And since it is Thursday,
here is another bird from the 2022 Ostdrossel calendar. The month of February is represented by Queen Red Eyebrow, a female Cardinal. I love this photo because it is so dramatic and wintery. In the back behind her head you can see a Blue Jay.
I occasionally get asked about prints of my photos. Generally I am not a big fan of selling prints, because not all photos will look good printed in every size or for every purpose and I want to avoid disappointment. However, all the photos in my calendar could probably be framed too. I have the large one here with me, and I can tell you they look great. You can get the calendar here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel
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
The weather
has been gloomy and wet these last couple of days, and there is still not a lot going on. So I am taking this time to introduce the birds of this year’s calendar a bit over the course of the next days / weeks. The title photo this year shows a Cardinal couple. As one can also see from the sparse vegetation in the back, this was taken in spring. Cardinals are in my yard throughout the year but in spring they start appearing together more often because mating season begins. Part of their courting ritual is that the male is feeding the female. It kind of looks like they are kissing, and is always wonderful to behold. This photo was part of a series in which he fed her several times. I love how pretty they both look, it is no comparison to the rough molty look at the end of the season. Come good into the weekend!
The Ostdrossel 2022 calendars are available here.
The 2022 calendar is here!
Hello, dear followers, I proudly present the 2022 Ostdrossel calendar. I have to admid that it was tough to go through the photos of the year to narrow the selection down but I think it worked out nicely in the end. There is an early bird special going on for the next couple of days, too. I will introduce the monthly species in the coming weeks as well.
They come in three formats and four sizes. There is a rectangle wall calendar in two sizes, a 12 x 12 wall calendar and a desk calendar. Only the wall calendars have the species names on the back.
Link to shop: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel
(Please note, all orders are made on demand and handled by that website.)
Have a beautiful Monday and week!
As we are diving deeper
into those golden light evenings, temperatures are becoming noticeably cooler and the plants are starting to wilt. I am happy for every sun ray, trying to soak it all up before winter. The birds forage seed pods and nuts and fruit in nature, so activity is still down but it is normal for the season. Here is the current crew, and imagine a Downy Woodpeckerine happily snoozing in the BB box.
I am always a bit restless during these quieter times but they are also very useful because they give me time to work on the 2022 calendar.
(pictured: Goldfinch, female Redbellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, young MoDo, House Finch, Chickadee)
Giveaway! The December bird
of my calendar is a Blue Jay in a snow storm. We are expecting snow here today and tomorrow too, and I am a bit excited because it always is a great photo opportunity. I hope you are all in a safe and warm spot and as healthy as can be.
Since it is christmas Eve, I am doing a giveaway on my social media. You can win an Ostdrossel calendar if you are a follower, and you like, comment and share my post on Facebook or Instagram. There will be two winners, and I will announce them by the end of the week.
Merry Christmas & Fröhliche Weihnachten, everyone!
The Tufted Titmouse
is one of the cutest visitors I have around here, and I am so happy that they made a comeback after having been gone for two years from my yard. Titmice often flock with Chickadees and have an impressive call that can be quite melodious and goes PETERPETERPETER! And that is the November bird in my calendar.
You can get an Ostdrossel calendar here at ostdrossel.com or here.
Also keep an eye on my Insta and FB tomorrow, there will be a little Christmas surprise.
I am a spring lover,
but fall is one of the prettiest of the seasons in Michigan, with nature glowing in all shades of yellow, gold, ombre and red. The October bird in the calendar is an especially colorful House Finch that shows through his colors the abundance of natural foods he has found here. They might be more “boring” because they are here year round and abundant, but I truly appreciate these sweet birds.
You can get an Ostdrossel calendar here at ostdrossel.com or here.
Every person
that feeds birds at one point will encounter one situation. The critters will find out that there is food, and they will try to get to those goodies. There is a number of ways to keep the bird food budget tight - with the help of squirrel-proof feeders or foods - but some also enjoy watching these entertaining rodents. This one looked so adorable that I decided to include it in the calendar this year. Meet the September “bird”.
You can get an Ostdrossel calendar here on ostdrossel.com or here.
July is full of sunshine,
which can be rare during the winter. The July bird in my calendar is another bird that visits here only for the warm season, the Baltimore Oriole. They love grape jelly and oranges, and I love their songs and the effect seeing them has on my mood (I also call them vitamin O).
You can get an Ostdrossel calendar here at ostdrossel.com or here.
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
are one of the birds that come to spend spring and summer here, so this is the bird of June in my calendar. I love these guys. They look quite impressive with the big beak and red bib, but they are one of the calmest birds at the feeders. They will eat through a thunderstorm, their babies make the cutest little noises when they beg for food, they get along with everybody, and when they are excited, they will make the squeak of a rubber ducky.
My calendars are available here at ostdrossel.com or here.
Mr. Meow
is the May bird in this year's calendar, he is a Grey Catbird. This species has hung around longer for the first time this year. They get their name from their call that sounds like a kitty. My birthday is in May too and I am a cat lover, so I chose this elegant and entertaining bird for the lovely month of May.
Calendars are available at here ostdrossel.com or here.
Dark, moody, mysterious and powerful,
that can be the weather of April, and that is also the time when the Grackles start to arrive in larger numbers. As many know, they have a special place in my heart, and I lovingly call the dominant male of the season Count Grackula. This year, it might very well have been this gorgeous one in the photo.
You can get an Ostdrossel calendar in my shop here or following the link here at ostdrossel.com.
March is generally a month
that is full of anicipation for me while nothing really much is happening yet. We might still get snow, but there are signs of spring. Like Bluebirds scouting nestboxes. The March couple in the calendar are a female (left) and a male (right). I give them new names each year because I can never really be sure if it’s the same couple. Bluebirds are very territorial, and I have seen males and females alike fight the most gruesome battles. They are one of my favorite birds, and I immensely enjoy being able to watch them raise their babies.
You can get an Ostdrossel calendar in my shop here or following the link here at ostdrossel.com.
The February bird
in my calendar is a Song Sparrow. This is a species that I rarely get in front of my cameras or in my backyard. The photo was taken on a lovely day that I spent at the Belle Isle Nature Center in Detroit last winter, talking to fellow nature lovers and showing my setup. They were nice enough to allow me to set up my camera outside their fabulous birdwatching window, and that is when this beautiful native sparrow came. It was a day full of snow, and I absolutely loved the wild, wintery background.
Christmas is getting closer
and in the days leading up to it, I am going to go through this year's calendar birds. You can get an Ostdrossel calendar in my shop here or following the link here at ostdrossel.com. There are four sizes available (the 8.5 one has a second, larger option).
The cover bird is a MoDo. This species has turned out to be an exceptional camera lover that creates some of the most hilarious portraits. The January bird is a male Red-bellied Woodpecker. They are quirky goofballs with a love for nuts, and we have them here all year. Last summer, we built a nestbox that would fit them, and we hope to get to see them raise a brood one day.
Ostdrossel 2021 calendars
I am seeing a couple new followers. Welcome, I am happy to have you and I hope you enjoy the photos.
If you are looking for a gift for yourself or loved ones, check out the Ostdrossel calendar.
There are four sizes available, three wall calendars and one desk calendar. All wall calendars have the species names on the back side with the thumbnails. The desk calendar has the species names on the photos. Get yours here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel
Ostdrossel 2021 calendars
I am pleased to announce the Ostdrossel calendar for 2021. There are four sizes available, three wall calendars and one desk calendar. All wall calendars have the species names on the back side with the thumbnails. The desk calendar has the species names on the photos.
Get yours here: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Shop/ostdrossel