Birds of a Feather Flocking Together in My Backyard

Wednesday, May 16, 2018
I always enjoy bird watching in my backyard, but May is an especially fun time to observe the comings and goings out my window.  Besides my regular group of diners, spring brings a variety of migrating birds who make a brief stop along their journey for a meal or two.  One must be observant and patient, and that patience is richly rewarded.  I try to always have a camera ready near the window because sometimes the opportunity is brief and fleeting.  If I'm lucky I might get a second chance or two.  Sometimes a visitor might not return for a year or two, sometimes never.  Whether these feathered beauties are new to my yard, like the Eastern Bluebirds this year, or the pair of Grey Catbirds that come back year after year to nest out back, I'm thrilled to provide a smorgasbord of nourishment for their dining pleasure.  Here's a photo essay of what's happening in my backyard!

 Pileated Woodpeckers are not uncommon visitors to my feeders, but recently I've had one (I'm assuming it's the same one) who has taken a liking to some new, fancy suet we purchased at Wild Birds Unlimited in Wilton, NY.  This particular suet has insects in it, and costs about 5 times what we normally pay for commercial suet.  This hungry fella shows up several times a day, loudly announces his arrival and proceeds to survey the dining table from the ground, from every angle, before finally ascending to his perch where he stays a long time, ignoring window and screens opening, our voices, and most other disturbances as he fills his belly before taking off until he returns later to repeat this process.  I can tell this is a male by his red cheek stripe.



 Our Catbird pair is also fond of the suet cakes, but that's not all they eat.  I've grown to love these pretty and melodic birds....

For the first time this year, I happened to spot a gorgeous Yellow Warbler...tiny but strikingly pretty.  My photos aren't the greatest...I didn't take time to fuss in case he didn't hang around long...and he didn't.

For the second time in my birding hobby, I had an Indigo Bunting pass through.....


Also once or twice a year, I catch a Rose Breasted Grossbeak - normally a male.


 I'm not sure how to explain his color variation except that maybe it's a juvenile.  If you know, please leave me a comment!  Carolina Wrens are a given around here and one of my favorite little, noisy birds.  This is the first time I've seen two at a time, together at the same feeder.


 I'm tellin' ya.....the birds go crazy for these seed cylinders from Wild Birds Unlimited.  This particular one is filled with fruit and nuts and meal worms and I'm pretty sure the birds sent out a flyer about it.  Below is a Chipping Sparrow and a Downy Woodpecker.

 Although the Bluebirds seem to have rejected the house we put up, one pair seems to have stayed around and drop in from time to time for a snack.






Another favorite of mine whose call announces, for me, the first sign of spring is the Red Winged Blackbird.  He eats pretty much everything we offer and dining in the rain didn't bother him a bit.
 And it wouldn't be summer without these tiny gems, hovering, eating and whizzing away - all day, everyday.

 Not every living creature in the yard has feathers....but as long as she doesn't eat my flowers, she can make herself right at home - under my shed where she'll have her babies.

 Well, that's what's happening in my neck of the woods.  Thanks for letting me share my world with you here on the blog.  I hope this post will inspire you to get outside and observe a little nature.  It will calm you and ground you and remind you that there's more to life than what we waste our time on!   If you love birds, you can find several more posts like this one under my Animal Friends category in the Directory..... https://www.lifeasiseeitphotography.net/p/directory.htmlCome back soon for more Life As I See It!  Don't forget...you can share posts by using the social media icons below and you can subscribe to receive every new post in your email too!  Happy Birding!

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