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 😝
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.
Here is
the goddess of the snack drawer. Mourning Doves are smart, even if they might not appear so. My 20-25 know when and where the best food is. And they are vain. I have a love-hate relationship with them. Love for their goofiness and beauty, hate for their voracious appetite and feeder dominance (yes, they can be very aggro). But they truly do some of the best portraits. Happy Friday!
Rarely does a bird
match the enthusiasm of a MoDo at the feeder. It was another boring day here today birdwise, but at some point, about 30 Mourning Doves rained down to feed. In my head, they all looked like this one 😆
Fall is here!
And the weather was appropriate for the occasion. It has been storming and raining nonstop since last night, and I actually made a beef roast today because it felt so fallsy. Funnily enough, I also spotted two Hummingbirds. The end of September can be fun and interesting but apart from those few lucky encounters it has basically been MoDo season here for a bit now. They are fun and goofy and all but I feel like it is time to adjust feeders and food for a bit again to discourage them from flocking here because they keep all the other birds away.
I am also seeing
more young MoDos now. And they all seem to have the squatter gene right from the start of their life! 😆😜
A MoDough.
Mourning Doves can be very dominating at the feeders, lifting their wings to shoo others away, pecking rivals away, or doing this. Just squatting down to digest and snack some more. I hope your Saturday is filled with lots of naps and good food as well.
Mourning Doves
often puff up during hot days, to cool off. However, when they do it in front of the camera, they sometimes seem to get into special poser mode. These little sessions can go on for a while, with the MoDo just sitting there, looking at the camera and puffing up to different degrees. I move the camera into a shaded area on hot days, which sometimes creates the weirdest light. Perfect for this MoDo’s “drama shots” 😆
Come good into the week and stay cool!
The MoDo population
is enjoying the relative quiet and less traffic at the moment. They love to hog the camera feeders but also seem to have a similar heat sensor as cats - I often see them hanging out in groups by the heated bird bath. Such goofballs. Come good into Sunday!
Christmas is getting closer
and in the days leading up to it, I am going to go through this year's calendar birds. You can get an Ostdrossel calendar in my shop here or following the link here at ostdrossel.com. There are four sizes available (the 8.5 one has a second, larger option).
The cover bird is a MoDo. This species has turned out to be an exceptional camera lover that creates some of the most hilarious portraits. The January bird is a male Red-bellied Woodpecker. They are quirky goofballs with a love for nuts, and we have them here all year. Last summer, we built a nestbox that would fit them, and we hope to get to see them raise a brood one day.
Of all the birds that visit my feeders,
I think it is safe to say the Mourning Doves take most portraits. I think it has to do with their greediness a bit, they love the small bowl that only allows for one bird to feed at a time. If another bird approaches, they put the wing up and move around to protect the bounty. They can be overwhelming in numbers and appetite. But they are experts at being models for bird portraits, so that evens things out a bit.
Feeling cute, might delete later...
I think the MoDos should develop a modeling course.
They certainly know what they are doing in front of the camera. 😆
Video: MoDo at the bath
Now that there is not as much action at the bath anymore because it is getting cooler, I thought it would be fun to change the focus of the bath cam a bit towards the edge. This MoDo couldn’t help itself and had to show off.
MoDo faces
The Mourning Doves in my yard seem to absolutely love the camera. This can be funny fr stuff like these portraits but it can also be a bit bothersome because they can hog a feeder and prevent other birds to get to it. Also in quite an aggressive fashion, as I have witnessed. I am currently considering to set up a mock camera feeder just for them. With a box, a box and a little hand mirror. I’ll let you know if it works.
