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.
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!
The snow has thawed
and since things have slowed down again a bit, I decided to take the chance for a little feeder break to make the Starlings move on. Here are some of the last photos from snow day. The two Cardis are different individuals. The first one still has some orange spots, so I think he is a young male from last summer. The other one looks more mature, also note the slightly broken beak (which I hear grows back). The other two are a Mourning Dove and a Starling that is seemingly already far into the transition to breeding plumage.
I am a May child,
so naturally, the calendar bird of May is something I can identify with or find particularly fun, and this time, with the regulars, it is a MoDo. The June bird is a juvenile Rosebreasted Grosbeak. I love the mix of patterns and colors that are going on with this one while the baby plumage is still there but the adult one is coming through. (The red on his beak is grape jelly.)
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.
It’s still lush and green outside
and the birds remain scarce. Only the MoDos have started coming in larger groups again. Better than nothing, and they look fun with their late molt. Summer will be back shortly next week, and then the weather seems to really cool down. A good time to take the pond out and set up the heated baths. And to get going with the calendars. This time, there will be two calendars, one with Grackles only 🖤
I try to avoid
being anthropomorphic when it comes to the birds but sometimes you cannot help but noticing something that could be seen as a character trait. Both Blue Jays and MoDos are really good at posing and drama. Alone as well as together 😂 (The first Blue Jay is sunbathing, the one in photo 3 has been eating mulberries). Come good into Friday!
If you have followed me for a bit,
you know that I have some sort of a love-hate relationship with Mourning Doves. I do find them comical and pretty but they can also be overwhelming when groups of 20 and more hit all the feeders and aggressively defend them. As with many of the more “dull” looking birds, they show fascinating details up close. Males and females almost look alike, but there are some differences. I looked them up to be extra sure but to be honest, I am not sure here. I tend to think it is a male because of the more rosy than tanned color, the vibrant neck feathers and the blueish top of the head.
After the snowstorm last night,
we did not have any internet, but the sun was shining and everything looked beautiful. I pretty much put a coat over my PJs and put the photo cams out to capture some of that morning sun. The Grackles were shiny, and everybody else was happy to find food (Bluebird, Grackle, House Finch, Mourning Dove).
During this time
of the year, and I guess always, there will also be the opportunists. And they can be tiny and adorable like the Titmouse but also overwhelming like a group of European Starlings. Well, and the MoDos…
The sun came out,
it was nice and frosty, and we took the last Christmas lights on the outside down. The Nuthatches, Titmice and Chickadees were happily buzzing around, the woodpeckers were busy, and the Finches were happy. And so were the squatters. They hogged the camera bowls, convinced that everybody needs to see only them 😝
A crazy thing happened today,
the sun came out! It feels like it’s been ages. It was a bit cooler too, and there were birds! When I first stepped out in the morning, I could hear a Bluebird, so I put some mealers out in the open bowl, and voilà. What a nice sight after these weeks of barely any fun photos. The Titmice and Chickadees were very vocal and the MoDos feisty as always (yes, that one in the back holds the feathers of the other one 😂 ). Here’s to a good birding week!
The way things are right now,
I am saving a lot of money on bird food because there is still simply nothing happening. Today was a lovely gloomy day with fog for almost morning to evening, but only few birds visited. This may be a good time to purge for a bit to get the MoDos to move on 🤔 We will see, there is some cold weather coming, and that usually brings birds in.
It was a day
with crazy weather day here in Michigan today. I only went out heavily bundled-up and was nervous to get on the ladder to replenish the peanut butter on the tree because it was so windy. There was good bird activity, and there is a Chickadee roosting in the Bluebird box tonight, but the light was also bad and everybody literally was out there trying to survive. Here are two photos from today though. A MoDo fighting off a Starling, and a Starling with an ice crown. These guys are so nuts they took baths today. It was so cold that the splashes froze on the lens and I had to de-freeze it several times. I hope you are all in a warm spot, good night! Hoping for snow and sun tomorrow!
Happy 4th advent, Hanukkah, holidays and Sunday!
A good day to conclude the introduction of the calendar birds. For December, I initially chose a female Bluebird because I just loved her grumpy expression. However, this year’s December bird is also a female BB. I try to avoid repetition and also had another fabulous photo that would work - the Queen of all Mourning Doves. If you squint, she looks a bit like a Christmas tree too 😆
My calendar promo sale ends tonight, they are available here.
And some nice
back views. The Grackle is still hanging around, and I wonder if the MoDos are a bit miffed to have more competition from bigger guys this winter. Come good into Thursday!
The light has been changing,
and in the evenings, can create a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. The MoDos are natural born posers, and this one played the cam like a pro. The Blue Jay one I loved because it is so opposite of their usual rather noisy character. As a bonus, another one of Forrest, the groundhog. I love the details in his coat, he even has hair on his fingers. Happy October! I hope you have a pleasant Saturday.
Now is a time
where it feels good to slowly say goodbye to summer. The Orioles have left, I saw the last one three days ago. There are still hummingbirds coming but the nights are getting colder and there is no denying that fall is approaching quickly. I am trying to enjoy the last of the veggie garden that went to bad this year because of the lack of rain, and I am enjoying the relative calm in regards to birds, even if it is a bit boring. The Bluebird family has not returned yet but I hope to see them soon. And in the meantime I am trying to think up fall and winter camera setups. A good time to post MoDos. They are molting and exhibit some interesting looks.
I am currently waiting
for a bird food delivery, so I had to stretch things a bit and only put very little out in the last couple of days. This also helps a bit with the feeder-hogging MoDo issue. However, they still have their lookouts and see me coming out or probably even recognize the sound of the door. And even the little ones know how to hog 🤣. This baby Dove tried everything to get the older bird to share. The new seed comes tomorrow, then hopefully things can mellow out here a bit. Have a great Saturday!
