Video: I guess I was
a bit too optimistic about spring… Or actually not. It’s been close to freezing these last couple of days, and today we got this. Gayle is probably happy in her nestbox, and the Juncos are having a blast. On Thursday, we are expecting much milder temperatures. I have added this camera to the livestream page, too.
Video: Mr. and Mrs. Snowbird
The Juncos won't be here for a lot longer, so I am enjoying them as much as I can. This was a fun little clip, first, there's the male, and then the female comes. He makes way when he hears her.
For this setup, I placed a camera on a tree and just put a small speck of peanut butter on there in hopes that someone would inspect it. The zoom is very close, and I love that this actually worked out.
Pew pew pew - an announcement
This is from February 25, and it shows nicely how vocal the Juncos are. They have already become less in the last few days, a sure sign that migration is underway. This is one of the more boring times of the year, and I have decided to pause feeding for a bit for several reasons. For once, I have seen some Finches that might have the dreaded Finch Eye disease, for two, it is a good opportunity to clean the palate, so to speak, and maybe make the larger groups of MoDos and also the Starlings to disperse. I am cleaning all feeders thoroughly with a 1:10 bleach solution and have changed camera setups to still capture whatever exciting might happen without feeders. This is tough on me but it is a good time for this in the season, and it might also help the BBs with their nesting efforts. I have lots of material so I can still continue to post.
If you see puffed up birds that seem to “nap” on the feeder and look cute and tame, they might actually be sick. This does not mean you have made them sick but you can take measures to keep your birds healthy. Finches are prone to certain illnesses because of their genetic makeup, so they are a good bird to keep an eye on for possible issues. I will keep feeders down for 10 to 14 days to let the birds disperse and let nature take its course.
During very cold times,
the Dark-eyed Juncos always seem to have a field day. They are not shy about getting to feeders and are hopping around all over the backyard in the search for food. Apart from being very hardy when it comes to temperatures, they also seem to be very focused on feeding and go about it steadily. They don’t seem to fight much with others or one another. And I think sometimes that stuns some of the other birds who cannot seem to spend a minute without making a ruckus (looking at you here, Goldfinches 😜).
The Juncos
are plentiful this year, and they are loving the cold temperatures. Usually they do their own thing strutting along on the ground, trying to find seed, but when it gets really frosty, they will also visit feeders. They are such perfectly wonderful and round little birds, I love them. You can also see a bit more of the color variety in the third photo. Both the birds are Juncos.
These little guys
are just so entertaining! We only get them in the cold season. Dark-eyed Juncos are a migratory bird in Michigan. They are also called “snowbirds”, and I think it is because they seem to LOVE it when it is cold but they are also perfectly camouflaged when they hop around in the winter. They do a special back and forth hop to scratch on the ground, but they will also grace my camera feeders. I love their shape and colors and lovely colors as much as their sounds.
Happy Friday!
Today, I will continue with the introduction of the birds of this year’s calendar with the bird of January, a Dark-eyed Junco. Juncos, also nicknamed “snowbird”, are only visiting my area in the cold season, they stay from about November until April. This makes them harbingers of winter but also of spring in a way. They are hardy little birds that come in an astounding variety of color, depending on region as well as gender. They usually forage on the ground, looking for seed by scratching with both feet at the same time, which looks rather funny. They also sound like tiny laser guns, and their pink beaks make them extra adorable. The one in the photo has a little brown in the feathers, which makes it a bit special because my usual variety is a dark slate gray with a while belly. Come good into the weekend!
You can find the 2022 Ostdrossel calendar here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel
Yesterday, we had the first frost warning
of the season, and it is only fitting that on that day, a “snowbird” made his way to the camera. Dark-Eyed Juncos only visit here when it is cold, and the first ones have arrived earlier this week. They make the funniest little noises and are generally cool to have around. Pic number 3 shows a White-throated Sparrow that has been very curious but not made it to the food bowl yet. Maybe today is the day? Happy Sunday and stay warm!
And here's a gallery
of Dark-eyed Juncos. There are plenty around right now, and I thoroughly enjoy these little birds. Their pew-pew-pew sounds are echoing all over the yard while they walk around, scratching in the snow for seeds or competing with the Bluebirds in the caged feeder for mealworms. I think these are mostly females, with the exception being the few all “black and white” colored ones. Have a nice weekend!
The so-called Snowbird,
or Dark-eyed Junco, is a very interesting bird to watch for the cold season. They come in all kinds of funky colorings, and are another bird that birdwatchers have fun with to figure out if they have a rarity around. Look up the Oregon variety for a lead to go down the Junco rabbit hole. Anyways, I think this is a healthy female. In reality, I am not sure of the gender of this bird, though. Stay warm and stay safe and wear a mask while you slide into the week!