Video: Happy National Bird Day!
There are plenty of Juncos around at the moment, they seem to thrive in ice and snow. I always loved their little pew-pew-pew sounds but this trill was completely new to me. How stinking adorable is that?
Despite the Starlings,
it was a super nice snow day, and today there was sun! Snow and sun are fantastic conditions for the cameras, and produce great photos and videos. Plus - lots of traffic! I was so happy because there was so little action in recent weeks. Here is a little potpourri. The Junco looked so unusual and cool with all the browns, I loved the two different Cardi ladies, and the Carolina Wren was back!
It is always funny how snow brings them all out. The Juncos love the area around the bird bath, and there is a large group foraging around there all day. They look so cute jumping back and forth to scratch up the snow. There are lots and lots of Goldfinches, and the Cardinal family ist huge, I counted seven individuals tonight.
So when I saw the Carolina Wren
the other day, I started putting out mealers in the open again to try and get photos of it. Well, I did, but the mealworms also lured in these guys - European Starlings. They are invasive in the US, and they have made it far because they can be voracious and aggressive. Especially when there are mealworms… But they also look very cool. That tongue!
What a fun day today
with all that snow! It did not only look beautiful outside, but there was also a lot of bird traffic outside. Finally! Cardinals have never really been shy around my cameras, but this fall, they started to. Maybe also because the MoDos are kind of leading an aggressive reign… Anyways, today, a male and female Cardi made it to my camera feeder! The male appears to be a youngster, and he also looks like a rebel who hurt his beak. If he comes back, his name is going to be Marlon. The female tried a couple of times and finally landed toward the evening. They are so gorgeous. And so fussy.
Video: Light in the winter
is something special, and I love how Michigan is treating me with it on some evenings. Tonight was one of these, and the resident Red-breasted Nuthatch was one of the last ones to come to the feeder to choose that perfect bite for dinner. Here’s to a good Monday!
2021 is coming to an end.
And what another odd one it was. The birds and you have kept me sane and happy, so I would like to take the opportunity to thank you all. I hope you come safe into the new year, hopefully the best we ever experienced. Love as much as you can, eat good food, don’t drive drunk and keep watching the birds. Here’s also the last bird from the Ostdrossel calendar, the wonderfully feisty Dr. Clara, the resident female Bluebird. She also had a bit of a rough year, and I hope 2022 will be a lot better for her. Guten Rutsch, as we say in German (“slide well into the new year”)!
The November bird
of the 2022 Ostdrossel calendar is a beautiful male Red-Bellied Woodpecker, and I chose the photo also because in it, you can see why they got their name. Yes, there is also a Red-headed Woodpecker, one of the most beautiful woodpeckers I have ever seen but only once had in my yard, but this is not it. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are regulars here, and we love them for their goofiness and beauty. You can get the calendar in several sizes here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel. The promo sale is still going on until January 1. 2022.
When you watch birds regularly,
you will notice hierarchies and pecking orders. Not just within the backyard as a habitat but also within the smaller “habitats” of feeders, bath and feeding areas. It is always interesting to see who gets along, who doesn’t, who comes in groups and who goes all by themselves. Goldfinches are plenty right now, and the funny thing is that they will get along with others but go bananas amongst each other. Chickadees, Redbreasted Nuthatches and also Juncos like to do their own thing, diligently visiting feeders when there’s no traffic (usually because they are empty) or foraging around the ground and near the bird bath.
Video: Snow day surprise!
I heard about Carolina Wrens in Michigan birdwatching groups but never saw one myself. Until today! What a fun surprise. I hope it sticks aropund for a bit and also checks out the other feeding stations.
The Christmas snow came two days late,
but the backyard was a beautiful winter wonderland earlier today. I love snow days because they provide a welcome break from the somewhat boring routine that is going on right now. Many birds were visiting, and it was exciting to look out the window. The Blue Jays, Starlings, MoDos and Finches dominated at the feeders, but there were some highlights as well. The Redbellied Woodpecker male with the funky forehead was back, and so was the female. He’s in the first two photos.
And...
things are going to get a little busy here for me and you probably as well in the next couple of days, so I wanted to take a minute to wish you all a merry Christmas / Fröhliche Weihnachten and a wonderful holiday time. Hopefully, you will bathe in presents and food and love as much as a MoDo 😜 I am thankful for all of you.
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.
Video: The peanut choice
Blue Jays love shelled peanuts. They will take them to a secret spot to hide them for later, a process called caching. They use a simple but effective method to find out which nuts are the best - they lift them one after another to figure out their weight. These two here have perfected that process.
The September bird
of the Ostdrossel calendar for 2022 is one of my favorite MoDo photos. This silly bird was posing like for an iconic painting. The light and leaves make the look perfect. It is hilarious and beautiful at the same time. The calendar is available in several sizes and you can get it here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel. Have a great Tuesday!
Whose pantaloons might these be?
This was a first - a Sharp-shinned Hawk! I do have the occasional hawks swooping in, but usually it’s the larger but similar looking Coopers Hawk. There are several ways to keep them apart but two ID features are “pencil thin legs” and the size. All the other Hawks I have seen in my yard had more sturdy legs and were larger, raptor large. This guy is so much more compact! I am also adding a Blue Jay, for comparison. I don’t think there were any casualties. This morning, while still laying in bed in the dark, I could also hear an owl hooting. Raptors are so neat.
One of my favorites,
the Red-breasted Nuthatch. Tiny, vocal, bold and very diligent. This is one of the birds that will wait nearby when I refill, and not be scared when I am still right there. One time I had one feeding from my hand, too. Yesterday, he was the first and last bird to appear in my camera roll. I love the evening light.
And a lot of traffic
And a lot of traffic can create quick interactions and surprise gatherings at the feeders. The Blue Jays, Starlings and Goldfinches were exceptionally active. I love these interaction shots but they are often not in focus, so here are three rare examples. I hope you have a pleasant Monday with no bad surprise gatherings 😊
It was wings day
at the feeders yesterday, and everybody came to show off.
(Blue Jay, European Starling, American Goldfinch, Redbellied Woodpecker)
Video: Scenes from the Santa Stop
The yard has been quite busy today, with many birds (including a hawk earler) visiting the bird baths and feeders. Here is a fun little scene from the bath earlier, a gathering at the Santa Stop. With Goldfinches, House Finches, Bluebirds, Juncos and at the end an American Tree Sparrow. I love snow days.
The outside looks very pretty today,
we were gifted with snow over night! I am glad I got my little Santa Stop done yesterday (check the livestream to see it), and I love that there is more activity at the feeders today too, so hopefully there will be some fun new photos later. I still wanted to continue to introduce the calendar birds for 2022. I apologize for slacking a bit with that, but it has been busy. July and August are the months that burst with bird variety and baby birds. The July bird is the vibrantly looking and beautifully singing Baltimore Oriole, and August shows an adorable young Blue Jay. Be safe out there in the snow today!
If you are interested in getting an Ostdrossel calendar, you can get them here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel
