Alarmed and Bossy

We went for a walk at a nearby park and the geese seemed to tolerate us, even as we were steps behind them. Though a few of them had feathers raised in alarm on the back of their long necks, the only aggression we saw was when one goose tried to boss around another one.

They thought we were following them...
but really they were just in our way.

Alarmed and Bossy! 

Happy Easter!

I made these bird rolls from scratch for our Easter lunch. They were a hit, soon to be a tradition.

A Robin's Evening Song

Cedar Waxwings

Two years ago today I happened to look out the kitchen window and watched as a flock of crested birds swooped into the yard and flitted between our birch tree and the neighbor's maple. They were cedar waxwings looking for berries together before mating season would pair them off.

"A flock of cedar waxwings on the neighbor's maple tree..." sounds a bit like the beginning of a poem.

I haven't seen one of their kind since.

Dedicated to Grandpa Bob, a bird lover himself. Happy Birthday, I love you and miss you!

Duluth Robins

Courtesy of my Dad:

I've never seen so many robins in my life, even in a season. They're out front under the crabapple tree. Some are up on the branches knocking the dried crabapples down, and the others are enjoying the works of the others. Out back, it's similar but a better variety of birds, mostly ground feeders. So I've been throwing out a cup of seeds every hour or so. Fun to watch, for sure. I'm used to seeing robins on warmer, moist days in spring, not with a snow cover. These hardy souls were definitely on the hunt for nutrition after almost two days of strong winds.

A Blackbird Consortium

There are at least 21 birds in this posse and they've been swarming the feeder all day long, moving as one organism as they descend on the yard or get spooked away by a passing vehicle. Most of them are grackles, with a few cowbirds throw in the mix, and about a half dozen red-winged blackbirds. All these different varieties of one type of bird.

Who says we can't all get along?

Nothing clever, just a cardinal

Springtime Birdservations!

A briefing on what the birds have been up to in my neighborhood:

• While on a walk we heard the chickadees with their two-note call. One bird called out and another answered, descending down the musical scale. As they continued with their individual rhythms, the notes were soon in tandem with each other to make perfect harmony.
• The goldfinches are gaining their summer plumage back so they look more as their name describes and not the buff color they were all winter. I saw one call out from a spindly sprig at the top of a pine tree, alerting all available females to his grandeur.
• A crow also took advantage of the highest point on the street and claimed himself to be king of the hill from atop a chimney.
• Every time I see geese my heart melts a little. Often in pairs on grassy areas, one picks away at the ground while the other watches for danger. 
• Two bluebird sightings in one week! It's so exciting to see rusty red and cerulean blue dart through the air.
• There is what I believe to be an egret living in the pond by the community center. They move so carefully, even their flight appears in slow-motion.
• Our backyard has been full of activity from the robins as they hunt worms and enjoy old berries still on the tree.
• Also in the backyard was a large bird I didn't see long enough to figure out what it was. It was bigger than a robin, was feeding on the ground, and when he took flight there appeared to be a bright yellow coloring under his wings. This would lead me to believe it was a flicker but I'm not certain.
• I've heard more red-winged blackbirds than I've seen.
• And finally, I've seen many birds of prey gliding overhead. Their cries reminded me of something you'd hear in an old western movie as  the sun bakes the desert landscape.

Spring!

The robins have been out in full force today and there is not an inch of soundscape not crammed with their song. This must mean spring is around the corner.

Be Like the Bird

My aunt gave me a book of children's poetry and in it I found a lovely piece by Victor Hugo.

Be like the bird, who 

Halting in his flight

On limb too slight

Feels it give way beneath him,

Yet sings, 

Knowing he hath wings. 

 

Fluffy Winter Plumage

Since seeing the flock of goldfinches on Christmas Eve, I put out a thistle seed sock to encourage them to return. Having seen no action all week, I finally had my first visitor. It was about 5 degrees out so he's got his winter plumage puffed out to maximum. The rest of his crew arrived later and preferred the birch tree.

Nine Finches Flocking

This morning I saw what could have been a verse of the 12 Days of Christmas. A flock of nine goldfinches nibbling away at the birch tree.

Merry Christmas!

Nine Finches Flocking

Tiny Prints

With all the beautiful snow we've had, I had to pull this photo out. I took it last December on our front steps because the little snowy prints completely melted my heart.

Flying Drunk

While watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at my mom and dad's house we were startled by a loud bang against the big front window. Whatever it was had hit with such force we thought maybe someone had instigated a snowball fight with a misfire on the house.

There on the ground below the window was a robin who had flown too fast and smacked into the reflection. He had landed on his back on the sidewalk below and panted in his shocked state for several minutes. We were pretty sure he was "flying towards the light" but a few minutes later he began moving his head around like he was trying to figure out what the heck just happened. All of us watching were relieved when he managed to flop onto his feet, and he even allowed my dad to pick him up and place him on the planter in front of the house, out of the way any hungry neighborhood cats.

The poor little guy sat there looking pathetic as he watched his robin buddies buzz around the crabapple tree eating its fermented fruits. That's my theory anyway- that the berries that never fell from the tree have become an intoxicating treat. Maybe that's why this guy lost control as he left the Crabapple Bar. He eventually flew away, a little worse for wear.

Juncos! Part II

After our big snow yesterday I put out some bird seed making sure there was some scattered on the ground to attract the juncos. Here is one happy little guy. The photo doesn't do him justice; his charcoal black coat and fluffy white underbelly look so cozy atop of blanket of clean snow.

Winter is coming, just ask the birds

I haven't posted much lately and that's not for lack of bird activity.

Birds are migrating, with some leaving us for warmer southern temps, and some joining us from their northern summer homes, like juncos. The geese have been practicing their Vs. It's funny watching some of those younger geese try to figure out where they are supposed to fall into line. By now those formations are getting tighter and coming together quicker than a few weeks ago. Some might have left already but there are still flocks who haven't yet.

I noticed a few weeks ago that the goldfinches have already donned their "winter coats." From the back they still have their signature finch design with the wings creating a stripey V, and no longer bright yellow but more of a dull taupe.

Everyone is taking advantage of the bountiful natural seed harvest, trying to gain their winter fat stores. We have a few sparrows who have fattened up considerably since the last of their offspring left the nest. My feeders have been empty for the past few months because I know there is plenty of food for them to find in the seeding flowers and weeds, like my sunflowers and the neighbor's coneflowers, both favorites of the goldfinch.

The birds know it won't be long now before the weather changes!

Juncos!

The slate juncos have returned! These little snowbirds are about the size of a sparrow and have beautiful gray feathers and soft white bellies. In flight their tails fan out into a contrasting slate and white sail. They look especially pretty on a snowy day. I startled one the other day and he called out in a hard tic sound, but I think they also have a few songs in their repertoire.

Pictures don't do them justice this time of year. I'll wait for the day when they cluster under my feeder atop a clean blanket of snow.

Sunflowers

I planted sunflowers on the side of the garage, knowing that goldfinches and others like to nibble at the seed heads in the fall. Beneath each flower head there is a collection of white bird droppings- proof that the seeds are ripe and birds are hungry.

Another obvious sign....

Blue Jay

A pair of blue jays took turns at the feeder this morning, leaving a line of sparrows waiting for them to move on.

Sparrow Dirt Bath

A few sparrows enjoying sun-baked dirt for a little bath. They dug bowls (or bathtubs?) in the ground by scooting around on their tummies, then fluttered their wings to kick the dirt over themselves.

Momma Squirrel and the Hungry Birds

For a while a little black squirrel and a larger gray squirrel would visit our feeder for breakfast each day, and sometimes for an afternoon snack. Sometimes I try to chase them away because they spill birdseed from the tube and toss aside less preferred morsels as they dig through the tray in search of the good stuff.

In addition to being messy eaters they keep the birds away. The other day I noticed several sparrows standing on the sidewalk, watching the bird feeding station longingly as if they were helpless to feed themselves. I followed their gaze to the giant gray squirrel sitting in the tray. Poor little birds were waiting for her to leave!

I was just about to run out there in my pajamas and spout something crazy like, "get outta here, you varmint!" But then the squirrel reached up to the tube to grab a sunflower seed and I noticed she had recently nursed (I won't describe her personal details here, but I've included her picture so you can see for yourself). I stopped myself - I can't bring myself to shoo away a squirrel who is nursing babies!

So for now, as long as momma squirrel is nursing, I will leave her to stuff her face with as much bird food as she needs. The birds will just have to wait their turn.

Sock Feeder

Because of an increase in goldfinch activity, I bought a nyjer seed sock feeder to accommodate these sweet birds. It went unnoticed for a day, but now even the sparrows and chickadees are enjoying it. I positioned the tray underneath the sock so the seeds won't drop to the ground and plant themselves, and the sparrows have found it's a convenient platform from which they reach up to the sock to grab a few bites, and it's also a great place to politely wait one's turn.

Salt and Pepper

My sister-in-law gave me these salt and pepper shakers for my birthday this year. Aren't they perfect?

Feather

On a walk through a wooded area of our neighborhood where the blue jays make their homes, I found one of their feathers on the ground. The child-like urge to pick up this treasure lead me to bring it home where it now adorns the kitchen window. I was amazed to feel the air resist against the feather as I swung my arms; it's no wonder birds can soar so easily.

Two by Two

I went for a walk this morning and passed this storm pond. There are four pairs of ducks in various stages of the head under butt up feeding position.

Geese Crossing

Taken at Phalen Park in St. Paul a couple of weeks ago.

Good As Gold

Yesterday as I filled the feeders I heard goldfinches everywhere. I was surprised because I usually only see one mating pair at the feeder together so my assumption was there were few of these birds in my neighborhood. When I looked up in the birch tree, directly above me a male leaned over to his fluttery winged companion and fed it, meaning they've got a brood fledging. Goldfinches tend to mate later in the season than most birds.

This morning is no different with the goldfinch population. After this was taken a fourth joined but I wasn't quick enough to photograph it. They are very hungry today.

Nature's Alarm Clock

Earlier this spring we took advantage of the warming weather to air out the house by leaving the windows open all day and overnight. It felt so good to get fresh air blowing through the house. Even Tokyo's spring fever starts when she can sniff at the open patio door. With that luxury of fresh air comes what some may consider a downside: early morning bird calls.

I will admit that some people, my dad for instance, find a sort of peace in the early dawn light listening to birdsong with a cup of coffee on the back patio. Others, like me, prefer to sleep until the alarm clock has gone off at least a couple times. For several weeks it had been my habit to peacefully fall asleep to a fresh spring breeze, then wake up at 4AM to shut the bedroom window when what began as sweet birdsong became like a crowded diner during the lunch rush, then hope to squeeze in a couple more hours of sleep before the beeping reality on my nightstand ordered me up and at 'em.

In the spring and early summer, the robins provided my 4AM wake-up call. It usually began with one robin sending out what sounds like a maniacal laugh of "tuh tuh tuh tuh tuh!" Then the rest of the robins within earshot would start their "cheerup cheerio cheerup." It's actually quite charming, but I still had to shut the window.

Lately I've noticed the robins are quiet and it's the cardinals sending out their pre-dawn chirps. On nights cool enough to leave the air conditioner off, mornings usually begin with one cardinal starting its day with a friendly "purdy purdy purdy," which they sing as many as 12 to 14 times. I've also heard "shirp, shirp, teew teew teew teew teew." I began counting the number of "shirps" versus "teews" and noticed it's 2 and 6, with a few variations.

Although I complain about being woken before I would like, I will admit that I can appreciate hearing such friendly songs as cheerup, cheerio, purdy and what-cheer, first thing in the morning. It's as if they're saying, "cheerio! What a purdy morning, cheerup and you'll see what-cheer is in store for you today!"

Cranky Pants

Today I am cranky. I'm allowed to be cranky. 

A Few Items Worth Mentioning

• Just a few hours after I posted about male cardinals feeding the females, I actually witnessed this! I don't think they were mating because it seems too late for that, and the female was not scruffy like the juvenile I had seen a few weeks prior so I assumed it was an adult female. It looked like she was receiving a sweet kiss from her love. 

• Later that day a bluebird took a quick respite from flying in the heat to perch on the top of the shepherd's hook. I have never seen a bluebird before so this was very exciting for me. He had his mouth wide open. I've seen other birds do this and I wondered if it's a cooling mechanism, much like panting for a dog. Turns out it is, the internet says. It was pretty hot that day. 

• The blue jays have been very noisy today! I rarely hear them, and usually only so when I walk through the parts of the neighborhood where the trees are thicker. They're so loud I expect a flock of them to land in my yard to begin the Angry Blue Jay Territory Convention.  

• On my way to the library yesterday I saw a dark wide wingspan circle over the street a ways in front of me and land over some road kill. I was able to drive right up to it before it flew away revealing itself to be a turkey vulture! Before I knew what it was I was describing it to Rob and said it looked like a big black bird with a red turkey head. I wouldn't call them "pretty." 

• I love it when I surprise the birds at my feeder. Many of them are so focused on eating that they don't hear me walking from the car to the front door. When I get right next to the feeder they all scream, fly to the nearest branch, and if they're chickadees, they scold me until I shut the front door behind me. Last week I surprised a goldfinch. He looked right at me, paused as if processing what he saw, then gave a startled warble before flying away. 

Barred Owl

This post comes all the way from Illinois. I bet my Uncle Todd doesn't know he's a contributing editor to this blog!

Thought you might get a kick out of the new resident in our birch tree 10 feet from the front porch.

Its a barred owl. I’ve never seen one before. He just sits in the tree (no nest) and gets chased occasionally by other birds (for the last few days) but always returns. The limb is over the sidewalk and besides the white splots he emits, there are also grayish balls consisting of tiny bones, fur, and feathers of the creatures he has dined on. He looks pretty well fed.

Anyway, its kind of neat. We are enjoying his company. He is a pretty good size owl.

Breakfast Date

I often see a pair of cardinals feeding in the yard together. I've read that during their courtship the male actually feeds the female, though I've never actually witnessed this myself. As that early romance fades, the simply sweet companionship remains. These days when hormone levels are lower, I see the female eating from the tray while the male forages on the ground.

Here they are on a breakfast date, chaperoned by a baby bunny (the brownish blur above Mr. Cardinal).

Maybe My Current Favorite

Look at this little sweetie! This is a chipping sparrow. Smaller than the house sparrow, they have a chestnut colored cap on their head. I saw one bouncing around restlessly, almost wren-like. Their call is much like their name would suggest, a high-pitched trill, and a chip, chip, chip!

Dallas Meets Skye

Hey Dallas, what are you looking at?

Oh, nothing............

My parents' parakeet fascinated her for hours. 

"One Good Tern Deserves Another"

To continue my Duluth Birdservations, here is a shot of a sandy island in the St. Louis Bay where hundreds of gulls and terns nest. The guide of our boat tour told us that terns like to nest mate for life, which prompted him to say "one good tern deserves another!"

As we approached the island, their perpetual and tortuous shrieks became the sort of soundtrack I imagine my brain would play if I ever went crazy. Instead of voices, I'd hear seagulls. Hundreds and hundreds of seagulls.

Duluth Hummingbird

A hummingbird, getting its morning nectar from my Mom's feeder.

Duluth Birdservations!

A few weeks ago I got a visit from a white-breasted nuthatch. In Duluth this weekend I managed to snap a few photos of his cousin, the red-breasted nuthatch. They were so tame I could stand right under the feeder and they'd keep eating, with an occasional glance in my direction. 

Goldfinch

Goldfinches are nearly impossible to photograph because they always have their backs turned towards the house, or they're concealed by birch tree leaves.

Then I got lucky.

Wrens

These are the wrens that have been hanging out in our garden areas. I followed one as he slipped into a canopy of leafy plants. When he realized I was there he flitted to the fence where he scolded me. I apologized but he wasn't ready to forgive me, and he flew away.

Another wren was in our front yard by the perennials. 

Then I struck gold when I looked out the kitchen window and saw three of them sitting in a row on the fence. I grabbed the camera and went outside. I got even more scolding for these photos.

Weekend Update

• I'm thrilled to report that the Indigo Bunting returned twice today after gracing me with his presence for the first time yesterday.

• Wrens, wrens everywhere! They have been hanging out in our garden areas so there must be a nest somewhere nearby. I received many baleful scoldings from them as I got too close in my attempts to photograph them. 

• Lately I've been really lazy about filling the hummingbird feeder. A wave of guilt washes over me whenever I look at it, and the hummingbirds haven't returned (from what I've seen). But yesterday there were two sweet little butterflies resting on its red plastic base so I felt better knowing someone was getting something from it. Speaking of butterflies, they're everywhere! It's fun to watch them.

• A cowbird with a most embarrassing situation visited our feeder yesterday. As it turns out, humans aren't the only ones who must watch for bird poo bombs from above. Yes, that's what the streak of white is on his back. Hopefully it was an accident and not a malicious attack, but when you've got a reputation like the cowbird, you never know...

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Delicious Birdseed!

Knowing the chances of seeing a bald eagle fly majestically over my yard on Independence Day were pretty low, I was wondering what other patriotic theme I could go with to celebrate today. And then, an Indigo Bunting stopped by (which is so exciting because I haven't seen one since I left Duluth)!

Thanks to the inspiration he provided, here's the Official Birdservation Salute to America:

RED!

WHITE!

BLUE!

Red-winged Blackbird

I have fond memories of red-winged blackbirds from my childhood. They remind me of making the drive to my Grandma and Grandpa's farm in Chisago County. I remember staring out the car window at the wash of golden farm land and being thrilled to see their bright colors as they perched on the cattails growing in marshy ditches.

When I first saw one at my feeder I was so excited! And since that first visit I only need to hear them sing to know one is in my yard. It's a distinct call; very different from the ongoing medley of finch and sparrow song.

I have a pair of red-winged blackbirds who visit my feeder, most often just the male.  Sometimes his girlfriend stops by, but it's almost never a "date" as they usually visit the feeder solo. I've read that these birds are polygynous (meaning, one male bird mates with many females), so the female I see might be one of several girlfriends. Out for a quick meal away from the sister-wives. Kind of like the Big Love of blackbirds.

From the photo below you can hardly see any red on his shoulders, it's mostly hidden by black top feathers.

But when he's air-borne his color pops (as you can see from the blurry blob at the top of this picture!).