I always find it fascinating
when nature does things that we cannot manipulate in any way and that remind us of how magnificent and powerful she is. And the amount of awe it inspires is not related to the size of the event or object. The upcoming solar eclipse is just as amazing as the summer molt of the Goldfinches. The weather is fine, the migratory birds are on their way, and yesterday I did some actual garden work. Yay, spring! Happy Sunday!
(On a sidenote - Squarespace has somehow updated their website, and I am seeing that my website now looks different. I am working on getting everything back to comfy.)
I have been impatiently waiting,
but this morning, a lovely surprise happened - the first Hummingbird arrived, along with some more snow. The forecast for the rest of the week looks good, so I hope I can help this little trooper to make it.
Happy April Fool’s Day ;)
This year, there seems to be
an abundance of Cardinals in my yard, something that I am not complaining about at all! From afar they all kind of look alike but up close, their individuality becomes more obvious. I believe these are all different birds. So similar but also so different.
Happy Easter
to those who celebrate. I always find it fascinating to see what colors and shades the Grackles come in, and this year is no difference. There is a purple type, a more blue and green type, and some with bronze tones. And like every year, there is one that stumps me with its eye colors. Very dark, unlike the adults, but also not a youngster that early in the season. That is the one in the first two photos.
I cannot believe
that April is almost here now. Temperatures are looking very nice for the coming days, as well as the migration monitors online (this is a fantastic and fascinating source: https://birdcast.info/). The backyard is still slowly revocering from winter, and there has been a nice steady activity all week. Here are a couple of the current regulars. Have a wonderful Easter weekend!
(Titmouse, Pine Siskin, Redwinged Blackbird, Goldfinch, Goldfinch, Downy Woodpecker)
Update.
It looks like I have found a solution. If you want to support in any way, you can visit my Patreon (https://patreon.com/Ostdrossel) or buy things at my Redbubble shop (linked on the main page).
I mentioned it a while ago, but a couple of weeks ago, my work situation changed a bit. As a result of this, I will have to close this website because I am currently not able to afford it. I will continue to take photos and videos and post them on social media, but the website is a luxury that is out of my current budget. I will try and find a free solution, and the livestreams may eventually get moved to my YouTube channel. I am sorry about this and I will keep you updated.
Birds are wonderful
photo subjects for all kinds of reasons, but there are some with which I am always hoping for certain things to happen and capture. Right now, the Redwinged Blackbirds are in perfect constant near-explode mode, which results in the most hilarious but also most gorgeous photos.
I shouldn't have spoken
about spring yesterday, because this is what we got today. I do not mind it because I don’t have to drive, it looks beautiful and snow days always have lots of bird activity. Stay warm and be safe out there!
My favorite season,
spring, has finally arrived. On the calendar, at least, because we are currently experiencing a fun mix of wind, snow and sunshine. I know it is all part of the seasonal adjustment, and just knowing that there will probably not be another week-long deep frost makes my heart sing. The birds are staying close to food and water, and yesterday, this beauty’s hair was tussled in the breeze. I think the groundhog went back for some more napping though.
For weeks now,
the Goldfinches have looked like their change to the vibrant yellow summer feathers was about to start, but now, the really adventurous looks are popping up more and more. I thought the first one looked very interesting because he has a lot of features of a Common Redpoll.
It was very nice
in the last two days, today, I didnt even wear socks for quick runs outside. The Cardinals are singing up a storm, the Groundhog made a first showing, the Juncos begin to leave, and I have planted some tomato and okra seeds (inside still). I am also keeping an eye on migration forecasts, and things look very promising for the coming weeks. Here are two handsome male current regulars, showing all their colors to improve mating chances.
Do you have special songs,
smells or sounds that instantly transport you to a time or place? These guys do that for me. Once I am hearing them, I know spring is on the way. Male Redwinged Blackbirds usually appear first, along with Grackles, but yesterday, I also saw the first females, as well as some Cowbirds. So despite the snow this morning, spring is really unfolding!
Happy Women's Day
to all the wonderful ladies out there! I don’t know what the world would be like without women, and I am happy to be one myself. The weather is murky today, but here are some Robin photos to brighten the mood. Female Robins have a lighter head cap, more grey than black, whereas the males darker head colors are black. I think this one here is a male. The Robins have steadily started to reclaim their territory here, and it is awesome to hear their song echo across the yard in the evenings and mornings. Have a lovely day and weekend!
Isn't it so funny
how certain sounds make you feel in a certain way? Stepping outside right now does that, the Grackles and Redwinged Blackbirds are putting it all out there, and it makes me feel like spring. And when the landscape is barren, what better is there to look at the glorious, gorgeous Grackles? There are the blue variety as well as the purple one. Returners are Count Jr. with the white spot as well as “Kermit” with the odd eye. I hope you all had a wonderful World Wildlife Day!
A personal note.
Spring is just around the corner, which means that activity will pick up, which in turn means that this birding hobby can become quite pricey. My work situation has changed a bit recently, and in order to be able to continue with all of this, I may need some support. Asking for that is not something I really like to do, but at the moment, I do not see any other way. I have created a Patreon account for this very reason. You may check things out here.
I am happy to hear what people have to say and what suggestions for a subscription reward you have, so do not hesitate to get in touch. And have a beautiful evening.
This morning,
it really felt like spring outside. The Cardinals and House Finches were singing, the snarls of the Grackles and Redwinged Blackbirds filled the air, and it was so warm that I did not have to wear a coat. Variety and activity is still down but I am enjoying these sure signs of spring. I also serviced the nestbox the Chickadees used last year, it needed a new roof and some other repairs. The BB house is next. And here are some visitors. Wonderfully enough, the Grackle with the white dot on the neck has returned!
I guess it is time,
spring is really underway. In the last two days, several Grackles and Redwinged Blackbirds have stopped by. They may be a week early but otherwise are very timely for this time of the year. I am very happy to see something other than Mourning Doves and Goldfinches at the feeder, and I feel like I have to adjust my cam settings a bit to accommodate the larger birds. Here’s to a happy weekend!
The sun was out today,
and the birds seemingly posed with proudly-swelled chests. It is still cold and gets below zero at night but the days are undeniably getting longer, and spring is starting to fill the air with bird song. Now that the darkest time of winter is over, I am pretty much ready for spring to begin, the summer birds to arrive and getting my hands dirty in the garden again.
I have recently ventured
into experiments with night sky photography, and have been enjoying the excitement of discovering and learning something new a lot (I know this is not perfect but I am having a lot of fun!). I have been putting a camera on the ground, with settings set for low light and timelapse night after night. It is fun to see what happens in the sky over night, it is beautiful and fascinating and mysterious. I have been compiling videos as well as photos, and today, since bird activity is still lackluster, here is a sky photo. Early this morning the clouds vanished and revealed a beautiful carpet of stars. I did have two Redwinged Blackbirds visiting yesterday, and the Robins are still hanging around, so with March approaching, I hope activity will pick up soon. Here's to a great week!
Winter has returned
with quite a bit of snow this morning, and it was awesome watching the Cardinal share the food bowl with a cheeky American Tree Sparrow and some Juncos.
