Yesterday has been
a rather mild day. The snow started to melt, leaving a sludgy mess on the ground. This was great for bird photography because some of the ones who like feeding on the ground came up to the photo setup. And the prettiest of them all was this gorgeous Cardinal lady. Her hair game is top notch!
When nothing much
is going on, there’s still some activity apart from the MoDos. I call them the tiny crowd, and they are usually the first to greet me when I open the buffet in the morning. I often just stand ofr a bit to watch them, and they just make me smile. There’s two kinds of Nuthatches - the very human-friendly teensy Redbreasted and the more shy but equally diligent Whitebreasted. You can tell male and females apart by the color of the broad center stripe on their head. Males have a jetblack one, females more grey. Also belonging to the tiny crowd - the choir in the back, friendly Chickadees and Titmice. Come good into Wednesday!
Video: The tree cam setup
has proven to be the most entertaining during this rather drab time. I have gone through the videos from the last couple of weeks and made a little montage. I use peanut butter and bark butter on the tree. It is fun to see how many different birds came tocheck it out. Yesterday, there was also a hawk visitng, I was thinking a Sharp-shinned but it could just as well be a Cooper’s. The bird right after it is the banded American Tree Creeper that has been coming for a bit. Have a great Wednesday!
It is always funny
to come back home and open up the bird buffet after a bit of time away. When the weather is nice, it can take a while for the birds to come back, but if it is -12 degrees Celsius like today, they will flock the feeders. It was lovely to see them all today but there were no big surprises. I loved and squealed when I saw the BBs, so here is my little “Hello and welcome back” BB pic. I am also low on mealers, and they probably know, so here is a mental note to buy more. Come good into Wednesday!
Video: Thirsty bun
Good morning! The yard is still slim pickings when it comes to birds but there was a thirsty bunny at the pond last night that I thought people might enjoy. It is still very mild out and I think I will give the pond one more thorough cleaning before I close it for the season.
Two days ago, there were Bluebirds at the Gilbertson box, and I heard them yesterday in the morning too. This made me incredibly happy because they have been absent since the Wren destroyed their eggs earlier this summer. I hope they will start sticking around again, I miss seeing these lovelies. Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Video: Finally!
I have been stalking this adorable little stinker for a couple of weeks now, a young Cardinal. I keep hearing it begging for food from the parents but the whole family is camera shy. This morning, however, he came for a sip at the bird bath. The beak is still brown and will only change to the characteristic red when the bird has reached one year of age. The plumage will slowly start to fill in more with color too. I love this "tie-dye" stage on them.
Apart from that, there is very little going on in the yard still. The leaves are starting to turn, the air smells like fall, and it is raining Black Walnuts. This means for me that winter prep is still ongoing. Each morning, I go out with a helmet on to collect them (they are big and fall from tall trees and I like my head). I also saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch this morning, which is wonderful news because you never know if they will return. Hopefully, it will also check out the camera feeders. Have a nice Wednesday!
Many of the summer Blue Jays
have migrated (yes, even they do that but not as far as the typical migratory birds), but there is still a smaller group around. some of them are looking very scraggly but here is the proof that not all of them molt. Sometimes I get so used to their scruff that I almost forget how gorgeous and perfect they normally look 😄 Speaking of blue - I also heard a Bluebird sing this morning! Hopefully this means they will be around again soon. Happy Wednesday!
I hope you are not sick
of seeing Hummingbirds yet. Because here are some more from yesterday. I personally like this small feeder that we made ourselves because it centers the bird nicely in the frame, but as I mused before, it does not seem to be a favorite of the birds. However, yesterday, there was a very cooperative visitor, and I think maybe the regulars are snubbing me with the experimental feeders but the travelers are just hungry and go for anything. We had a big storm last night, which possibly helped migrants on their way south, so we will see how long the tiny winged jewels will still come here. I did see Orioles still yesterday too. If you want to follow bird migration along, check out https://birdcast.info, they have some really cool maps. Have a great Wednesday!
50 Shades of Orange
There was a lot of Oriole traffic yesterday, so much that I decided to prep one of the photo cams with jelly to get some more photos. So here’s your hump day dose of Vitamin O 😁 They are so diverse and pretty, I can hardly choose a favorite. These are males and females, younger as well as adults. Basically the whole Baltimore Oriole range. They will soon move on and I am going to miss them.
I have empty nest syndrome,
since the last BB baby fledged this morning. I cleaned the box and rehung it so Dr. Clara can start another nest, and that helped with the little sadness of not having seen any of them leave the box. Meanwhile, I keep an eye on the events and visitors on the yard. Yesterday, I saw the first Hummingbird, just briefly in the evening, today a female and male Rosebreasted Grosbeak. There is a very vocal Oriole, too. May is starting nicely but so far, also very wet. I am ready for some sunshine. Peanut the Redbellied Woodpecker seems to have a girlfriend nearby. He comes very frequently and also announces himself loudly. Sail smoothly into Wednesday!
Video: FOY White-throated Sparrow
Spring migration is underway, and while I haven't seen an Oriole or Hummingbird yet, this beauty stopped by the bird bath this morning. White-throated Sparrows are native to the US, and they look super cool with their bib and head markings. I only get them for short periods, so it is always a delight to see one.
I have seen numerous Oriole sighting reports yesterday, so they should also arrive here any day / hour now. The Bluebird babies had a huge growth spurt yesterday, are developing their dotted “PJs” and have started to exercise their wings. Dr. Clara did not spend the night on the nest with them but this could also have been because it was so warm. Things are looking up in the garden too. Baby veggies are getting bigger and the fruit trees are full of blooms. Even the Mulberry that we transplanted here a couple of years ago as a sapling has a bloom. I cannot believe my favorite month May is almost here.
Video: Talk to the wing!
I cannot wait to set the pond back up. It looks like competitive bathing season is here and the heated bath is way too small. 😆
I like the Gracks,
and I cannot lie… And since nothing else is really happening here bird-wise, you’re getting another load of these glorious and majestic birds. Come good into Wednesday!
It is getting milder
and the yard is turning into a slushy pit but we had sun today, and at this time of the year, it always feels somewhat healing. A Cardinal came over, and I thought about all the people who have lost someone during these times where saying goodbye cannot happen the way it used to. They say when a Cardinal comes by, it is a greeting from a loved one that has passed. This is a big hug to all of you who have lost someone during this pandemic. Love as much as you can. And wear a mask, so we can return to more normal times soon.
Video: Sir Hoppy Swiftfoot!
This bunny has been coming every night all winter long, but tonight when we got quite a bit of snow, he made it up onto the feeder. This feeding station is about a foot off the ground, and I am very impressed with his survival skills. I also think he is super adorable.
Good night, stay warm and have a great Wednesday!
The BBs
are also called “Bluebird of happiness”. They have been visiting steadily but usually use the caged feeder (it excludes Starlings that go bonkers for mealworms). The BBs stay here year round, and they usually go for some nibbles and sips and also make sure the nestbox is still there. They go in, sit on the roof and take some of the grass out that I put in there for the roosting Woodpecker. Have a happy Wednesday!
A blue beauty
to end this day on a nice note. The angle of the sun has changed, and it just illuminates the birds in a wonderful way for a couple of hours during the day. Good night!