Backyard Birding

The backyard has been very busy in the last couple of weeks. This is just a sample, beginning with the four pair of Evening Grosbeaks and three pair of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks ...

Evening Grosbeak (male)

Evening Grosbeak (male)

Evening Grosbeak (male) with Brown-headed Cowbird (male)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male) and Evening Grosbeak (male)

If the Blue Jay was a rare bird, we would fall over ourselves in admiration of its beauty, but they are common, noisy, and perceived as bullies - though in actuality, no worse than any of the other birds at the feeders who will chase off other birds to get their favored seeds. I love the jays - raucous rogues that they are ...

Blue Jay

Year round birds accustomed to our presence and almost pets, are the Tufted Titmouse and Black-capped Chickadee. This one came to the rock five feet from where I was sitting to grab a hunk of suet that had fallen from the eave feeder ...

Tufted Titmouse

Black-capped Chickadee

The Red-bellied Woodpecker has been in the neighborhood for about seven years. Unlike the Downy and Hairy which wait for me to put out the suet in the morning, the Red-bellies are still wary and shy, but eagerly come to the suet and feeders and always provide stunning entertainment ...

Red-bellied Woodpecker (male)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (male)

GOOD BIRDING !!!

Ooops! But Still Good Birding

Ooops! I forgot to bring the feeders in two nights ago, and the bear took down the suet and destroyed the tube feeder. Blame it on the little gray cells getting older and forgetful.

The birds noticed the absence and were feeding in different places, but I am confident getting every bit as much seed as before, while the squirrels perhaps got less.

Highlight of the day was the Indigo Bunting. Not a new yard bird, but one that does not visit the yard or feeders every year. This year he has been here and what a treat! ...

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

Also, a rare treat was the female Baltimore Oriole which came briefly to the (replacement) suet feeder. Only once several years ago have I succeeded in attracting the orioles to the feeders. BTW, the oranges in the previous photo were put out in hopes they would draw the oriole. No luck there. The oriole did not cooperate on photos, so this is the only documentation I have ...

Baltimore Oriole (female)

With the absence of the tube feeder in the yard, the grosbeaks came to the window feeder right by the kitchen table - up close and personal with these gorgeous, if voracious, birds ...

Evening Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female)

And while I am on the grosbeaks, this is the first time I have seen a Rose-breasted Grosbeak visit the suet feeder ... just visible on the back side of the feeder ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Finally ... just because ... at least two pair of Gray Catbirds have been in the yard and visiting the suet feeder, along with Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, represented by the Downy below ...

Gray Catbird

Downy Woodpecker

Youngsters

It is that delightful time of the year when birds are nesting, fledging, feeding, and finding their way. Here's a sample, first from the backyard, and beginning with a handsome portrait of a young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (juvenile male)

Lots of feeding is going on - Evening Grosbeak and Tufted Titmouse are just two of many. And many more still hoping for a free handout, such as the fledgling Red-winged Blackbird, who was ignored despite its persistent complaints ...

Evening Grosbeak

Tufted Titmouse

Red-winged Blackbird

This young Northern Cardinal has just about gotten the problem of food figured out ...

Northern Cardinal

 Elsewhere around the area, young Hooded Mergansers were in the Wilson Wetlands in Putney ...

Hooded Mergansers

... and in the upper elevations of Somerset, many songbirds were busy feeding fledglings, but unfortunately did not come within camera range.

Barely within camera range, and probably caring less about the birds and the bees (at least for the next few months) was this Black Bear in the wet grasses of a large beaver pond ...

Black Bear

Good Birding!!

A Busy Day in the Yard

This afternoon alternated between heavy showers and golden sunshine, and the yard was as busy as ever. At least two dozen species (maybe three dozen) nest in our immediate neighborhood, and most of those make regular visits to our bird feeders. I sat on the back porch and watched the show! Hardly a pause in the activity ... a captivating way to spend an afternoon.

Here is just a sample ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - immature male

Mourning Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Evening Grosbeak

Northern Cardinal

Purple Finch

 

American Goldfinch

Gray Catbird

White-breasted Nuthatch waits its turn - Evening Grosbeak (female)

It is a BIRD Feeder!! What do you not understand about BIRD FEEDER?

Good Birding !!

Bank Swallow et al

On Saturday's Audubon walk in Hinsdlae (the last of five Saturdays), it was clear that the migrants had passed through while the residents were into full breeding mode with territorial singing and defense, courtship display, nest building, and all of the other activities associated with perpetuation of the species.

The highlight for me was the Bank Swallows whose in flight courtship was frenetic and exciting. Occasionally, they even came to rest, and presented a wonderful photo op. Bank Swallow is a new species in my photo library.

Bank Swallow

Bank Swallows

Bank Swallow

Bank Swallow

Back home in the back yard, those fascinating creatures, crows, continue to amuse and delight us as they sneak up on the dog food we put out for them, and go about their own form of family dynamics.

American Crows

 Evening Grosbeaks have returned for yet another year and another round of family raising. While it is considered "uncool" in some nature photography circles, to photograph birds with any evidence of human presence (roads, fences, roof ridges, or whatever), including bird feeders, I have not such qualms. The breeding presence of these colorful birds is in clear evidence at the beginning of the breeding cycle with courtship feeding, as seen here ...

Evening Grosbeaks - courtship feeding

Good birding!!

Spring Migration - Arrivals

Southeastern Vermont Audubon has done 2 walks along the old railroad bed at the Hinsdale Setbacks, listing species, and hoping to establish a baseline for future years.

Yellow-rumped Warblers have been the most numerous warbler to date, followed by Palm Warbler, and those are the only 2 which have provided photo ops.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

On some occasions at the setbacks, Tree Swallows are been rife ...

Tree Swallows

After today's walk, I did my favorite type of birding - sitting on the back porch and watching the action around the yard. The new arrival today was the Rose-breasted Grosbeak ... at least 3 males. Girls haven't arrived yet.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

The Evening Grosbeaks are back in numbers (yet to figure out how many pairs). They are using the maple just off the porch to do their courtship (when they aren't emptying the feeders of sunflower seeds). The boys are displaying their fine grosbeak genes ...

Evening Grosbeak displaying

Evening Grosbeak displaying

 Finches have also been abundant, including Pine Siskins ...

Purple Finch

Finch Feeder - Purple Finch (female), Pine Siskins, American Goldfinch

I don't want to neglect the year-round residents who endured the tough winter, and are now singing the hearts out. Black-capped Chickadee is just one ...

Black-capped Chickadee

And to add the downside to all of this, there have been plenty of Brown-headed Cowbirds ...

Brown-headed Cowbird

Good Birding !! ... and more to come