Dangling Ruby-throated hummer

Fun shot of the underside of a Ruby-throated hummer. I had just changed the nectar and he was kind of dangling mid-air. 7-20-23

Feather ID needed

Blue feather found at Kleb Woods. Think either Eastern Bluebird or Blue Jay but leading towards Bluebird due to color. I’m not an expert on bluebirds but it looks nothing like a Blue Jay feather. https://ebird.org/checklist/S145097417

Ruby- throated Hummingbird

The Hummingbirds have been a bit elusive this year. This guy showed up the last couple of days and another followed trying to chase him off. 7-20-23.

Blue Jay

Beautiful Blue Jay just checking out the yard. 7-19-23

Should I ?

Looks like a young male Cardinal contemplating taking a dip. 7-19-23

Splish ~ Splash

Female Cardinal enjoying the water on a warm day. 7-19-23

Rufous Hummingbird Enjoying a Warm Summer Day

The Rufous Hummingbird makes one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird in the world, as measured by body size. At just over 3 inches long, its roughly 3,900-mile movement (one-way) from Alaska to Mexico is equivalent to 78,470,000 body lengths. In comparison, the 13-inch-long Arctic Tern’s one-way flight of about 11,185 mi is only 51,430,000 body lengths.
The Rufous Hummingbird has an excellent memory for location, no doubt helping it find flowers from day to day, or even year to year. Some birds have been seen returning from migration and investigating where a feeder had been the previous year, even though it had since been moved.
Rufous Hummingbirds, like most other hummingbirds, beat their wings extremely fast to be able to hover in place. The wingbeat frequency of Rufous Hummingbirds has been recorded at 52–62 wingbeats per second.

Caspian Tern Bringing Food for the baby

The regal Caspian Tern is the largest tern in the world, easily recognized by its brilliant red fish-knife of a bill and deep, raspy call. Found all over the world, the Caspian favors both freshwater and saltwater environments. It feeds mostly on fish, captured in nimble aerial dives. On the nesting grounds, paired Caspian Terns perform splendid displays in the air, rising up to great heights in tandem. They migrate nocturnally, and in autumn their rolling calls are sometimes heard overhead during the night.
Caspian Terns prey mostly on fish, supplementing their diet with crustaceans such as crayfish and occasionally large insects. To locate prey, they fly above water, between 10 and 100 feet high, and scan the water with bill pointed downward. When they spot prey they dive rapidly, usually submerging the body in the process but sometimes snatching the prey from the water without diving in.

Great Blue Heron On a Fireplace Chimney

The great blue heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands

Red-eyed Vireo???? Bird ID needed

Backyard visitors

Some the birds in the yards today ~ after the storms. 7-15-23

Canadian Geese

Canadian Geese on Lake Champlain in South Hero, VT 7-12-23

Cooling off

93 here yesterday and the birds are feeling the heat. 7-7-23

Fledgling Hummingbirds

Fledglings. Being cared for by mom.

Woodpecker

Think this is a female Hairy Woodpecker. She’s been around alot ~ very hungry! 7-1-23

Sharing

Sparrows sharing ~ 6-29-23

Eastern Phoebe.

Morning Dove.

Waiting

Fledglings waiting in the Forsynthia bush for breakfast 6-28-23

Buffet of Birds

Buffet of birds today including Black-Capped Chickadees, Female American Goldfinch , Nuthatches, Cardinals,
Robins!

American Goldfinch

Handsome yellow visitor today 6-23-23

Mallard Ducklings

Juvenile Barn Swallows

Baby Purple Martin Close Up!

I was about 6 inches from this little guy before he flew off to join his dad.

GREAT BLUE HERON BUSY FISHING IN THE MARSH

This beautiful and elegant bird enjoying fishing in the marsh on a cloudy morning in Southern California close to the Newport Coast.
The great blue heron is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae and is native throughout North America.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

These two hummingbirds have mated this year and the male has done multiple courtship displays.

Lots of birds.

Good practice for the chickadees once they get old!

Baby Cowbird

This baby cowbird is a daily visitor to my feeders.

Male and Female Dark-eyed Junco Collecting Grass for Nest

May 24, 2023

See you

Funny shot of an American Robin 6-9-23

Wren

Leucistic House Sparrows

I have two leucistic House Sparrows in my flock. Both are shown in this photo. One has a part white feather on its wing and the other has a white tail feather. Both have been visiting for months.

What bird is this egg from?

Found in my yard. Probably stolen from a nest by the crows and ravens that live near me.

Mr. Cardinal and his cowbird

Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal have 4 or 5 baby cardinals along with a cowbird. I posted more on FeederWatch.

Hummingbirds

Spotted a Hummingbird and when I looked again to take the shot there were two! 6-4-23

Cardinal ~ Robin

The Robins & American Goldfinches have been visiting over the last couple of days. 6-4-23

American Robin

American Robin foraging. There were two but I only captured one. 6-3-23

A Fledgling American Crow

This is a American Crow fledgling that fledged just the other day. It has been getting close to my nest box that a pair of Tree Swallows are using. The Swallows try to fly on or in the nest box; but the presence of the Crow makes them not go in. When the Crow isn’t present, they will add some feathers and the female will incubate her eggs.

Just wondering if the Crow keeps on coming by if it will scare the Swallows off.
Also wondering if I mow the lawn if it will scare the Swallows off as well.

Out West Birds(Part 11)

The last part!

Great Blue Heron

This Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands.
Great Blue Herons can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision. Herons are capable of eating copious amounts of fish, on a daily basis. An adult heron can easily consume up to 1lb of fish per day.

Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons weigh only 5 to 6 pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones a feature all birds share.

American Avocet at the Marsh

This beautiful and graceful long-legged wader glides through shallow waters swishing its slender, upturned bill from side to side to catch aquatic invertebrates. It dons a sophisticated look for summer with a black-and-white body and a rusty head and neck. During the winter the head and neck turn a grayish white, but the bird loses none of its elegance as it forages along coastal waters or rests while standing on one leg.

The Peep and Mrs. Peep!

The Peep and Mrs. Peep!! Today The Peep showed up with Mrs. Peep. He has been singing nights for some time and it finally paid off! I saw two mockingbirds on the fence, assuming it was a mother and baby, and snapped two quick photos before they flew away. Upon review of the photos, I saw that it was not a mother and fledgling, but The Peep and a female mockingbird! The female came back shortly after and shortly after that they both came back and did courtship displays. The Peep sat higher than her on a stake and then flew, colliding with her, locking claws and wings until The Peep broke free and fanned out his tail on the fence while running like a fledgling. Mrs. Peep watched then The Peep flew back on a stake next to her and flew to different stakes. Mrs. Peep then flew away and The Peep followed. Then a while after The Peep sang a short, song of a call between a yellowlegs and a normal Peep call and flashed his wings while he dive into a tree. Gunner )The Peep and Mrs. Peep!! Today The Peep showed up with Mrs. Peep. He has been singing nights for some time and it finally paid off! I saw two mockingbirds on the fence, assuming it was a mother and baby, and snapped two quick photos before they flew away. Upon review of the photos, I saw that it was not a mother and fledgling, but The Peep and a female mockingbird! The female came back shortly after and shortly after that they both came back and did courtship displays. The Peep sat higher than her on a stake and then flew, colliding with her, locking claws and wings until The Peep broke free and fanned out his tail on the fence while running like a fledgling. Mrs. Peep watched then The Peep flew back on a stake next to her and flew to different stakes. Mrs. Peep then flew away and The Peep followed. Then a while after The Peep sang a short, song of a call between a yellowlegs and a normal Peep call and flashed his wings while he dive into a tree. Gunner (an older mockingbird who is like a father to The Peep), of course, was supervising all of this.

Out West Birds(Part 10)

Egyptian Goose

This is an amazing bird found only in or near water. It is a truly beautiful bird to look at. It is very protective of the baby chicks so please be careful and stay out of its reach.
The Egyptian goose is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley. Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared in much of their artwork.
This is a largely terrestrial species, which will also perch readily on trees and buildings. Egyptian geese typically eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. Until the goslings are a few weeks old and strong enough to graze, they feed largely on small aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater plankton.

Out West Birds(Part 9)

Out West Birds(Part 8)

Out West Birds(Part 7)

Out West Birds(Part 6)

Out West Birds(Part 5)

Out West Birds(Part 4)

Out West birds(Part 3)

Out West Birds(Part 2)

The first photo is Jackson, Wyoming.

Out West Birds(Part 1)

Out west birds.

Male Downy Woodpecker

Checkling out the nestbox

A pair of starlings was looking at the nestbox. Hoping someone claims it soon!

Female American Goldfinch

Female American Goldfinch visited this morning. I like her orange beak! 5-2–23

Muscovy Family

These cute duckies were sitting near a stop sign.

Cardinal ~ all in

Male Cardinal enjoying his bath ! 5-21-23

Bluebonnet’s Fledgling

I have been watching Bluebonnet (Yes, all mockingbirds besides The Peep and The Adversary must have Texas names) gather nesting material, and I have heard her baby calling from the nest. Yesterday her baby fledged from the nest.

New visitor

Don’t recognize this bird ~ had speckled breast. 5-20-23

Ruby-Throated Hummer

New Visitor

New visitor over the last couple of days ~ believe it is a Gray Catbird. 5-17-23

American Goldfinch

Handsome Goldfinch stopped by this evening. 5-17-23

2023 Baby Birds (Part 2)

2023 Baby Birds (So far)

The First Baby Mockingbird of The Year!

This baby mockingbird was eating suet and then he jumped down to look for strawberries. After he left, his mother came and ate suet. I was curious who this female mockingbird was and it turned out that she is The Peep’s mother! We believe that The Peep’s father died due to his absence when The Peep was a fledgling. This means that this baby is The Peep’s half-brother!

Male Ruby- Throat

Male Ruby-Throat visited this morning. Female visited yesterday. 5-14-23

Hummer ~ Titmouse

The Tufted Titmice have been going wild for the bird bath over the last few days. First hummer of the year showed up 5-9-23…but today was the first pic of the season.

Flock of Blue Jays

A flock of Blue Jays landed in my yard this morning. Look closely and you’ll spot them in the chinese Lilac tree.
5-7-23

Baby Cardinal

First baby cardinal of the year! I think it’s a female.

Mrs. Sparrow feeding her baby

Baby Dove at Sunset

Shorebird ID needed!

We saw this bird at Galveston Bay, then we saw around 50 at a park. Any idea what they are? They are a bit smaller than a curlew and make mewing sounds.

Bohemian Waxwing

The Sweetest Doves

We caught this pair of doves on the fence, grooming each other, they then mated and continued grooming each other.

RED SHOULDER HAWK TRACKING THE PREY

The red-shouldered is a medium sized hawk. Its breeding range spans from Eastern North America to the coast of California and North Eastern Central Mexico. It is a permanent resident throughout most of its range, though northern birds do migrate mostly to Central Mexico. The main conservation threat to the widespread species is deforestation unfortunately.
Red-shouldered hawks search for prey while perched on a treetop or soaring over woodlands. When they sight prey, they kill it by dropping directly onto it from the air. When there is open air they sometimes fly high and then drop low to surprise and catch their prey.

Northern Mockingbird On a Beautiful Palm Tree

Norther Mockingbird has whitish underparts and long tail. In flight, it becomes much flashier with large white patches on the black wings and tail. Pale eye.
Northern mockingbirds are perhaps best known for their remarkable singing abilities. This species can perform at least 39 songs as well as 50 call notes. Northern mockingbirds also have the ability to mimic sounds such as dogs barking or the songs of other birds.

Northern mockingbirds are solitary and territorial. During the nesting season, they are often very aggressive; they often attack other animals in defense of their territory, including animals as large as cats, dogs and humans

Something strange for the nest

I have been watching Mr. and Mrs. Starling collect stuff dor their nest, sometimes they get something really weird!

“I don’t wanna get wet!”

This baby sparrow was trying to take a bath without getting wet!

Baby House Sparrows

Mrs. Perry is doing a great job feeding her four babies!

4 baby finches!

Mr. and Mrs. Finch have four baby finches. Sadly, neither of them wants to care for them, the babies are so thin! Mrs. Finch seems to have abandoned them and Mr. Finch refuses to feed them. I hope they are ok!

Sparrow

Sparrow…not sure which one! 4-21-23

White – Throated Sparrow

White-Throated Sparrow having fun foraging. 4-21-23

Cardinal father feeding fledgling

Eggshell ID needed!

Spotted this eggshell when we were birding, any idea what bird made it?

Carolina Wren ~ Chickadee

Switched to Safflower seeds, nyjer and peanuts for a change. 4-19-23

American Goldfinches

The Goldfinches re-appeared today in all their glory. A bright spot in anyone’s day. 4-18-23

Chickadee checking in

Since moving the Bluebird house onto a pole ~ the Black -Capped Chickadee seems interested.

Chipping Sparrow

Think this is a Chipping Sparrow ~ 4-16-23

First hummer

First hummer, at my wet, homemade birdseed buffet feeder drinking birdseed water. We quickly filled up the hummingbird feeder. Hoping she comes back! I think shes a juvenile.

Brown-headed Cowbird

Newcomer to the yard 4-14-23

sparrow?

I guess I should recognize this bird but I don’t. Is it just some type of sparrow or someone new to my yard??
4-14-23

Canada Geese

Cutest Baby Deer

We saw 3 families of Killdeer. The first family had 2 chicks, the second (shown in photos) had 3 chicks, and the third had 1 chick. We watched the 2nd family as they were within feet of us. Two of the chicks behaved, staying together and listening to Mrs. Deer, the other was with Mr. Deer. This chick wouldn’t come over even when Mrs. Deer yelled at him. He came over after lots of yelling from Mrs. Deer but took a lot longer than he needed to. I wonder where these three nests were. We only found two.

A Female Northern Harrier

*RARE* yellow House Finch

*RARE* yellow House Finch on a tomato cage in the backyard!!

American goldfinches

I had two male American Goldfinches visit earlier in the morning and two l females just dropped by.. 4-10-23

Frozen Spa

This male House Finch seems surprised and perplexed that the heated spa he enjoyed all winter is frozen!
Guess I removed the heater a bit too soon. 4-10-23

Sad day for the Mourning Dove flock

All the birds took off, all but one dove, a hawk cruised over the yard, looking for prey, it spotted the dove, it swooped down, hitting the dove so hard that it was killed instantly, it carried the ripped-up, lifeless dove and carried it near the cucumber bed, I tried to get a picture, it then took off and I got a bad photo. The dove was the first bird to be killed at the feeder. I believe it was a female Mourning Dove.

Happy Easter from my backyard birds!

Happy Easter from my backyard birds!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:00