Sold my Canon 50D...

[MN Shutterbug]

...to finance my 2 dozen bushes, a few more feeders and more bird seed. It was a good decision. I'm getting quite the variety this spring in my new yard. I even had an Orchard Oriole try out the grape jelly this morning, which is the first I've seen in this part of the state. The yard is getting pretty colorful with the Gold Finches, House Finches, Red-breasted Grosbeaks and Baltimore Orioles. I'm really enjoying it.

[Dotch]

I agree. Can always get another camera fast enough but growing bushes takes time. What kind of bushes did you invest in Mike? Have the orioles been just nuts there too? Yesterday I counted 20 of them, and of the group 2 were male orchard orioles. Today they've scaled it back to about 10. Kinda glad because they picked 4 orange halves clean, emptied the nectar feeder and gobbled up 2 dishes of jelly. Lots of the same species here and very colorful too. Just saw our first indigo bunting of the season a few minutes ago.

[MN Shutterbug]

I planted a row of Arctic Fire Dogwoods and a row of Blue Muffin Viburnums along with 1 Honeysuckle Vine next to our flower garden. The hedges should really help in the fall and I'm hoping the Honeysuckle pulls in some hummers.

The light stunk for the oriole pic, but it's my first. This Crabapple tree really makes a nice background. I'll be making another attempt later in the day when the light is ideal. I just hope he comes back then.

[JayinMN]

Wow my crab apples don't even have leaves yet and your alsmost flowering. Are you still planning on any aronia/chokeberry?

[MN Shutterbug]

Wow my crab apples don't even have leaves yet and your alsmost flowering.

That's what happens when you live near the North Pole. No more bushes this year.

I sat in my blind between 6:00 and 7:15 this evening and the Orchard never returned. I went into the house and looked out the window, and there he was. Durned little bugger.

[micpic]

Sounds like a good variety of bushes. I've read somewhere that the Cardinals love the Honeysuckle to hide in the winter. It makes a good backdrop also.

Mike