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!
April weather
continues to be wild, but nature is unstoppable, and spring is marching on. And it is fabulous to watch the changes and transformations. After showing just some specks of vibrancy, the Goldfinches are now almost completely in summer plumage. They nest the latest of them all so I think they just enjoy being bright and colorful for as long as possible. I do not blame them :)
It is not just
the big birds that are waking up after the winter, the smaller crowd is also singing their heads off and getting into snazzy summer outfits. I loved this very unusually colored House Finch, and the Goldfinches are just adorable with the unpredictable patterns in which their yellow feathers come in.
With every day now,
I see more signs of spring. Also the American Goldfinches that have been looking drab all winter are starting to change into their bright summer plumage. I love this look on them, it is so funny to see where the yellow shoots in on the individual birds.
When it comes to Red-bellied Woodpeckers,
I noticed that for some reason, I see the females more in the warm season and the males more often during colder weather. I loved how the wetness showed more of the textures and colors on this one, plus, you can see a bit of the name-giving characteristic, the reddish belly. Interestingly enough, they very rarely visit the tree cam whereas the Downy Woodpeckers love it there.
More snow is in the forecast
for tonight but spring vibes are wafting through the yard like an unstoppable force. So far I have only heard Robins and not seen them yet but I am sure it won’t be much longer. The Grackles and Redwinged Blackbirds are filling the air with their distinctive raspy calls, and show off to each other in the sunshine. It is a time of promise that not even more snow can dampen.
In recent days,
a Cooper’s Hawk has been hanging around, trying to find some prey in the yard. The lack of foliage on the trees makes it easier for him to spot birds that are trying to hide, but most of the time, the hawk is out of luck and the birds disperse in time. Yesterday, he took a seat on the camera, and then this fun photo came about. It is a good example to learn one of the features of the Cooper’s Hawk - its rounded tail feathers and the broad white tail tip.
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!
I see birds up close a lot,
and usually it is from the front. But their back is sometimes even more fascinating. The fold of the feathers, the patterns and textures. Here are a Starling and a Grackle.
The Grackles
have largely started to migrate, but some are still hanging around or traveling with the flocks of Cowbirds and Starlings that are passing through. The teens of the season are now starting to change into their adult feathers, with some really cool looking color combinations, and many of the adults are also starting to grow back their feathers after the molt.
I find bird backs
really cool to see because they always seem like such a well-organized piece of nature. It is pretty amazing how neatly the wings fold and everything creates a beautiful, water-resistant surface with the most intricate patterns. Can you guess them all?
Long time no Blue Jay!
Even if they have been present and are regulars here, shame on me. I always find it funny how these birds are seemingly greedy for food but at the same time alert everybody when the feeders have been replenished. Such goofballs! They look so similar from afar but there are distinctive differences between them. I especially love the ones with the dotted foreheads.
For some reason,
birds looking down onto the food is one of my favorite poses for the photos. Maybe it is because you can see parts and details that you would normally not see. I love to examine their beaks and faces, the patterns and colors on the head. Here are a male House Finch and a male Bluebird.
Over the course of the year,
I move my cameras around the yard to make use of more foliage and avoid direct sunshine into the lens. Sometimes the shadows can create magical little moments, like when this Starling sat there, waiting for the bowl to be refilled.
More rain also means
more photos of wet Blue Jays! I hope you are not getting sick of seeing these because I still love them dearly. They are just so nice to study the patterns and structure of the plumage. And I just love the long faces too. I am still lagging a bit behind with processing photos but I am catching up, so there will be more possibly tonight or in the morning.
We had so much rain
coming down yesterday. The birds pretty much got properly soaked and there wasn’t a dry feather in sight. As you know, I am a big fan of wet birb, so here is a little gallery. Some (ahem, MoDo 😆) seem to have had more fun than others.
(Grosbeak lady, Grackle, Grosbeak man, House Finch, MoDo, Redwinged Blackbird, Blue Jay, more MoDo, Redbellied Woodpecker)
Red-winged Blackbirds
have quite the variety when it comes to their plumage and colors. Epaulet intensity and overall feather patterns are depending on their gender as well as their age, and I guess the individual bird too. This speckled specimen is a young adult male. He still shows some of the beautiful baby pattern but is growing into the black, glossy plumage of the adult males. Just what the goofball in the gif is showing off.
This is a bit
of a boring time at the feeders, but the peeps are plenty. Goldfinches start nesting late in the season but they are starting to change their plumage, and they are becoming much more agitated. They look so funny with their patchwork feathers. I also saw the first Robins of the year today and the BBs have continued to work on their nest. Spring is coming!
The Starlings
know that there are mealworms fed here and occationally in the open, so they stick around. It is interesting to see that some of them are starting to change into their mating looks - the beaks are turning yellow, they lose the “stars” and the legs and feet are getting more red. The sun loves them and reveals why I also call them “evil rainbows”.
