Self Portrait of Birds and....

I always love your pictures! Now may I ask you ....do I see nestboxes mounted on trees? Are they Wood Duck, Woodpecker or Owl boxes? I know you wouldn't mount song bird boxes on trees right?

Love the way the sapsucker looks imposed upon.

Wonderful pictures.

Gorgeous! :D
I especially love the cedar waxwing.
Looks like your skunk is a nursing mother. :)

Thank you all!
Lisa, the large barn- red box is for Owl & Woodpecker...never got anything yet, the white one's are
for Tree Swallows.

Blooming, yes, I think she has young one's under my shed.

Here she is coming out..
..

..

A nice Portrait of a Baltimore Oriole today,...just out of
the Camera, not edited.

Konrad

Hey Konrad, Ive had a Wood Duck box for 3 years now, I guess would work for Owls or the larger Woodpeckers. All I get in there are very happy Squirrels. I have never even seen a Wood Duck around here (the box was a gift). Have you ever visited the www.sialis.org website for cavity nesting songbirds? You can offer safer nestboxes.

Lisa,
Never have problems with safety, heaving the boxes 20 feet up the tree in the bush, I can see that in town it would be necessary.

Konrad

Great photos, Konrad!

Actually I am on the edge of the Manistee National Forest and 30 miles from town. I am sure you have Racoons, Snakes, Chipmunks, Squirrles...other tree climbing predators that will eat eggs or hatchlings. Don't remember if you have House Wrens or House Sparrows there but I need to protect my boxes from them too....even way out here in the woods. My boxes are 6ft up on poles with baffels (for climbers) Sparrow spookered for HOSP, greased for Ants and Wasps and the Blues,Dees (everybody but TRES) get Wren guards.

No Raccoons, Snakes, Chipmunks, Squirrels,...should say no
Squirrels for about 3 years now, one flying Squirrel had a nest last year'
in a owl box.
So far, most gets eaten, [the fledgelings] is by the Magpies, they
just hang around the boxes and waiting for the kill,..the tree swallows
are constantly dive bombing them. Neighbor cat is a problem too.

Pileated Woodpecker

White-tailed Deer

Coyote

You shud give up your day job and become a wild life photographer. What beautiful shots. I would be happy to just have one like that.

Wow, what a cool idea! Beautiful pics. My favorite is the cedar waxwing; love the oriole too. Thanks konrad.

konrad, these pictures are just beautiful. What a terrifically fun idea!!! It must be so exciting to pull the camera down and load up the pics. You never know what you will find there, hey? I'd love to see more of what you capture! ~~Angie

Very jealous of that Pileated Woodpecker. I would love to see one.
I've planted lots of stuff and trying to attract cedar waxwings (and others) to my yard but it's not working so far. What kind of bushes are those?

I didn't know you could turn a regular camera into a motion controlled one. What's a motion control board?
We used to have a game camera with motion detection, but it was years ago and it used this stuff call "film" lol which is a bad idea for a game camera because most of my shots were blurry or just half of an animal - and I had to wait a few days to find out what I had shots of. A digital one would be better and they're much more reasonable now than they were when I bought my camera. I should go out and buy one for my hubby for Christmas. Then I could use it. He got me a DVD player once. : )

Here is a link that might be useful: Game Camera ideas for Santa

here is one of a squirrel I have many pictures of birds and squirrels and chipmonks

Thank you all!
>>What kind of bushes are those? Honeyberry or Haskap, the first one's in the season with berries
and sure it's a Waxwing Magnet!

Unfortunately most commercial trail cameras don't give you satisfactory
pictures, ....perhaps some of the high end one's?

I you Google for Home brew trail cameras, or Sony camera hack, there is allot you'll find
to help you out building it, Buckshot has tutorial on U tube in hacking
cameras, most are Sony's, because these work best for the build and
hack, the motion, electronic sensor board, [below] 3 wires gets hooked up from camera.
Bigfoot outdoors com. you can order from, with Fresnel etc, there are others.

Some of my first builds..

Some of my builds..

Northern flying squirrel

Fabulous pictures Konrad!

Well that makes me want a honeyberry but I've heard they don't do well in my area. It would have to be a late blooming variety.
Thanks for posting the infor on your home made motion camera. It looks complicated. I'm not putting one on this years Christmas list but when I do, I'll be sure to research the home brew ones too. My hubby and I could figure it out if we tried I think....maybe.
It's fascinating to find out what prowls around at night or when nobody's around even if the pictures aren't perfect. Our dogs have been sticking their noses under the edge of my kids' playhouse. I know something goes under there, maybe a skunk. I'd be really happy to capture a photo of a Pileated Woodpecker like you did. The map says we have them here but I've never seen one.

Konrad--All I can say is---"WOW, amazing pics!!!" Thank you.

Very cool thread! Don't know how I missed this when you originally posted it, but I'm glad you have updated it. You certainly keep yourself busy with clever ways to observe the birds and wildlife.

I really like the 2nd pic of the Waxwing and the Oriole. Do you get a lot of extraneous pics too?

Thank you all!

>>It looks complicated.You can always buy one for around 200 $ from a home builder, Buckshot is one, he backs he's cameras and will repair them if needed.

>>It's fascinating to find out what prowls around at night or when nobody's around even if the pictures aren't perfect.Exactly, you'll always get the odd critters, also bugs and moth like
here, taking advantage of the tree sap at night, holes made from the
yellow bellied sapsucker.

Not focused, but clearly visible, it was sure a surprise.

...

>>Do you get a lot of extraneous pics too?Sure, allot get's deleted, mostly my neighbors cats.

...
On your face pictures

Those photos are amazing! I used to get good shots with my Non-typical Cuddeback cam, except that after one flash the animals avoided the camera, and the quality wasn't good enough for birds! How does your camera focus? My cams did poorly in that area.

Thanks Rachel,
Focusing is still a bit a mystery to myself and I have asked this question
in the camera building forum but no one can answer this. Night pictures
are focused surprisingly good with the focus light turned off so the animals don't get scared, well, somebody was thinking it was the preflash, I don't think so, this would be lightening speed, not possible with a point and shoot camera, it's more like hit and miss in the auto setting I have it set to, but you can also go into manual and set the desired distance you think the wildlife might appear.
Konrad

I put a camera up again, [Sony DSC-S40] I just finished for test on the suet sock.

I didn't expect the northern flying squirrel to come, they're nocturnal
and only get to see them at night.

And a Hairy Woodpecker..

Delightful photos! That snow on the tree looks like cotton candy that escaped from a kid.

The different color of eye shine reflections in night pictures is always fascinating.

Claire

Really cool stuff Konrad!! Love seeing your photos!

Exquisite! Love it!

Thank you all!
I'm still getting surprises..

A early bird from some time ago, still a bit dark.
Common Redpoll...

This little feisty poll chasing away a chickadee

Blue Jay

Magpie

I have a camera pointed to the dead flower pot to see if I get a night
shot of a Jackrabbit eating on it, but then a bunch of Bohemian
Waxwing needing some water in a puddle.

Cool shots Konrad! I love seeing what you capture with your cams.

Thanks Bandyzmom!

Got some White Tailed Deer shots...

Your pictures are great!! You live in a beautiful place!

Thank you Ginni...yes, I Iove it.
Snow is still around and will be a while when all melted, I put some sunflower seed down just to see what comes around, I really hoped to
see a rabbit because I have seen some prints around....no rabbit.

Magpie

..

Common Redpolls

..

White tailed deer

..

Blue Jay

..

Neighbors Cat

Wonderful! I can keep coming back for more cool photos!

Love love love the deer shots Konrad! They have such inquisitive looks on their faces. Too cool!! Thanks for sharing, and please keep doing so!!~~Angie

Thank you all!
Got some more of winter pictures, this deer is walking over camera.

Starting to melt

Common Redpoll

HOW pretty!!!!! I love, love, love these shots. So cool to be able to see what has come through. Just beautiful! Thanks Konrad!~~Angie

Thank you Angie!
Think I should stop...it's getting too long...one more, Baltimore
Oriole and Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.

I so enjoy your pics Konrad!
It must be so much fun, seeing what you "caught" in your camera the next day. Keep those pics coming!

Thank you Catherine!
Yes, it's so much fun, I only do it's one's in a while...especially
on branches, allot of time when the wind blows, the movement
of the branch will activate it.

Gardenweb did a good job getting rid of that spam....thank you so much!

OH MY WOWZA!!!! Did ya save the best for last? Jiminy Crickets, those are some breathtaking shots. Just unreal. I actually gasped aloud when I saw them. :o) Wonderful stuff! :o)

Such awesome photos!

Konrad: this is unreal.

I've never seen a photo of a Magpie. That is a beautiful bird.

I'm just as interested in your trees there as the fauna. Are those conifers Abies lasciocarpa? I see Tamarack larch of course. And is the birch: Betula papyrifera?

That is some beautiful country. Love the deer, love it all.

Thx,

Dax

awesome pics...I enjoy your wildlife pictures Konrad. great captured.

Thank you all!
Magpies are a bit of a nuisance....just like crows, they're in the
constant watch for easy picking of fledgelings at this time of year.

Dax, no fir, I have some pine, most in the pictures are green and blue Colorado spruce, some white spruce,..yes, Tamarack and birch, I also grow little leaf Linden, mountain Ash, choke cherries, burr Oak, tons of apple trees, all from seeds, and some more.

Here is one of my pride & joy of a seedling ornamental crab apple.

..

A wet crow

..
Wren

..

..

The Sapsucker got accustomed to the sweet treat now!
Hope this helps filling he's belly and be easy on making holes into my trees!

..

The female here is not seen anymore, looks like she is busy
with her nest.

..

Male still comes every day.

Let me know if loading up seems a problem for you...then I should stop this thread.

Tank you tank you tank you!

Regards,

Dax

A unexpected visit from a brown & flying squirrel.

It's winter again!

I love this thread! Outstanding pictures!

Thank you PK!
This is the same location...sunflower seeds.

Migrating birds are back!
Yellow bellied Sapsucker,...I rather have him eat sweets then taping and killing my trees.

..

Baltimore Oriole

Some more...

Harvest is almost over, ...again this year I wanted to see what's attracted to apples.

Porcupine,... a new animal around!

..

Deer
I've been missing cherries with broken branches..

..

Fox,..a new one!

..
Coyote

..
A young Moose!

konrad - absolutely outstanding! Every photo is a spectacular joy! They make us animal lovers smile. Thanks so much for posting these wonderful pictures.

Kindly,
Jane

I love ALL of these. So amazing. Will be doing this myself once I get my own yard.

Did you catch a surprise human in the last one? I've seen a moose once in my life, from about half a mile away. Wouldn't care to get much closer than that. Then again, I was camping for a few weeks at the Boundary Waters in Minnesota/Canada, a bit further north than I'm used to so I'm not really accustomed to them.

I love the deer curious about the camera.

Thank you all!
>>Did you catch a surprise human in the last one?No, that's me, ..it was a one's in a lifetime experience!
I was in the orchard when out of nowhere this moose was standing about 8 feet away, then we looked at each other, me then moving backward from this only tree I left unpicked for wildlife and getting my little pocket camera. This young moose stayed about 10min. munching on apples from the tree and ground.

Some pictures from my side of view.
You can see the trailcamera under the neck.

Aww! He looks so sweet munching on apples and hanging out in the shade :)

But he would mow me down in a second lol.

Is the building in the second picture an indication of how much snow you get?

FANTASTIC!!!!!! Always a treat to see your photos!

Thank you all!
LOL Bob

It has started....
Dark-eyed Junco, filling up before heading south.

The Jucos are here in Northern Illinois. They are so much fun and really make winter so much better.

Good!..most have left here.

This fall allot of moose showed up getting the harvest done!

Moose activity is happening more under cover of darkness, hunting season is on,.. clever moose!

It's so startling to see those huge animals kneeling to eat off the ground. I guess they usually eat more at eye level - they don't seem to have much in the way of callouses on their knees. Not that I'd want to get too close to something that big to inspect their knees....

Claire

Yes,...got me thinking too and your'e right, most often they eat at eye level. The picture above with mother and calf, the little one already kneeling down, perhaps learned from mom or just something what comes natural to them, I was in disbelieve the first time I saw it.

>>Is the building in the second picture an indication of how much snow you get?Sorry, didn't know at first what you meant, Bob, ...that is a little tree house on a steel fuel stand, I use it to put hive boxes up to catch swarms,..bees like to go high when searching for a new home.

Found this one,...thought it was cute.

This Coyote from this Winter

And young Moose

Your pictures are simply outstanding. What lovely property you have. Thanks so much for showing them to us.

Kindly,
Jane

It's been quite awhile since I've been on the forum Konrad and your pictures are still amazing as always! I love them all. I've seen moose kneel down on a street, to lick the salt off the road in Maine before. Wonderful photographs. Makes me want to move up north. I'd love having all that wildlife visiting my yard.

Robin

Oh Konrad, I'm so envious of your plot of land!! We have about 35 acres, but we're much too close to civilization. How exciting to actually have moose walking through! What a paradise you have there! Thank you so much for sharing these pictures with us. They make me happy. :)
And it was nice to see you in that one pic too!

Enjoyed your photos. Thanks for sharing.

VERY cool, the whole way down the page. Sharing with my kids!

absolutely beautiful!

Thank you all!
It also makes me happy when you like it and also enjoy nature.

I wasn't going to put a camera up this year with the orchard trees mostly resting, some had a little apples,..well then I figured it would be still nice to see what's going through this year.
One moose was there for about a week, one only whitetail deer mom with two offspring are pretty much there every night,..that's fine with me because last year there was way too many and lots of branches got ripped down, ..eventually they recover.

This is a first for me,..nursing mom.

This little tree got stripped in 10 min.

Apple gone...

After a good meal he checked out the camera.

Great to see this thread back with all the wonderful photos! That last moose has a beautiful shiny coat - I never thought of moosehide as being decorative.

Thanks,
Claire

Hi Konrad great pictures looking at the winter picture gave me a very calm feeling not sure why but I do love my winters and go out for many walk on the river in Quebec Canada all picture are awesome please keep posting this one is full will be looking for other subject of yours love natures pictures I guess we are a little nuts hmm good

Keep those pictures coming Konrad! I live "out in the country", but not like you. I would love living farther out though. How close are you to "development".
Any trees we plant, we have to put fencing around for several years (actually 5-10 years), to keep the deer from stripping them.
It would be so cool to have moose. We have mice.......hahaha

Thank you all!
Yes, winter I also love, especially here in Alberta where lots of sunshine is not lacking.

I live in town on a hill but have about 6 acres hobby farm 12 min. drive, this would be around 45min. from Edmonton, my workplace.

To give you a prospective, the other day picking some pears up on the ladder.

Wow........you're lots closer to other homes than I am.........but you're probably in an area that doesn't have mile after mile of subdivisions. How do your neighbors feel about moose in their yards? I would LOVE it!
Wish you were my neighbor Konrad! :)

Moose come into the orchard,..not in town, well sometimes one wanders into the city or town. They only come into my hobby farm because they can smell a food source, [apples] from far away.

Konrad, my husband and I traveled to Alberta and British Columbia last month and hoped to see moose and bears, but had no luck. The farthest north we got to, was the town of Jasper. You're so lucky to have such wonderful wildlife in your area!

Robin

Konrad.......seems like you have a bit of a paradise there! I'm sure you've put alot of blood, sweat and tears into it too.
I'm very happy for you!

Thank you all!

Sowngrow
Jasper and Banff National park are known for it's wild landscape with high mountain peaks but really not that much wildlife, guess the area are so vast that these animals are spread out pretty good. Nevertheless, hope you had a good time in Canada.
To see moose, I think Yellowstone park is a better bet.

Catherine,
Yes,..you said it, for over 25 years I have spent every free time there,..most all grown from seeds, incl. several hundred spruce trees. My main goal with this property is pretty well done now. Still allot of work for up keeping.

I know Alberta it grown like crazy with the pipe line I hope the nature will not be at harm
I love your pictures of the moose and deer. Have you ever thought of posting on Flickr it is free and there are lots of others people from Alberta that post pictures of natures. I have made many friends. If you join let me know I will send you my flickr address you can check out my photostream of pictures there are over 1000 a lot people love them most of them are nature

Bump!

The pics in this thread are too good to miss.

Hoping Konrad updates or starts a new thread with more pics!

Happy New Year!

Dreamgarden, thank for the bump; I looked at all of them again and giggled all the way down.

Konrad, please more pics from you! They make us so happy. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

Thank you all!

Lorna..think this is all I can handle.

Yes...thread is getting too long, most I have put in what I wanted and don't want to start a new one because it would be mostly repeats...will only add one here and there.

Tigerlillies just starting to open here.

You sure have a gift, Konrad!

Konrad- can you please start a new one? I'm sure you have new ones to show us. We LOVE your pictures. I smile so much when I see you post something. Thanks a million!