So curious!
The titmice keep coming, yesterday I saw three! And I am crossing my fingers that they like my yard and will keep me company throughout the winter.
The Goldfinches
have also started to come back. And they are still raising babies. Here is one of the youngsters that came to explore the feeders. They make the most enjoyable little noises.
Molting House Finches
have such interesting textures, patterns and colors going on with. The one with the orange beak base is a youngster, and I think the one that I have been seeing and thought to be a female for a while.
Video: two Hummers in the rain
It was cold and rainy this morning, feeling like autumn. Yet, the Hummingbirds are still coming. The lens was wet but I thought this was so cool to watch and listen to. My favorite part is at the 10 second mark haha
Keep those feeders up and clean to help the migrants that might be passing through your area!
This is not a super photo,
but here is momma Cardi with her youngster in the back. I have been trying to get the youngsters to the camera but they are so skittish, so this is the most I was able to get so far. I am not giving up yet.
I am so delighted
about the Titmice. Maybe they are just here temporarily, but maybe they will stay throughout the cold season as they used to have before they stopped coming. I am also seeing more Chickadees. The Titmouse is a young bird, and just judging from the perfect appearance of the Chickie, I am thinking he might be as well.
It's Labor Day weekend
and things have slowed down and it is a nice time to relax a bit. I hope everyone in the US has a nice Labor day. Here is a young MoDo to ring in late summer. I love the way their faces look “shadowed”.
Video: young Cardinal
I am always fascinated with Cardinals, and especially with their young ones. They just have the coolest looks. The other day, I checked recordings from earlier this summer, and found this adorable youngster foraging right in front of the camera. It still has a brown beak, meaning that it is less than a year old.
Happy National Hummingbird Day!
To honor this special occasion, I have switched the livestream to the hummer station today. The feeder has been busy all morning, so I hope we get to see some activity. Have a beautiful Saturday!
Someone's getting pudgy!
I noticed that the Hummingbirds that came to the Birdsy feeder just quickly checked things out and never sat down. It was as if they couldn’t figure out the feeder. I thought it might be because they are not used to the insect guards, so I have removed them now and try to keep the nectar level low so the wasps cannot reach in. This seems to have worked - this little guy sat right down for two minutes.
But with fall migration
some birds that have not been so present all summer are coming back, like the Nuthatches and Chickadees. I am keeping my eyes peeled for a Purple Finch, Evening Grosbeak or Redbreasted Nuthatch who might pass through / come to stay for the fall and winter, and am thinking about possible feeder and bath setups for the cold season.
The Orioles
have started to leave, but as of today, there are still some coming. The jelly vanishes more slowly now, but I am still keeping a dish full out for them. These two are from the weekend. Fall migration is always a bit sad. The winter birds are fun too but they are nowhere near as vibrant as the summer crowd.
The flowery thicket
also seems to be preferred by Blue Jays who do not like to be all out in the open with new feathers exposing their skin. I especially liked the light in the second photo. I know it is not a good photo by photography standards or super focused but thecolors and contrasts are pretty pretty.
This sweet little man
is still coming around regularly to get strong and pretty for the journey to his winter quarters. The white spots on his belly are the sheaths that house the new feathers.
Now that the feeders
are slowly getting a little calmer, the regulars make more frequent appearances and re-occupy the yard. Like the King and Queen of the Yard. He looks a bit rough around the edges but he will soon be all pretty, just like his partner. Have a great start into the weekend!
As it turns out,
Chuck seems to be a girl! The mottled back forehead is starting to lighten up and making room for the characteristical grey and red of the females. The males have an all red head cap. I am still amazed at how quickly birds are growing and maturing.
This young House Finch
still has the orange beak base of the babies but is already growing red feathers. With the House Finches, you can also tell the babies apart from afar because they have the most adorable poses and movements.