Partial Albino?

It's a rainy fall day and our yard is busy with birds. I noticed a robin with some white feathers on him, and I think he might be a partial albino...

Double Date

Two pairs of red-winged blackbirds stopped by this morning.

Stretching those legs

Guys on the feeders, gals on the tray

Lovely Blue

I forgot to clean up the birdseed after we played outside yesterday. A couple of bluejays appreciated the mess and went to work sorting out all the corn kernels. 

Friendly chickadee

My Grandpa was a friend of the chickadees. Sometimes he'd sit out under one of his homemade bird feeders and wait for them, letting them perch on his shoulders or eat out of his hands.

While playing out in the yard this morning, I was able to get within a couple of feet of the bird feeder while both a sparrow and chickadee took turns eating. The sparrow was more cautious, often watching me from the tree and waiting for me to move a little further away before returning. Here he is peeking at me.

The chickadee was braver, though he did scold me a few times when I surprised him. Perhaps they have less fear because after swiping a seed from the feeder they fly to safety in the tree?

Sparrow Variety

It's so easy to over-look sparrows. Earlier this year I was super excited when I found a white-crowned sparrow who must have peeled off from the flock during his migration north. He was around for quite a while, so when I took this picture today I wondered if it was the same guy and he summered here, or if his flock is on their way south already.

I noticed another type of sparrow at the feeder this morning. He had stripes on his head but not as vivid as the white-crowned sparrow. Looking through binoculars I noticed yellow around his eye. My book says it's a white-throated sparrow. 

Northern Flicker

Well, look who stopped by today!

Tomato Treat

This tomato has been perched on that gate post for a couple weeks, long forgotten. I'm glad someone came along to enjoy it, though by the looks of it he may not have been the first.

Nuthatch

I've been hearing nuthatches all summer, and finally saw one! 

Geese at the park

This flock politely moved out of our way as we strolled past, but Linnea wanted to follow them.

Quiet Time

Rob noticed this mourning dove cuddling with her baby right before dusk. I watched them for a while; they hardly moved. Then the baby nudged and nipped at her, and she soon flew off (I assume to find food). He was a little nervous on that fence all by himself so he found a nice quiet bough in the pine tree nearby to wait for mama's return.

She saw me on the deck with my camera but didn't seem to mind that I was there.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!"

A little nervous, possibly chirping to her though I couldn't hear anything.

Safe at 15' above ground.

Crimson duel

Then there were none

First there were three...

Joined by another...

Two more stopped by...

And all left with a flutter.

Potato-chip

The next time I see a goldfinch painting imaginary scalloped trails through the air during his dipping flight, I will have to pay attention to his song which my bird book describes as "a cheery potato-chip." 

Silhouette

Feather

Found in the front yard. It's at least 3" longer than my hand from tip to tip. 

Cedar Waxwings

Baltimore Oriole

A flash of orange moving quickly through the oak tree. And here he is (the best photos I could get):

"Eeeee!"

This family of geese lives at the zoo and when we pointed them out to Linnea she squealed with glee. 

Date Night

As we celebrate our anniversary, the ducks were out for a romantic date of their own.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Came by as thunder began to roll, about 10 minutes before the rain hit. 

Injured Cowbird?

We noticed this female cowbird in the backyard, hobbling along with a possible injury on her right wing. While watching her, a male cowbird came up and did a little dance for her, and at one point she had a male and female sparrow on either side of her like they were all friends. I have no idea what was going on with this and I eventually lost sight of her.

Flighty Finches

Feeding Baby

Sparrow: A Rare Find!!!

I used to think that if you saw one sparrow, you saw them all. The majority of the birds we have at the feeder is a typical house sparrow. Plain brown and tan birds hopping around in the grass are mostly unnoticed when one more colorful is in their midst. Fat sparrows sluggishly bob along the outdoor patios at any eatery. Every now and then I see a tiny chipping sparrow. I've always thought sparrows are nothing spectacular.

Tonight as three rabbits engaged in some sort of mating hide-and-seek game (menage a trois?) the birds nearby tried to stay out of their way, and I noticed one who did not look like the others. Along with markings and color typical to sparrows, its head had striking white and black stripes. A White-crowned Sparrow, most likely on a layover of its migration north to Canada.

There are close to 10 varieties of sparrows that spend the summer in this area, and several more who are simply passing through on their way to summer or winter homes. This little bird is encouraging me to have a bigger appreciation for them all.