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.
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.
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!
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!
I will continue
to post the birds of the calendars in the coming days, but there are still some Gracks left for this year. July, August, September and October are always fun months. The babies emerge, and Grack babies are super cute, many birds undergo dramatic molts, and the landscape changes color too.
May for the Gracks
had to be something special, and in the non-judgy calendar, you see the OG, Count Grackula himself. He has stopped coming this season, and I think he may have just gotten too old, but his white markings made him very recognizable. The good thing is, the legacy is carried on, there are more like him with white spots. All other photos show why I had to make two Grackle calendars, I just like their poses but they are so awesomely goofy when they look straight into your face.
All calendars will be on sale from tomorrow until January 2nd 2024 here: https://tinyurl.com/ff6bj43m
When the warm weather returns,
Grackles also make a comeback here, they are one of the earliest migrants to arrive. The weather is wild during the early months of the warm season, which means that there are tons of great Grackle photos with rain but also their beauty sticking out in front of the barren yard. Here are March and April of the regular Grackle and the Judgy Grackle calendars. The top two are some of my favorites I have ever taken, and I absolutely love the last one.
The Grackles
for February are for one, yet another that came on a snowy day, and the judgy one with a very intense stare. Photos like the second one are why I decided to make a judgy Grack calendar, they just have the best poses, and the world needs to see them.
It's getting a bit late,
but I still wanted to take the time to introduce the calendar birds. There isn’t much else going on here right now anyways. Now as you know, this year I made three calendars, so there are three potential images to grace your quarters in January. For the “Grackles through the seasons”, you’ll get a beautiful and sceptical Grack whose feathers shine gloriously against the white background. The male House Finch is the January bird for the regulars calendar. I loved the head tilt and all that snow! Choice 3 is a judgy Grackle, also in the snow. I have added links to the calendars on my homepage here.
If this is a face
that only a mother could love, I guess I am a mother now 😁 Grackles can undergo some of the more dramatic molts, with individuals sometimes losing their entire head feathers. This gives them a completely different appearance, and while I kind of pity them, I also deeply love these weirdly beautiful creatures.
Molting season is here,
and many birds are shedding part of their feathers in various spots to grow new ones. They do this now because their skin gets exposed, and warm weather makes being partially naked a lot easier. I always love this part of the year because nobody molts in the same way and the textures and colors are pretty cool to see. Yes, those awkward holes are their ears!
The Grackles
are also still around, and some are still feeding babies, but molting has also begun, giving some of them the best and most dramatic looks. As if they couldn’t already do that with their plumage fully intact!
Another busy week has passed,
and I was finally able to solve my computer issues by upgrading. And I took some time for photos too. There are still no hummingbirds, which is a bummer, but I am still keeping up hope. The baby birds are pretty much ruling the backyard, and it is tough to find good shots because they have that toddler energy 😆
The Grackles were the first ones
to start bringing their babies. They look and sound adorable, and I will never get tired of their cute squawks. The one in the middle followed the parent to the feeder bowl, begging for food from the left bottom corner. My favorite pose of theirs is "downward Grack", showing off their elegance and beauty.
The frost warning from last night
was hopefully the last one for the season. I moved the baby plants to a sheltered spot and was happy I had not planted anything yet. And it is warming up outside again now. There are nests, full and empty, finished or in progress, all over the place. I know the Grackles have babies because the other day I found Grackle egg shells in the pond, and now they drop their diapers in there and come to dunk nuts in the water too. And yesterday, there was this dedicated parent with a beak full of insects. The Redwinged Blackbird is in this set too because it’s such a pretty photo.
Guessing from the local birding groups,
Michigan is bursting with Orioles and Hummingbirds but I have not seen either yet. I think the Orioles are soon to arrive but given recent years, I am not counting on a lot of hummer activitiy anytime soon. I did hear the House Wren sing today, and Grosbeaks are around. Here is one of them, and two weird occurances from this week - a Grack with an injured beak and a MoDo with an egg stuck to its leg. We are all confused here! Happy weekend!
Some more spring portraits.
The weather has been nasty but things seem to take a turn for the milder now 🤞. I have seen Grosbeaks in the last two days, but no Oriole or hummer yet. In other exciting birder news, a rare Vermillion Flycatcher has been spotted in my area. I have not made the trip to seek him out but I have seen photos, and he's quite spectacular. Spring migration can be quite amazing, and I hope there will be some surprises in my yard as well.
Despite some more frosty temperatures,
the backyard has truly started to transform, and one of my favorite things in spring is when the fruit trees and the Serviceberry begin to bloom. The latter is a little early this year, it usually starts in May. Yesterday was beautifully sunny, a perfect occasion for happy spring portraits. The Hummingbirds, Orioles and Grosbeaks should start arriving soon as well, and milder weather is on the horizon. Finally!
