Some birds
are beginning to flock already but I still have lots and lots of Orioles. There are some males, but the majority are immatures. It always makes me extra happy to see how successful Orioles are at breeding. And that the youngsters are not camera shy at all.
This Grosbeak lady
is as good with her beak stick as I am with lip stick. Or maybe she is just trying to distract from the little molt around her eye.
Video: Orchard Oriole
Orchard Orioles are the smaller relatives of the Baltimore Orioles. They have a very short nesting season, and I usually only see them passing through. I am assuming that the males at least have already begun their migration south. There was a young adult in the spring, maybe a female or youngster will show up now as well?
Video: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
What a weird day today. It was hot and humid and looked like 5 pm all day, and the lens fogged up. But a Hummerman came! I slowed the video down a lot to show off his cool manoeuvers.
Video: two young Blue Jays
These two came for an early breakfast in the morning sun. They are making an announcement call but then went about it pretty peacefully.
We got rain yesterday,
and the birds didn’t stop coming, so here is a gallery of feathered wet mops :D
(Robin, Grackle, Cardinal, Blue Jay)
A House Finch
sat pretty for a portrait in one of my favorite bird poses. Their color is depending on the things they eat. This one also seems to like red fruit as well as the grape jelly.
The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
seem to be very into mulberries and grape jelly. I loved how they sat together for a quick photo.
Finally,
Finally, a Hummingbird on camera today! And a male to boot. They are so different this year. Very few, and the ones that I do see are super skittish. They go to a feeder, hover and check and then take off. We have some flowers but not a ton this year, things are still emerging, so I don't know what is going on. I am happy to see them every now and then but this is nowhere near previous years. Second pic I think is a House Wren. They seem to think the camera boxes are nestboxes 😂
The other day,
I saw a young Cardinal in the yard, much to my surprise! The nest I found earlier this spring was not successful and I thought maybe there won’t be any Cardi babies this year. There are several adults around, and the males are always chasing each other. In between, they sit down to take a snack and pretty portraits though. And then the chase is back on.
Long time no see!
Goldfinches are usually mostly absent for me in the summer. They are the latest nesters, I have heard, and they seem to spend some fun time out in the wild before they start building families. Right now, I see one or the other return, here a male in his glorious summer “clothes”. I have some shelled sunflower seeds out that they seem to like a lot.
The Blue Jays
and their babies are all over the yard at the moment. The funny thing is that they really don’t care where I place a camera, they will come and explore it as soon as I turn my back. Here, we have a baby, an adult and a baby with adult.
The smallsies
are slowly returning from their baby break. I have seen Goldfinches, Nuthatches and Chickadees more frequently in the last couple of days. They all look a bit rough around the edges, molting and parenthood are taking their toll.
This Grack
has a case of the Mondays. He also somehow reminds me of Maynard James Keenan.
(He is just molting.)
Big day for the BB babies!
Yesterday and today were big days for the Bluebird babies! Two fledged yesterday, and the two remaining ones made the big leap this morning. I saw all of them fledge except for the second one. The video shows the last one leaving from box view. I will clean out the box later today, and then we will see if Lagertha goes for another round. And we can finally have a bonfire tonight :)
Masks 15 % off until July 13!
Redbubble is giving a discount on all masks until July 13th 11:59 pm. Use the code MASKS15.
All profits from my July mask sales 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.
