I saw three baby orioles trying to land on the feeders this evening and they weren’t very successful with their uncoordinated flying. Baby grosbeaks are rather noisy with their cries as they wait for the adults to bring them lunch.
A Crying Grosbeak
Picture of the Day for May 30, 2018
I normally spot Cedar Waxwings in the trees with berries, which they seem to strip in no time, but occasionally I see them hidden in the leaves. They feed mainly on fruits and because they eat so much fruit, they occasionally die or become intoxicated when they consume overripe fermenting berries. Due to more than 2,500 trips to build a nest, the female may take nesting materials from other birds to save time.
Cedar Waxwings
Picture of the Day for May 23, 2018
Some birds are less noticeable than others, and may look like another species, until something sets it apart. At first glimpse, the White-throated Sparrow may be mistaken for the common house sparrow but the whistle song of the White-throated Sparrow tells a different story. They also hop when on the ground, instead of walking, so hard to photograph when they bounce around so much.
White-throated Sparrow
Picture of the Day for May 18, 2018
This showy black and white bird, with the bright red chevron, sings to attract a females, even though he rebuffs her for several days before he lets her be his mate. But at least he does help build the nest, which takes about a week, and the male Rose-breasted Grosbeak also shares in the incubation, brooding, and feeding duties at the nest.
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Picture of the Day for May 16, 2018
With an array of bright and color birds filling the spring skies, some duller looking birds may be overlooked unless they have a loud voice like the little wren. The warblers are a small bird too which have a range of colors but the palm warbler is a dull brownish-olive color with a rusty cap but their near-constant tail-wagging may catch your eye.
Little Palm Warbler
Picture of the Day for May 12, 2018
The air is filled with sounds of singing birds, especially the males trying to get noticed by the females. The cardinals are around all winter but his voice is heard above all the returning birds as he sits way up in the trees.
Singing Cardinal
Picture of the Day for May 9, 2018
The bird feeder was filled with a range of colors with the blue Indigo Bunting, yellow Goldfinches, red Cardinal, orange Baltimore Orioles, and the red, white and black of the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. Sometimes there isn’t room at the feeders, especially when my chipmunks keep raiding the jelly feeder and the squirrels trying to get the sunflower seeds. There is even a fight at the bird houses as this bird house had a tree swallow claiming it. The next day a wren was carrying sticks into the house but the following day house sparrows were sitting on it. I guess I might have to build a few more bird houses.
Claiming Bird House
Picture of the Day for May 6, 2018
There was still snow just six days ago but it seems like the weather is skipping over spring as some of the spring wildflowers are done blooming in that short time. And the last of the birds have returned with the arrival of the hummingbirds and house wrens. And the wrens are busy making their nest as soon as they arrived back yesterday.
Gathering Sticks
Watch the busy wren gather sticks to build her nest.
Picture of the Day for May 4, 2018
More birds are returning like the tree swallows and the grosbeaks. The orioles arrived on Monday, or at least the male Baltimore Orioles have. I am not sure why the males come first when it is the females that build the nest so it isn’t like he is getting the house ready. Instead he just complains when I am in the way and he can’t get to the sugar water or the jelly.
Oriole Getting a Drink
Picture of the Day for April 17, 2018
The Redpolls normally only spend a month or two during the winter months in my backyard as they actually summer near the arctic circle so apparently they think winter is sticking around here a lot longer. I know they are eating a lot of my seeds and they have throat pouches for temporarily storing seeds so they can fly away to eat the seeds in a more protected spot including under the snow. Redpolls can tunnel into the snow a foot to stay warm during the night.
Redpolls Still Around
