feel better!) HUGS!
I get tempted by a feeder that the jays can't shovel out in an hour. But how many should we have in a yard? One more! Thanks for the tip.
Hi Kelly, I have been thinking about you. Hope you are beginning to feel better. That flu is wicked.
New carpet, huh???? That's not much fun when you are so sick.
That is a neat feeder... You captured some great shots of the Red-bellied.
Hugs,
Betsy--who is THRILLED to be home 'finally'
Looks like a wonderful feeder, but Blue Jay Barrens doesn't allow any feeders that don't give Blue Jays quick and easy access to the food.
Saturday we had a Red-bellied that kept bringing chunks of suet and stuffing it into the track of our kitchen window. It was making quite a mess. I pulled the curtain back so the cat would keep the woodpecker away. The cat never lunges for birds outside the window. He just crouches down and twitches all over, while making a strange strangled noise in his throat. That was enough to stop the suet storage operation.
Those are great photos Kelly.
(I used to have a feeder like that until the squirrels discovered it and "enlarged" the feeding holes -- little buggers!)
He is a gorgeous woodpecker! Best wishes for speedy recovery from the flu.
wow...I love that hamster ball feeder. Will have to look for one since it attracts all my favorite birds. Great photos of the Red-bellied woodpecker! It seems to have a lot more red on the belly then the ones that I see....sort of a blush all over rather than a smaller patch.
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