Mrs. Red Bellied Woodpecker

I'm not sure how many Red Bellied Woodpeckers I have around. Each time I am outside I see them. I see the male more than the female. Maybe she is tending to some babies somewhere. But she posed for these photos for me today.
They are some of my favorite birds. I've been putting oranges out for the Orioles and I have noticed that the Red Bellies love them as well. They eat on them more than the Orioles. I thought it was strange when I saw them eating on them so I looked up their food and sure enough fruit is on their list. I also enjoy the fact that woodpeckers are year round birds and we get to enjoy them in the winter as well.

Humming Bird

Ty (our house guest for a few weeks) took these photos of a Humming Bird last week. I've been trying to get some close up photos of these birds forever. I think Ty did a great job. I'll keep working on mine and hopefully by the end of summer I'll have some good opportunities.
This looks like a female ruby throated hummer but actually I think it is a male. When the sunlight would hit him just so he was a brilliant red otherwise he looked like he had a black throat like in the photos (click on the photos for detail). I hope the humming birds are visiting you!!!

New Visitors

I had new visitors today and I as so excited to see them!! Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. I had two males and a female come to the feeders.
I hope they are going to be regular visitors. Come back anytime my new friends!!

Peek-a-boo, Seadra Boo and Zo-Zo

I am in love with Robins. They never fail to provide me with entertainment.
This one was playing peek-a-boo with me.
And these two are the true loves of my life.

Mr. & Mrs. Finch

These two little Finches would not leave each others side.
I have mentioned before that I have a hard time telling the difference between House Finches and Purple Finches. I believe these are Purple Finches. The male has red on his back and chest unlike the House Finch that mostly had red only on his head.

Dark Eyed Junco

I had too many of these birds to count when snow was still on the ground.
Now I only see a few each day.

They are so sweet and delicate. Always feeding on the ground.

Favorite photo of the day

I fell in love with this photo. So much so that I made it my computer desktop background. I didn't even have to crop the photo like I usually do with my bird photos. I was sitting in a lawn chair and he just came hopping by. I watched him hop around and eat a earthworm and them he jumped up on the birdbath for a nice drink of water. I love my birds!!

Downy Woodpeckers

Downy's are one of my favorite birds. They were the first Woodpeckers that came to visit my feeders.
There are always several hoping around.

There will even feast on the ground feeders.

And they don't seem to be too afraid of me.

They love suet when they can get the Starling off the feeders.

European Starling

I think they are beautiful. Their coloring reminds me of an oriental rug. But they are starting to annoy me.
We just made these new Woodpecker suet feeders, which the Woodpeckers love, and I didn't think the Starlings would be able to cling to them. I was wrong.

They are very happy to have found my yard. I spoil my birds and they are benefiting from that. And I watched one the other day trying to cram his body into one of my wren houses. Luckily he was too big to fit. And these birds are not even native to the US. They were brought over from England in 1890 and released in NYC Central Park as "props" for a Shakespeare play. England... you can come and take your birds back home.

Chickadees are my friends

My Chickadees never fail to disappointment me with photo opportunities. I just love how sociable they are. With most of my other birds I have to stay completely still and hide behind tress to get shots of them, not the Chickadees.
This Chickadee was enjoying a sunflower seed.

The early bird gets the worm

It's a wonder my Robins stay around the yard the way I am always stalking them. I can't help myself. They are my favorite bird... at least for now. It changes all the time. It wasn't early like my title suggests. Actually this was a dinner worm.
Anyone know how to tell the difference between males and females? Or do they look the same?

Song Sparrow

Can you even see the Song Sparrow in this photo? That's one of the reasons that I love it. He is almost completely camouflaged. I suppose that was Mother Nature's idea. Click photos to enlarge.
I'm trying to do a better job of identifying my birds. My bird book tells me that this is a Song Sparrow because it has dark central spot on his chest. Feel free to correct me if any of my bird identification is not correct. I have a lot to learn.

Male House Finch??

I really liked this photo that I captured Sunday. I think it is a House Finch. Am I right bird friends? I think I have both Purple Finches and House Finches in my yard and I am trying to tell the difference. I think the Purple Finch has more red on him.

Neighborhood Critters

Unfortunately, feeding the birds have increased these critters in my yard. I'm trying to be tolerant of them. They really aren't being too much of a burden so I'm tolerating them pretty well. The birds don't seem to be bothered by them as I see them eating side by side. Only once have I spotted them on top of the feeders. They got a scolding for that.
Seadra and Zoe love having them around.... to chase.