Questions for bird experts

[jblomenberg16]

Any INGO bird experts out there? I have two completely unrelated bird questions.

1) Do Martens (the split tailed birds that like to eat mosquitos) have a natural born fear of Cub Cadet lawnmowers? Each time I fire it up to mow, I get dive bombed by 3-6 birds. They continue to get braver and will now fly within about 2 feet of me while I'm riding the mower.

The neighbor down the road has some Marten houses, so they are defnitely within earshot of me when I fire up the mower. Just wondering if it sounds / looks like something they might naturally be afraid of and are trying to run me off since I'm close to thier home.


2) I was sitting on our deck this morning having coffee and watching the sunrise (and reading INGO) when very small Yellow Bird caught my eye. It had landed in the middle of the brick back wall on our house, and was hanging on to it sideways. The bird was maybe 3-4" tall at most - defnitely smaller than a typical sparrow, and was a very bright yellow color. It flew away before I could get the camera. Any idea what it could be? I've never seen one before, and lived here in Southern Indiana 25+ years.

My google searching is turning up either a Yellow Warbler or a Goldfinch, but this bird didn't have any black on it that I could see.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

ianabird expert, but here are my guesses...

1. the martens are looking for bugs that are getting stirred up by the mower. i've had barn swallows and mockingbirds do the same to me.

2. yellow warbler. the black on a male goldfinch is pretty noticeable, and although i've seen them hang upside down to feed, i've never seen one perched sideways on brick walls or tree trunks. did find this picture of a warbler in a similar pose though

 

[Stschil]

I suspect that the Martins know that when the mower is going, it's dinner time! You stir up all kinds of bugs. Palov's response?

Did the yellow bird have black tips on the wings? I would think it may have been a goldfinch, but those are pretty common in Indiana

Check out Whatbird.com I use this site all the time.

 

[pinshooter45]

I agree it's the dinner bell for the purple birds. Used to get dive bombed by them when I was a kid driving my dad's John Deere! Annoying at first and a little scary, since I thought they were trying to attack me! Nextdoor neighbor had the Martin house and I thought they were trying to defend their "turf". Some came within inches of me! Pretty cool to watch after you realize what they are doing, kinda like a game of "Dodge Bird".

 

[jblomenberg16]

Pavlovian response makes complete sense now that you say that...thanks!

Regarding the yellow bird, I didn't see any black on it...if anything some streaks of white on the belly and wing tips, so sounds like most probably the warbler.


Thanks INGO!!!