Feeding . . .

 atMuldoon

Guard Duty

What was that?

(note the two robins in the background)

It's so enjoyable to watch

the habits of the backyard birds.

They each have a pattern they follow

before they land on the feeder

while they are there

and when they leave.

Joining Wild Bird Wednesday

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Spring - a perpetual astonishment!

Joining

Saturday Critters w/Eileen

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The recent return of snow brought the birds

back to the feeders.

American Goldfinch -  Beginning in September, they molt all of their feathers, ending up with a  pristine set of feathers (and drab colors). In the spring, the males  transform into bright yellow breeding plumage, but the wing and tail feathers remain from the previous fall. As these wing feathers get older the pale buff edges fade to white and disintegrate, so that by the end of the summer the wings look essentially all black. And in September another complete molt begins.

 

The red winged blackbirds seem to be here to stay.

More beautiful birds at:
Wild Bird Wednesday w/Stewart

Critter Tolerance

When the starlings show up at the feeding station, my usual response is 'oh great'. They come in large flocks, send everybody else flying and proceed to gobble up every seed in sight.
 
Well since they are 'sparrows' that God watches over just like all the rest I realized it was time to become tolerant of them and take time to observe them.

 

 First I discovered they have their own beauty

  Very pretty breast feathers

Bold contrasting beaks

and a cuteness when all puffed up against the cold. 

They were willing to share perching space. 

 and a spot at the feeder

  And everyone else was willing to stick around

 

and feast on left overs.

  

 

So o.k.; a salute to the Starlings 

 

Edit to add: In looking at them again I have given them a nickname - The Polka Dots

(sounds like a singing group from the 50's)

 

Lots more critters at:

Saturday Critters w/Eileen

 

and Wild Birds at:

Wild Bird Wednesday w/Stewart

 

 

Bonus Appearance - Backyard Birds

Stepping out the door I hear the warning call of a woodpecker.

Looking up toward the sound I see a Redhead in the Norway Maple

and as I raise my camera he hops out of site. Typical right?

As I slowly step around to catch him, I see a great shadow shot.

He is still hidden at that point and apparently turning this way as that distorting the shadow.

So I just begin to snap away in hope of getting a nice capture of the shadow. But to no avail until . . .

 

BONUS - the shadow appears clearly and 'Red' makes an appearance along with it.

SUPER!!

 

Joining:

Wildbird Wednesday w/Stewart
and
Outdoor Wednesday w/Susan

No Worries

My favourite this week.

Clipped this little sweetie from my collage of Monday

wearing his down jacket.

Joining Cath for:

Fun Friday Favourites

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House Finch - Titmouse - Junco - Female Cardinal - Male Cardinal

SMITHSONIAN

How do birds―especially the little delicate guys like chickadees and titmice―survive the single-digit temperatures and whipping winds of winter?

It turns out that birds (even the little guys) aren’t so delicate after all, and they’ve got a few tricks up their sleeve (uh, wing), too.

Their first layer of defense against the cold is their outer-most one: feathers. There’s a good reason why people love down-filled winter coats―feathers are fantastic insulation.

“Feathers are incredibly specialized structures that serve many purposes including, for many species, keeping them warm,” says 

“Birds’ feathers provide remarkable insulation against the cold, and the oil that coats feathers also provides waterproofing, which is important since the only thing worse than being cold, is being cold and wet,” Peter Marra, head of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center at the National Zoo.

Joining Stewart for:

Wildbird Wednesday

Christmas Robin and Friend

 

 Wishing everyone a Blessed and Joyful Christmas.

 

Joining Sue for:

Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday

Christmas Robins

A flock of Robins came out of deep woods hiding (unusual for December)

to join our backyard bird community for the holidays.

 

Following their lead for coming together I am joining the following to wish everyone a Blessed and Merry Christmas

celebrating the birth of Jesus.

 

Mosaic Monday

 

Wildbird Wednesday

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The December/January issue of Bird & Blooms had an article on identifying  Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. The difference is primarily in their sizes with some subtle differences in plumage. And each has a unique call.

 

We got a chance atMuldoon to test our skill.

 

Ms. Hairy here was feasting away

 When what to her wondering eyes should appear?

But Mr. Downy higher up in the tree.

 Mr. Downy was polite and took his place in line

(note the difference in size)

 

 Here he seems to be wondering just how long she is going to take.

 

Finally his turn arrives.

 

And he seems to be hoping she doesn't come back for dessert.

 Later that day Mr. Hairy (larger of the two)

 arrived for his afternoon feast.

 

Which went without incident.

 

Mr. and Ms. Hairy have longer stronger beaks

Mr. Downy's is stubby.

 

Mr. and Ms. Hairy are about nine inches from the tip of their bills to the tip of their tails.

Mr. Downy is only about six and a half inches.

 

Joining Stewart for

Wildbird Wednesday



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'Hairy'  'Red' (thank  you Eileen) has been stopping by often lately.

 

 

Joining Stewart for :

Wildbird Wednesday

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On Saturday Critters I mentioned the winter crowd was beginning  with the arrival of the woodpeckers and house finches.

 

The rest of the crowd is making its appearance too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joining Wildbird Wednesday

and

Outdoor Wednesday

 

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Thanksgiving Breakfast

Hairy Woodpecker and House Finch

part of the winter crowd atMuldoon

 

Joining Eileen for Saturday Critters

Backyard Birds

These little finches come to feed 2-3 times a day.

Unlike the chick-a-dee or titmouse

who flit about from feeder to limb

these little ones perch and feast until their full

with little regard for humans in the area.

 

This day was just like that until . . .

 

it seemed to say

'what is that to the north?

I don't recall that little number being over there'

 

'Aha, a new eatery'

I bought this feeder in mid summer.

It was labeled as a peanut feeder.

So I filled it with bird peanuts and waited for it to be discovered.

 

Nada, nobody was interested.

 

So a couple weeks ago I emptied the peanuts

into the regular feeder.

Of course they were gobbled up over the next two days.

 

Today I had the thought to fill it with black sunflower seeds.

 

The rest of the story is history.

 

Joining Stewart for:

Wild Bird Wednesday

 



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Cool October Morning

 

 

 

Linking with Anni at:

I'd Rather B Birdin'

Backyard Birds 101715 and State Park (updated)

The Robins are back out of hiding

to feast on the dogwood berries.

 

Then a flock of Cedar Waxwings

came along to duke it out with the Robins 

 

On the other side of the house the new feeder has been found.

This silly Woodpecker spent more time

trying to ward off the Chick a Dees and Titmouse

than it did eating.

What a ruckus!

 

Last week I had the closest encounter

with  my pal the Osprey

of the whole summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Joining Eileen for:

Saturday Critters

and

Anni for

I'd Rather B Birdin'

 



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Visitors at the main feeding area atMuldoon

seemed to have taken a hiatus for awhile

  But as the fall colors emerge so are the birds

that will remain through the winter

 

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory, North American songbird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests. It is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is the state bird of both Maine and Massachusetts in the United States, and the provincial bird of New Brunswick in Canada. It is well known for its capacity to lower its body temperature during cold winter nights as well as its good spatial memory to relocate the caches where it stores food, and its boldness near humans (sometimes feeding from the hand). It is almost universally considered 'cute' due to its oversized round head, tiny body, and apparent curiosity about everything, including humans.

 

The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family (Columbidae). The bird is also called the turtle dove or the American mourning dove or rain dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina pigeon or Carolina turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. It is also the leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure stems from its prolific breeding: in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods a year. The wings can make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing, a form of sonation. The bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).

 The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is one of the most recognized birds of North America. The bright red body feathers and distinctive black mask of the male and the more subdued but equally elegant olive brown and red-tinted females stand out clearly in their wide range of preferred habitats.

The northern cardinal is not migratory and will remain even in the most northern parts of its geographic range throughout the winter especially if it is sustained by human-maintained birdfeeders.

 

 

And the traffic in the sky has picked up too.

 

Linking with Anni at:

I'd Rather B Birdin'