Buttervale Is for the Birds

I hung out our first hummingbird feeder three days ago, hanging it from a shepherd’s hook pole near the sunflowers, between the birdbath and the existing feeding station. I mixed up some simple nectar, filled it, hung it up and figured we’d see what happened.

Apparently, word travels fast in the hummingbird community.

It wasn’t long. In less then an hour, I looked out and saw one actually drinking from it.

I think I actually may have sqealed a little when I saw it.

Then it came back.

Or maybe that was another one?

Then there were more.

Before long, I had three hummingbirds flitting around at the same time, chasing each other, darting through the yard and generally looking like tiny fighter jets dogfighting in the yard. I’ll have to look it up. Has there ever been a plane named after a Hummingbird. We have Falcons and Eagles and Hornet…I don’t recall a Hummingbird.

So much for wondering whether they would find it.

I bought a two pack of feeders and now feeder number two is up, as well, and it has already had its first visitors.

It went in out of sight of the other feeder on one of the trellis poles on Blackberry Row. It’s well positioned to be seen out our kitchen window. 

I’ve also moved one of the bird cameras to get a better view of the action, but can already see it won’t be enough to get the shots I want. The cool “beauty” shots you see online. Super slow-mo, frame by frame fun.

Because obviously the logical response to attracting hummingbirds is more cameras, right? You can save this post for the eventual Intervention.

The Buttervale Bird Sanctuary Keeps Growing

The hummingbirds are only the latest residents in what has slowly, and somewhat accidentally, become the Buttervale Bird Sanctuary.

We’ve got feeders.

We’ve got birdbaths.

We’ve got flowers and berries.

We’ve got cameras.

We’ve got native plants going in around the property.

We’ve got plans to add some nesting boxes.

Becaues increasingly, I’m trying to make Buttervale not just a place where we see birds, but a place where we can actually pay attention to who is visiting, when they’re here and what they’re doing.

Which brings me to the newest gadget at Buttervale.

The BirdWeather PUC or Portable Universe Codec.

Yes, I bought another piece of bird technology.

Nobody should be surprised by this anymore. Add this to the list for my Intervention.

Big Brother is Listening

The PUC is basically a little outdoor listening station for the yard.

In the first 24 hours it was working, it detected almost 1600 birds of 27 different species.

Instead of waiting for me to hear a bird, grab my phone, open the Merlin App and hope the bird sings again, the PUC will sit outside listening throughout the day and identify birds by their songs and calls.

That changes things.

There are undoubtedly birds moving through Buttervale that I never see.

But they make noise.

And now Buttervale is listening. Always listening. (Insert manaical laughter here.)

Even better, You can listen along and see what the PUC is hearing and identifying on the Buttervale BirdWeather station page:

Buttervale PUC – Live View

One warning, though: don’t trust the temperature reading just yet.

The PUC is currently sitting where it gets too much direct sun.

I’m still figuring out the best permanent location.

Today’s experiment involves a tree strap and one of the palm trees right in the heart of what has become Bird Country. That should give the PUC some shade while putting its microphone right in the middle of the action.

We’ll see how it does.

It is also a ton of fun to pull up the BirdWeather Map and listen to stations all over.

What Are We Missing?

This is the part I’m really excited about.

Over time, the PUC should start building a much better picture of the bird population around Buttervale. Not just the obvious cardinals, blue jays and mourning doves, but the quieter visitors and seasonal travelers that we might otherwise completely miss.

I have already started researching how I can attract some of the birds we now hear and know are nearby to drop in for a meal or a bath or a roost.

How can we better meet their needs?

It’s one thing to walk outside and say, “There are a lot of birds around here.”

It’s another thing entirely to start building a record of which birds are actually here.

What time do they show up?

Which species are seasonal?

Who passes through during migration?

Who is singing at 4:42 in the morning while I’m still quite happily asleep?

And who has been hanging around Buttervale all along without us ever noticing?

Now we have another way to find out.

From Backyard to Nature Station

I’m starting to realize that there’s a bigger project developing here.

We already have cameras watching the feeders.

We’ve started experimenting with live streaming.

The gardens are increasingly being planted with birds, hummingbirds, pollinators and other wildlife in mind.

The hummingbird feeders have opened up an entirely new little highway through the yard.

And now the PUC gives Buttervale a set of ears outside.

Eventually I’d love to tie more of this together, the cameras, live solar productiuon data, bird identifications, weather conditions and maybe even a live 24/7 Buttervale stream where anyone can drop in from anywhere and see or hear what’s happening in the yard.

Not because Buttervale is some great wilderness.

It’s just a little ol’ suburban backyard in Virginia Beach.

I think maybe that’s the coolest part.

Nature doesn’t require a National Park.

Sometimes you just have to give nature a little food, a little water, a few flowers and a place to land.

This week, the hummingbirds were a lesson.

I put out one feeder.

They came.

I put out another.

They found that one, too.

Now I’ve put out a microphone.

Welcome to the Buttervale Bird Buffet & Sanctuary

Apparently, we’re listening now, too.

Tomorrow the Adventure Continues…

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