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)
I don't believe
that we will get an early spring but signs of it have begun to emerge. It is not just the Starlings that have started to change their plumage, the Goldfinches show specks of more vibrant yellow as well, turning into their breeding colors. They are the most plentiful right now, along with House Finches (the sun came out yesterday!), Pine Siskins, Juncos and MoDos.
Bird activity remains slow
for this time of the year but I do enjoy having the Pine Siskins around. People seem to often mix them up with Goldfinches and House Finches, so I compiled some photos to show them from front and back. As I said before, good ID marks are Goldfinch size, pointy beak, yellow on sides and tail and a feisty spirit. The other two photos show a (very adorable) female House Finch.
Slim pickings still
this week but the Christmas deco is up and temps are going to go down soon. Here are some of the recent visitors. My calendars are all on sale this week, by the way - they are 15 % off and you can get them at the link on my home page and in my shop here.
Today started
with very cold temperatures, and out of my bedroom window, I could spot Bluebirds, Nuthatches and a Brown Creeper, and I was so happy. None of the above came to the cam setups but other surprise visitors did - Pine Siskins, whom I only see here every other odd year. They are goldfinch size, have pointy beaks, Goldfinch temperament and some yellow on the wings.
A little fall surprise
The other day, a flock of Pine Siskins visited. From afar, they are often mistaken for House Finches but they do differ in size - they are a lot smaller, more the size of a Goldfinch - in color - they wear fancy yellow stripes on their wings - and their beak is pointy rather than curved and thick. They are one of the most hyper and aggressive birds I have seen, this photo is typical 😆 I rarely ever have them here, so this was fun to see.
When I was looking
through the photos from yesterday, I saw lots of familiar birds but then one chest caught my eye. A Pine Siskin showed up! They are the size of a Goldfinch, have very pointy beaks and some yellow on their wings. People often confuse them with female House Finches but if you look closely here, you can tell the difference. Beak, chest pattern and the yellow are good markers. Just like Goldfinches, Pine Siskins seem to suffer from a Napoleon complex - they are tiny but mega feisty and hardly ever get along with other birds. Very entertaining little buggers.
A nice little surprise
during these rather dull times at the feeders was this Pine Siskin today (in the second pic, there is also a Goldfinch). I used to have lots during the cold season but none in the last two years. Due to the irruption, they are back in lower Michigan, but I haven’t seen larger numbers. They are feisty and entertaining little bird, and I hope there will be more. and that they tell their northern friends the Evening Grosbeaks of my yard.
