The penguin babies are here!
Well, technically, they are Blue Jays, but their face markings always remind me of penuins somehow :D They have started to come to the bird bath too, so the livestream should be fun today. I’ve had a lot of work and not enough time to go through the many photos I’ve taken but I will post some more this weekend. Have a wonderful Saturday!
Video: House Wren building nest
We put a hole restrictor on the Flicker box a while ago so that only small birds like a Wren or Chickadee could get in. It looks like a Wren found it accomodating.
We will see if this turns into an actual nest or just a mock nest.
Video: Rose-breasted Grosbeak family at the bath
This was so cute this morning. Papa Grosbeak is taking his son to the pool and feeding him. And then both bathe. I made a little platform area by the waterfall for the smaller birds, and the babies seem to like it to get a first feel for the pool. There are so many baby birds around at the moment, it should be fun to watch the livestream for the next couple of days. I promise I will try to keep up with wiping the splash shield.
Video: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
There are very few hummingbirds around this year, but last night one of my cams captured this cutie. Looks like she has a white dot on the head. Could be a discoloration or could be pollen. I wish she would have had a sip but at least she now knows where it is.
Video: baby Robin getting fed by the pool
The pond is closed for maintenance today, but here is a scene from yesterday to hold you over. This Robin baby is fairly new, the residents around here recently have had another clutch. It reminded me of old times when we went to the public pool or lake and then, still cold from the swim, got wrapped into a towel and received a snack from mom. Fries were extra special but cookies were awesome too.
I have heard them for a couple of days now,
but here is the first official Blue Jay baby of the year!
The Bluebird family
has four thriving babies. We are experiencing very hot and dry weather, and I have to admit that there are times where I am concerned about the babies in the box. But they are doing good. Tonight, Lagertha is not staying with them for the first time. According to my calculations, they should fledge around Thursday/Friday/Saturday.
With these Blue Jays
I want to wish everybody a nice and safe 4th of July. Don’t use hand sanitizer right before you light up the grill or fireworks ;)
(The one on the left is still either molting or fighting some kind of mites. The one on the right was taking a sunbath at the feeder. You might have seen birds do that, they spread the wings flat on the ground and turn towards the sun. Often, the beak is open and they look like they might have an issue or are paralyzed. In reality, they are just taking care of their feathers. Getting rid of parasites and such.)
Bruuuce
had some good eyebrows last night. The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are also bringing their babies near the feeders now, I can hear their cute little whiny noises in the trees. I always found it funny how a bird that looks so impressive has the most adorable little sounds when it is begging. The complete opposite of a European Starling.
The Orioles
are back in full force, with babies calling everywhere, and parents busily taking jelly from the feeder into the trees. This year, it is somewhat interesting in how many different shades and states they come. It feels like in the past, they were more homogenously colored. These, I think, are two females.
Long time no see!
The Cardinals like to feed on the ground, and they visit feeders more frequently in the cold season. There are several around though, and apparently sometimes when traffic is low, they do check out the cameras too. Much to my delight.
New charity for mask profit donations
I will make the next donation to Feeding America in two weeks, but all profits from mask sales starting today and throughout July will be donated to the Native American Rights Fund. There are direct links to the masks right here at ostdrossel.com, but you can also go to my Redbubble shop. I also have stickers, cards and other things available there.
A Red-winged Blackbird
is showing off his pretty epaulets. They are not all deep red, and I sometimes use the wing patches as a way to distinguish the various individuals that come visit my yard. Right now, they also come to the bird bath a lot, bringing females and young ones.
There are so many Grackles right now,
and they are all in different stages of molting or age. I find it particularly interesting to see that the babies have different eye colors. I think it has to do with age, the one with the dark, rich brown looks younger than the one with the olive-grey eyes. And they are all the biggest goofballs.
And baby Oriole
also made it to the jelly feeder, following Dad. Such a cute little thing. We also spotted one in the potatoes and under a bush. They were really all over the yard, and they all look like fresh out of the nest.
Video: baby Oriole and Blue Jay
The yard is full of baby Orioles today, and like other bird parents, also theirs seem to love "parking" them at the bird bath. This one was brave, went in and stood it's ground against a big Blue Jay.
Grackle faces
I put the camera by the bushes on the ground yesterday. I wanted to get some Cardi pics but, alas, that didn’t work. However, here is a wonderfully typical Grack face and an absolutely adorable baby Grack.
A European Starling
showing off his feather beauty. They can be overwhelming at times with their noise and numbers and behavior, but even Starlings can look cute. This one is drying off after a bath.
Video: Grackle parent feeding baby
Grackles are very devoted parents. This Dad is making sure that the baby gets food that it can stomach, cracking seeds before he feeds it. The youngsters seem big enough to do it by themselves but right now, you can watch them running through the yard following the parents wherever they go with an open beak and fluttering wings. So cute. This was captured with the Birdsy cam. They are on Kickstarter now, and you can get one here: https://birdsy-ai-records-and-ids.kckb.st/190e5d15
